CAL STARS ALUMNI UPDATE: First CAL STAR ELITE College Graduates The Cal Stars Elite played their first full season and launched their meteoric growth in the spring/summer of 2008. This FIRST Cal Stars Elite Team (Cal Stars Red back then) was anchored by three seniors, Morgan Hatten (Clovis West HS, St Mary s College), Lindsey Nickel (Pinewood HS, Brown University), and Kelly Peterson (Northgate HS, Lehigh University). All three players graduated high school with honors in 2009 and go on to play NCAA Division I basketball. The three of them began an amazing run that summer that would lay the foundation for the explosive growth experienced by the Cal Stars over the past SIX years. The Nike Girls Elite Youth (GEY) -sponsored Cal Stars is now the largest girls basketball AAU program in Northern California. However, playing for the Cal Stars has never been solely about being a basketball player. The Cal Stars have always been about preparing student-athletes for life beyond basketball and teaching life skills that will stay with our student athletes well beyond their playing days. We recently caught up with our first class of Cal Star Elite players who are now graduating from college and asked them to reflect on their Cal Star experience and provide some advice to the current Cal Star student athletes. Cal Stars: It s been 4 ½ years since you played your last game for the Cal Stars. How did playing for Kelly and the Cal Stars impact your life as a basketball player, and as a young adult entering college? Lindsay: Playing for Cal Stars and Coach Kelly prepared me to play at the Division 1 level. Before even entering college, I had played against some of the best players in the country, which gave me a lot of confidence coming into the Brown program. Morgan: Playing for the CAL Stars helped prepare me for playing against top tier talent. When I played for the CAL Stars we played some of the top travel teams in the country. Most of the players from those teams I ended up playing against in college. Kelly s style of coaching is very similar to that of a college coach so that helped me transition into the college style of basketball play.
Kelly P: Kelly completely prepared me for college as a basketball player and even as a person. He helped me find Lehigh a school I had never even heard about and always encouraged me to go to a good academic school. Kelly coached me for five years and had the biggest impact on my progression as a basketball player. Cal Stars was a big part of that as well; it was the perfect program that allowed us to compete at the highest level, but was centered around helping us make it to the collegiate level rather than money or profit for the program. It was also so much fun to travel around the country with the group and really fed my love for basketball and helped me realize I wanted to play in college. Kelly has also been a mentor in my life and someone I continue to go to for advice. Cal Stars: How did you enjoy your college basketball experience? Morgan: Playing collegiate basketball was one of the best experiences of my life. I had the opportunity to travel all over the U.S. and to play against some of the top competition in the country. My teammates became my new family and I couldn t have asked for a better group of girls to share four years of my life. I will cherish all of the memories I made while playing basketball at Saint Mary s College. Lindsay: Overall, I had a great four years here at Brown. I came into a program that was rebuilding to championship level and had the opportunity to contribute on the floor right away. I have been able to see different parts of the country while playing against some amazing athletes. Highlights of my college experience include beating the University of Florida in our Holiday tournament, playing in Northern California in front of all of my family and friends, and forming friendships that I hope to have for many years to come. Kelly P: I absolutely loved it. It was hard adjusting initially and accepting a lesser role than I was used to, but I learned so much about myself, and how to persevere and be an adult. I absolutely LOVED my teammates; they are my best friends and I wouldn t trade my time with them for the world.
Cal Stars: What was the most difficult thing about making the transition from Club/high school basketball to Division 1 NCAA basketball? Kelly P: Probably learning mental toughness: I had to take on a lesser role as a freshman like many people do and it was tough. I had to learn to trust myself and keep my confidence up and continue to fight against good players every day and keep working hard. Morgan: I think the most difficult thing about making the transition from high school basketball to college basketball was the physical nature. Coming into your freshman year, you are playing against girls that have been lifting and conditioning at a top level for about 3 years so it makes adjusting to the college style of play a little more difficult. Lindsay: The most difficult part of the transition to college basketball was the increased commitment. Playing at this level requires more mentally, physically, and emotionally. More time is spent practicing, lifting and conditioning, watching film, preparing for games, and traveling to and from competition. Cal Stars: What was your favorite thing about playing college basketball? Morgan: My favorite thing about playing college basketball was spending time with my teammates and developing close friendships with them. Kelly P: The relationships I formed with my teammates and being a part of something bigger than myself. We went through the grind together and became so close because of it; now there s no one I would rather spend time with. Lindsay: My favorite thing about playing college basketball has been the friendships I ve made with my teammates. Through the good times and the bad, I have
developed amazing relationships with a group of people that has become my second family. I try to remind myself everyday how fortunate I am that I ended up at Brown and for the opportunities that I ve had in the last four years. Cal STARS: Let s talk a little bit about your academic experience in college. What is your major, will you graduate on time (4 years), and what are your plans after college? Kelly P: I will graduate on time with 2 degrees, One in Marketing and one in Economics. Following graduation, I will be serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints for 18 months in Japan, and then attending graduate school at Brigham Young University in their Masters of Public Administration program. Lindsay: I will graduate this spring with a degree in Public Health. My plans post- graduation are still unclear. But I would love to be out here on the East coast in Boston or Washington DC working in the healthcare industry. Morgan: I completed my Bachelors Degree in Business Administration in 3 years. I started my Masters in Financial Analysis and Investment Management and an MBA with a finance concentration this year (during my last year of playing basketball) and will graduate with my Master degrees next year (Spring of 2014). I am currently working as a project manager for a company called Reaction Search International based out of San Ramon, CA. Cal Stars: Well it looks like all three of you have a great foundation going forward for life after college and playing basketball! What advice would you give the student athletes in the Cal Stars Program now? Morgan: Playing college basketball is a huge time commitment. You will not be able to do a lot of things that a normal college student does but if you love the game and you put your heart into everything you do then you will have a great college experience! Kelly P: I would tell them to look for a school that will challenge them academically and where you really love the other people in the program. Basketball should be a stepping stone to somewhere higher academically than you could have gone without it; after four years you want to come out with a degree that will help you in the next stage of your life. I would also tell them to really make sure they like their teammates and the culture of the program. You ll be spending multiple hours with these people every day and it s just not worth it if you ll be miserable. If you pick the right program you can build relationships for life. Lindsay: My advice is to find the best fit for you academically, athletically, and socially, whether that be at the Division I, II, or III level. Although I suffered a career- ending injury in my senior season, I can reflect back on my time here at Brown with no regrets knowing that I made the most of everything this university had to offer.
CAL STARS: Thanks so much ladies for all of your insight and setting a great example for the student athletes behind you in the Cal Stars program! Any last words for Coach Sopak? Lindsay: I would thank Kelly again for all of the hard work and time he invested in building a club basketball program the right way. Kelly P: Thank you!! Kelly found me as a middle- schooler and saw more in me as a basketball player than I ever did. He coached me at Northgate as well as with Cal Stars and is the biggest reason I am where I am today. He taught me everything! He held me accountable, taught me what working hard means, and made my high school basketball experience amazing. So thank you Kelly!! Morgan: I would tell him thank you for helping me become the player I am today. I would also let me know that to this day I have never fouled anyone in a game!