Tamika Nurse laughed at the idea.
Having a child and continuing to play college basketball? The life of a full-time student athlete can be challenging enough when you add in practices, games and schoolwork.
“No, I couldn’t,” Nurse said. “Could not.”
On Saturday, Oregon will see USC guard Brynn Cameron, who gave birth to Cole Cameron Leinart last year, and returned to the basketball court this season for the Trojans.
The 5-foot-10 junior sharpshooter, who has also undergone two hip operations, is averaging 5.9 points in 17.9 minutes a game. She is second on the team in three-pointers with 24, but is yet to regain the accuracy of her freshman year, shooting 28.2 percent this season compared to 40.9 percent in 2004-05.
“She is one of the more solid shooters,” guard Kaela Chapdelaine said.
Chapdelaine plays for the Canadian National Team and has had experiences with teammates having a child and coming back to play.
“Apparently, women come back better and stronger after having a baby because of all the hormonal changes, the body changes,” Chapdelaine said. “You have to get back in shape and most women, and even the ones I’ve known, that have had children come back better basketball players.”
Really?
“Yeah, so I think I’m going to have a baby,” Chapdelaine said. “No, I’m kidding, but that’s amazing. After having a baby, you not only grow as a person but as an athlete. I think life takes on a whole new meaning.
“I don’t know Brynn very well, but kudos to her for handling school, her personal life with this baby and still playing great basketball.”
Guard Taylor Lilley, laughing, said “I heard that after you have a baby you’re actually supposed to be able to jump higher, run faster … but that’s good for her that she’s coming back to (basketball).”
Lilley has firsthand knowledge of Cameron’s game from playing against her when Lilley was a freshman for Saugus High and Cameron was a dominant guard for Newbury Park High – both Southern California high schools.
“I just remember her ability to get her shot off so fast on a consistent basis,” Lilley said.
Any kidding aside, Cameron’s ability to return after having a child and have her scholarship is important in continuing to further provide opportunities for women in college athletics, said Nurse and Oregon coach Bev Smith, who both spoke about the benefits of Title IX last fall.
“I think that’s necessary,” Nurse said. “It would be really be unfair to take that from her after what she’s been through, not only with a child, but with all those injuries she had.”
While athletes have expectations they need to meet when on scholarship, life can pop up and things happen, Smith said.
While she doesn’t think there necessarily needs to be rules or guidelines on working with pregnant athletes, Smith said guidance from the NCAA would be valuable in helping young women continue to get their education and continue to play if that’s what they want to do.
“I think it’s something we need to talk about and be educated about so that when it does happen everyone’s not figuring out what to do,” Smith said. “I think we should have a plan and I think we’re slowly getting there.”
Familiar face
Chapdelaine and Nurse are keenly aware of the skills of USC point guard Camille LeNoir, who redshirted last season to recover from an offseason hip injury. LeNoir has made a seamless transition back into the USC rotation as the Trojans starting point guard.
She is averaging 11 points a game – second on USC – as well as 4.1 assists, 1.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals.
“She’s got a lot of energy, a lot of fire,” Chapdelaine said. “She’s got the outside game and a great mid-range game.”
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