If you know anything about the Hopf family, youSA国际影视传媒檒l know hockey is their thing.

But thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a Hopf family member whoSA国际影视传媒檚 making a name for herself in a completely different sport and sheSA国际影视传媒檒l be using it to help further her education.

Presley Hopf of the Deninu Kue First Nation has signed on to play with Mount Royal UniversitySA国际影视传媒檚 womenSA国际影视传媒檚 basketball team in Calgary beginning next season. The best part? ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a full tuition scholarship, meaning the 17-year-old wonSA国际影视传媒檛 have to pay for her post-secondary matriculation.

SA国际影视传媒淚 thought about the U.S., but I always wanted to stay in Canada,SA国际影视传媒� said Hopf.

Hopf, who was born in Yellowknife, has been playing some of the highest level of hoops in North American courtesy of her roster spot with AthElite Basketball, a high-performance club based in Surrey, B.C. AthElite is aligned with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), considered to be one of the best sports organizations in the world.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e been to Colorado, Dallas, Louisville, all over,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲e had a tournament in Calgary and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what got me thinking about going to Mount Royal.SA国际影视传媒�

After a tour of the campus and a couple of other visits, Hopf decided Mount Royal was where she wanted to be.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou have to go with your gut and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what I did,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 had offers from about eight to 10 other schools and some Division II and III schools in the U.S., but thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not what I wanted.SA国际影视传媒�

Hopf began playing basketball in the GO-Ball program when she lived in Yellowknife. The GO stands for Girls Only and has been operating youth programs for young girls in the city for several years.

SA国际影视传媒淚 originally played hockey growing up, but I wanted to switch to basketball and that broke my dadSA国际影视传媒檚 heart,SA国际影视传媒� she said with a laugh. SA国际影视传媒淭obi (Taylor-Dusome) was such a big influence when I started playing. She actually bumped me up a couple of age groups.SA国际影视传媒�

Her brother, Keaton, was another influence, she added.

SA国际影视传媒淗eSA国际影视传媒檚 actually the main reason I started playing basketball,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淎ll our family did was play hockey and then he and my cousin started playing. It looked so amazing to me, so I started going to the basement and setting up the hockey cones we had to dribble around them and get better.SA国际影视传媒�

Hopf moved to Kelowna, B.C., with her family at the age of 10 and the move was done with basketball in mind.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was such a big sacrifice to move down south,SA国际影视传媒� said Hopf. SA国际影视传媒淲e knew we had to do that for more opportunities. I got to play AAU and I played with Team B.C. and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what got me to playing at Mount Royal.SA国际影视传媒�

Hopf realizes that sheSA国际影视传媒檚 one of the lucky ones when you consider the math. Around 35,000 girls are playing high school basketball each season across Canada and there are just 52 university teams playing U Sports womenSA国际影视传媒檚 basketball. A team usually consists of 12 roster spots, meaning that there is a roughly two per cent chance that a player will ever see a minute of action on a university basketball court.

That fact isnSA国际影视传媒檛 lost on Hopf SA国际影视传媒� she knows what this opportunity means to her.

SA国际影视传媒淥nly a small percentage of athletes get to play university (basketball) and itSA国际影视传媒檚 even smaller when youSA国际影视传媒檙e an Indigenous athlete,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hat runs so deep to me and I want to be that role model for young female Indigenous athletes who are growing up. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 nothing stopping you, even if youSA国际影视传媒檙e in the NWT. I may be living in B.C. and ISA国际影视传媒檒l be going to school in Alberta, but the NWT is always my home.SA国际影视传媒