Shelby's College Plans

After many phone calls from different coaches and their players, many more texts, a few visits to the colleges and to watch a few of the teams play, Shelby has decided she will play volleyball and basketball for Itasca Community College next Fall.

Shelby has worked fulltime the past two summers at the USFS Forestry office in Blackduck, MN as a forestry technician and fell in love with her job. After her first summer, she decided that was what she would be going to college for so the decision to find a college with that in mind, wasn't too hard. UW-Superior was interested in her coming to play basketball for them but they did not have the curriculum she needed so that was out. Then Vermillion Community College called and Mesabi Range called so they were in the running. She attended several games at Mesabi and liked the campus and housing and met some great new friends but their curriculum wasn't quite what she was looking for either. We made the visit to Ely in mid-December and we both liked the campus and the coaches. She felt very comfortable there and knew a couple of the athletes and another student from Blackduck so VCC was at the top of her list because they had the curriculum/degree she was going to study.

Shelby's first intention was to get a little further away than Grand Rapids to experience a new atomosphere and environment, but the visit to ICC just wasn't going to let that happen. We knew from the get go that ICC had exactly what she wanted as far as Forestry/Natural Resources, but she just really did not want to stick around Grand Rapids as she is there all the time anyway!

We visited with the volleyball coach which was a good start, then had a student give us a tour and he ended up being a cousin to a girl from Park Rapids that Shelby played AAU ball with, then to the forestry building to talk with the guy in charge and that was very successful and gave Shelby a clear idea of what she wanted in that regard, then onto lunch with the basketball coach and half of the team. When she walked in the door there was one of the players she played AAU ball with from Deer River that she had a ball with and became good friends with...then a few other players from two different high schools that she played against and liked both of them, then the new girl from Michigan who was just a hoot, and talk about a live wire! (kind of like Shelby) She felt like she would fit in with them immediately and have fun playing ball with them, she knows they are all good ball players and she will get to play with Allie for her two years there, so that was good too. She left with a good feeling and we talked all day about pros and cons of both schools and made a list....the list for ICC was VERY long as she has family, a place to stay off campus, a part time job, our church in Cohasset, many friends and family that she can get help from if she needs it, two strong sports programs, and can get the forestry degree that she wants and move on a little further after her two years at ICC. She also liked that the college has about 1,000 students which is about double than VCC.

The forestry program there will also be SAF accredited next Fall (Society of American Forestors) which is a big deal (I guess) when it is on your diploma/degree. Vermillion will be accredited but not for about two years. That was another big factor in my mind.

Also being close enough for her parents and family to watch her play at ICC is just an added bonus. I would have traveled to Ely but this will be much easier....she decided that night and knew for sure but dreaded making the phone calls to VCC and Mesabi as she really got along with all of the coaches and would have enjoyed playing for each one of them.

I'm very proud of her for making a decision that she felt is best for her, even when her initial plan was to get a little further away. So I guess she will be a Lady Viking next Fall....she can relax now and just play ball for the rest of her high school season!