The three NKEC Grade 12 students have not only played on many teams together, they have become good friends as well.
“We’re not necessarily best friends outside of school,” Corkum says, “but we could be and it wouldn’t feel weird.”
Corkum, 18, and Russell, 17, both grew up in Kentville, and came to NKEC from KCA in Grade 9.
Parsons, 18, grew up in Delhaven and now lives in Kingsport. She attended Glooscap Elementary before coming to NKEC in Grade 6.
Parsons has played soccer – “my main sport, “she says – as well as basketball, hockey and softball while at NKEC, and has also done track and field every year.
When the Acadia Relays were revived in 2013, Parsons received the honour of leading the other participating athletes in the first lap around the new track.
Corkum’s main sport has always been basketball, but she has also done soccer, cross-country, cheerleading, softball, track and field and this year, rugby for NKEC.
Russell’s main sport is also soccer, but she has also done basketball, softball and track and field for NKEC, and this year, is also playing rugby.
“I ran cross-country when I was at KCA, but not here,” she said. “A lot of the sports have seasons that overlap, so you end up having to choose.”
With all those sports in common, it’s not surprising the three girls have often been teammates. They have played together in soccer (both for NKEC and for Kings West in summer soccer), basketball and softball, as well as track and field.
In the latter, Russell does the jumping events, and all three are also runners.
“We make up three-quarters of our 4x100 relay team,” Russell said. “We’ve been teammates here for the past four years, and longer than that if you count summer soccer.”
Parsons says there are a lot of memories that will stand out when she thinks about her high school sports career.
“One that stands out is probably our final soccer game last fall, for the provincial bronze medal,” which NKEC won.
Russell agreed.
“We won bronze, but the game before there was a controversial call in the final minute that cost us a goal,” in a game they eventually lost in overtime.
Growing up together
Corkum says it’s been fun having Parsons and Russell as teammates.
“It’s like we’ve grown up together,” she said. “We’re very comfortable with each other. There are no surprises.”
The trio share a lot of classes, Corkum added, “so even when we’re away on trips, we’re able to study together.”
Another thing all three girls will remember fondly is the coaches they had, and three in particular: Dale Sanford, Don Batstone and Dave Morton, who is retiring after teaching at NKEC since it opened in 2001. All three have coached Parsons, Corkum and Russell in multiple sports, including soccer, basketball and softball. Morton also heads up the track and field team.
“They’re not just coaches,” Corkum says. “They’re friends, too. You can talk to them about anything, even problems you’re having, and they usually have good advice.”
Corkum said she will “miss the friendly faces, and the bonds we’ve made with each other and in the school,” after graduation.
“If I do sports (in university), I’ll have to make new friends and teammates, and I will, but I’ll never have coaches like I’ve had here,” she added.
University bound
Corkum is headed to St. F.X. this fall to study nursing, and in doing so, will be “following in my mom’s footsteps. It’s not what I always wanted to do, but as I’ve gotten older, I felt nursing would be a good match, because I’ve always liked people.”
Nursing at St. F.X. was also an option for Russell, but she has instead chosen to attend Dalhousie, where she has been accepted into the respiratory therapy program. She would have been happy with nursing, she says, “but respiratory therapy was my first choice.”
Parsons will study kinesiology at Acadia.
“I hear they have a really good program,” she says, adding that she hopes to try out for the Axewomen soccer team.
Russell will miss “the family aspect” of high school at NKEC.
“I’ve grown really close to Laura and Chloe and our younger teammates, who are like younger sisters,” she said. “I’ll miss the coaches, and especially those three. They’ve been a big part of my life here.”
Saying goodbye
“In a way, this year has been difficult. In the past, when we’ve made it to provincials, you could see how much it meant to the graduating players. This year, that’s been us,” Parsons said.
Russell agreed.
“You would always think, there’s always next year, but this time, there is no next year.”
Separating will be difficult, Corkum added.
“It will be different, not just for sports, but for school, too. That’s why I’ve tried to do some different things this year, like play rugby for example, so I could say I did it before I was finished.”
At the end of basketball season, she said, “it sunk in.”
“It hits you hard, that this year will be it for high school. I cried this year, for the first time I can remember,” she said.
Next month will be it for high school for Russell, Parsons and Corkum, but it won’t necessarily be the end for them as teammates, as they are all planning to play summer soccer, at least for this summer, for the Kings West senior women’s team.
