Karel Calcote stands in for some of the Pac-12’s elite scorers.
As an Oregon women’s basketball practice player, Calcote has stood in for California’s Brittany Boyd, Stanford’s Amber Orrange and Washington’s Kelsey Plum, to name a few.
The Ducks use a practice team – comprised mostly of men – to challenge the team each day in practice.
It’s not an easy job. They grind through every practice, play in every drill, but will never see the court.
“I think we’ve been really blessed,” head coach Kelly Graves said. “We have a great group this year. I think they understand what they’re there for. I think it’s really helped this year.”
They help practices run smoothly and allow Graves to challenge his student-athletes with a high level of competition in practice. Graves said they’re more physical than women practice players.
The group – Karel Calcote, Max Graves, Nick Kaelin, Austen Hammon, Connor Rowe – have also lived vicariously through the quilt work of the season. They feel as if they’re engrained into the story.
“It’s really helped my game,” Calcote said. “Coming to practice and going through all the drills. I see the coaches like I can go to them anytime and ask them about my game or I can talk to them about anything.”
Forward Jillian Alleyne appreciates the challenges they present in practice. She said they will also dish out tips of advice of their own.
“They’re huge for us,” Alleyne said. “Boys are always going to be good. Playing against the best makes you even better.”
Although Calcote says his dream is to one day walk on the men’s basketball team, he believes that there’s a two-way street, in that he offers the team his athleticism, but receives a great deal in return.
He enjoys having an organized practice schedule, coming from four years of basketball in high school in Southern California.
“Basketball has always been a big part of my social and academic life,” Calcote said. “Being on the practice squad, going through the season, I really feel like I’m a part of the team, even though I’m not playing. It’s been fun and I’m a lot happier here.”
The players often stay after practice to help the team one-on-one.
Both Calcote and Alleyne agree that the team incorporates the practice players into team bonding activities off the court.
“Every person on this team has a very personal relationship with the practice players, which I think is the family atmosphere that coach Kelly [Graves] enforces on us,” Alleyne said.
Graves’ son Max, a practice player, has also helped ease the transition to Eugene. His family still lives in Spokane, Washington, but will relocate after this school year.
The father and son usually eat lunch together after practice, a time they both treasure.
“That’s the one time of day I get to see him and catch up,” Graves said.
In the end, both the team and the practice players benefit from each other.
“These are guys that love that love the game,” Graves said. “They want to play and be a part of something bigger.”
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne
