Paige Klinck- Stepping Up

Winston Churchill said, “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

In sports some things don’t happen as we plan. Often the successful athletes and successful teams are the ones who work and work, and then when an opportunity appears, they are ready to take advantage of the opportunity. Paige Klinck was someone who took advantage of opportunities last year.

In the summer after her freshmen year, she was battling injuries that limited her ability to play. As a result, she got little opportunity to compete for a spot on the varsity. Then at the beginning of her soph year, she again was fighting injuries while on the soph team. As the season went on, we would have her come once a week and practice with the varsity. What we were doing on the varsity was an adjustment for her and confusing many times. Although she practiced with the varsity, she seldom got into the varsity games. She never complained and continued to work.

Then in early January, the varsity had a series of injuries that made us short-handed. We needed another point guard on the varsity level. So we needed Paige to step up and play as a regular on the varsity. So in one week, she went from not playing at all with the varsity to the next week playing about half of every varsity game. That would be a tough step for anyone but to do it as a point guard where you are running the offense, that is really tough. Needless to say, Paige took advantage of her opportunity.

This year Paige and Megan Young really fill an important role for us. Because Paige and Megan can play multiple positions, they give us the depth we need to keep running and pressing. Both of them are willing to step up and do whatever the team needs on a given night. Paige is a very good shooter, who could emerge as one of our top three point shooters. Over the next year and half, I am not sure if Paige will be mainly a point guard or if she will emerge as a shooting guard. One thing for sure, Paige will be ready to do whatever is needed.

So how did you get involved in sports? What were you first experiences in sports?

My first sport was basketball that I thought I would try out when I was in 4th grade. Baylie’s dad (Billy) was the coach and he asked me if I would just sign up to play and see if I liked it. I haven’t stopped loving it since.
Did you go to high school games when you were younger? Do you remember a game that got you fired up about playing basketball at the hs?

I did go to some high school games not when I was a little kid but in junior high I went to a lot. The one I loved and remember the most was when Taylor Young hit the half court shot against Morton to tie the game and go into over time and seeing all the fans and student section. I even got chills I couldn't imagine how the players felt. I wanted to be a part of that feeling of stepping onto the court so I never quit and got me where I am now.
When you were younger, was there a high school player who you looked up to?

I never really thought about it really, but the team with Taylor Brenna Rachel and Kelly really inspired me the most. 

Are you a sports fan? If so, what college or pro teams are you a strong fan of?

I am a sports fan, I am a Boston fan so everything in Boston that involves sports I am their number one fan!
Nantucket- tell me what is so great about it?

AHHH Nantucket, everything is awesome. My whole family is out there, it’s such a relaxing place, and where I feel most comfortable with myself. I see myself out there in the next couple years for good.
What do you want to do after high school? Do you know what you want to study? Do you have some ideas of what you may want to do career wise?

After high school I plan on going out east (of course) I am strongly looking into University of Massachusetts Boston. I am looking at a career in Anesthesiology. Haven't made my mind up completely but I know I want to go into the medical field and at UMB it’s a great program to get into there.
Last year the first part of the year you were limited with an injury. What goes through your mind when you have to sit out? What advice would you give others on how to get through being injured? 

Sitting out with an injury that you have no control over is the most stressful thing in the world. While sitting out you see a lot more of the game and look deeper into it rather than when playing, you find yourself seeing more options than you would while playing. To give advice I would say--Do what you need to do in order to get back 100%. No short cuts, because if you do you will get hurt again and sitting out is the worst feeling ever. But while sitting out analyze the game and think about what you could do in the certain situations that your teammates are faced with, that you could be faced with once you are back on the court.
The second half of the year, you got moved into the regular rotation on the varsity as a point guard? Was that more exciting or more stressful?

I would have to say both. The team last year welcomed me in and knew I had no idea what was going on in the beginning. They tried to make it easy on me and help me through it. It was a very exciting feeling being able to be a part of the regular rotation and feel like I was adding (or trying to add) something to the team. Stressful in a way because towards the end I had to start playing 2 full games a night, I had to mentally and emotionally get ready for that physically I could do it, but sometimes my head would get in the way, and trying to remember what plays go with what team and what to do, because the way varsity plays is totally different from what I was used to playing. I wouldn't give that experience up for anything though.
You move back and forth between point guard and off-guard. What do you like best?

Some games I like being the point better some I like being off guard better. I guess depending on the pressure, I hate when I have people pressuring me on the ball I just have to get used to the intensity of the defense. But I haven't put much thought into which I like better, I’m willing to play whatever position and will learn to love it in order to put the best I can forward.
When you are all done playing at GHS, you would feel really good if your teammates said ____ about you?

I would feel really good if my teammates said I individually was a caring nice well rounded person. I would do anything for my team and I hope at the end they all know that. As a teammate I would hope they would say I was a big part of this season, because I feel we are going to do big things this season! Can’t wait to be a part of it! Going out to dinner- what three living or dead people would you invite for dinner and conversation?Right now I can’t think of 3 people but I know 1. I would like to go out to eat one more time with my Opah (my grandpa) he did so many amazing things in the athletic world. Around the mid west he was a big part in many sports. I never did take what he said serious because I felt he didn’t know what he was talking about. But he really did. I miss him every day and I wish he could come to one more game,  take me to dinner, tell me everything I did wrong, and help me improve. He always told me what I did wrong never right- he said it builds character to be put down, and see just how hard I would work to fix everything I happened to do wrong.

Paige’s grandfather was a major college referee. And as Paige describes it, “He even worked games for that coach that through the chair.”