The three NKEC Grade 12 students have not only played on many teams together, they have become good friends as well.
“We’re not necessarily best friends outside of school,” Corkum says, “but we could be and it wouldn’t feel weird.”
Corkum, 18, and Russell, 17, both grew up in Kentville, and came to NKEC from KCA in Grade 9.
Parsons, 18, grew up in Delhaven and now lives in Kingsport. She attended Glooscap Elementary before coming to NKEC in Grade 6.
Parsons has played soccer – “my main sport, “she says – as well as basketball, hockey and softball while at NKEC, and has also done track and field every year.
When the Acadia Relays were revived in 2013, Parsons received the honour of leading the other participating athletes in the first lap around the new track.
Corkum’s main sport has always been basketball, but she has also done soccer, cross-country, cheerleading, softball, track and field and this year, rugby for NKEC.
Russell’s main sport is also soccer, but she has also done basketball, softball and track and field for NKEC, and this year, is also playing rugby.
“I ran cross-country when I was at KCA, but not here,” she said. “A lot of the sports have seasons that overlap, so you end up having to choose.”
With all those sports in common, it’s not surprising the three girls have often been teammates. They have played together in soccer (both for NKEC and for Kings West in summer soccer), basketball and softball, as well as track and field.
In the latter, Russell does the jumping events, and all three are also runners.
“We make up three-quarters of our 4x100 relay team,” Russell said. “We’ve been teammates here for the past four years, and longer than that if you count summer soccer.”
Parsons says there are a lot of memories that will stand out when she thinks about her high school sports career.
“One that stands out is probably our final soccer game last fall, for the provincial bronze medal,” which NKEC won.
Russell agreed.
“We won bronze, but the game before there was a controversial call in the final minute that cost us a goal,” in a game they eventually lost in overtime.
Growing up together
Corkum says it’s been fun having Parsons and Russell as teammates.
“It’s like we’ve grown up together,” she said. “We’re very comfortable with each other. There are no surprises.”
The trio share a lot of classes, Corkum added, “so even when we’re away on trips, we’re able to study together.”
Another thing all three girls will remember fondly is the coaches they had, and three in particular: Dale Sanford, Don Batstone and Dave Morton, who is retiring after teaching at NKEC since it opened in 2001. All three have coached Parsons, Corkum and Russell in multiple sports, including soccer, basketball and softball. Morton also heads up the track and field team.
“They’re not just coaches,” Corkum says. “They’re friends, too. You can talk to them about anything, even problems you’re having, and they usually have good advice.”
Corkum said she will “miss the friendly faces, and the bonds we’ve made with each other and in the school,” after graduation.
“If I do sports (in university), I’ll have to make new friends and teammates, and I will, but I’ll never have coaches like I’ve had here,” she added.
University bound
Corkum is headed to St. F.X. this fall to study nursing, and in doing so, will be “following in my mom’s footsteps. It’s not what I always wanted to do, but as I’ve gotten older, I felt nursing would be a good match, because I’ve always liked people.”
Nursing at St. F.X. was also an option for Russell, but she has instead chosen to attend Dalhousie, where she has been accepted into the respiratory therapy program. She would have been happy with nursing, she says, “but respiratory therapy was my first choice.”
Parsons will study kinesiology at Acadia.
“I hear they have a really good program,” she says, adding that she hopes to try out for the Axewomen soccer team.
Russell will miss “the family aspect” of high school at NKEC.
“I’ve grown really close to Laura and Chloe and our younger teammates, who are like younger sisters,” she said. “I’ll miss the coaches, and especially those three. They’ve been a big part of my life here.”
Saying goodbye
“In a way, this year has been difficult. In the past, when we’ve made it to provincials, you could see how much it meant to the graduating players. This year, that’s been us,” Parsons said.
Russell agreed.
“You would always think, there’s always next year, but this time, there is no next year.”
Separating will be difficult, Corkum added.
“It will be different, not just for sports, but for school, too. That’s why I’ve tried to do some different things this year, like play rugby for example, so I could say I did it before I was finished.”
At the end of basketball season, she said, “it sunk in.”
“It hits you hard, that this year will be it for high school. I cried this year, for the first time I can remember,” she said.
Next month will be it for high school for Russell, Parsons and Corkum, but it won’t necessarily be the end for them as teammates, as they are all planning to play summer soccer, at least for this summer, for the Kings West senior women’s team.
