Mac the Knight: Schroeder signs with Niagara College
Eden’s Mackenzie Schroeder (right) has signed with the Niagara College women’s basketball team.
One step into the Niagara College gym and Mackenzie Schroeder was sold.
“I walked into the facility and it felt welcoming and bright and I decided that this was the place for me,” the 17-year-old said. “It was a real welcoming atmosphere and the other people were nice.”
The Grade 12 student at Eden will be playing for the Niagara College women’s basketball team this fall and studying health and fitness promotion with the goal of one day becoming a personal trainer and basketball coach.
The program is exactly what she was looking for and Niagara College being local will also help keep her post-secondary costs at an affordable level.
She is excited about the whole experience, on and off the court.
“I am looking forward to meeting new people, growing my skills and becoming a better athlete and person.”
The 5-foot-9 guard/forward is working hard to prepare for the upcoming season. She is spending a lot of time in the gym and practices with the Niagara College girls whenever possible.
“I want to get my fitness level and everything better,” she said.
Schroeder’s goal for her first season of Ontario Colleges Athletic Association play is to carve out some playing time for herself.
“I also want to be a leader on the court, create relationships and help the team be a family and not just teammates,” she said. “I am going to work hard.”
Schroeder agrees that gritty is a good word to describe her style of play.
“I try hard and give it all I got.”
Niagara College head coach Mike Beccaria is excited to add another Eden Flyer to his roster. Earlier this year, Beth deBoer announced she had signed with Niagara.
“We are very pleased to add Mackenzie to our team,” he said. “Mackenzie is a very versatile player that we see playing a variety of positions.”
Beccaria likes a lot about her game.
“She works hard, plays with passion and will contribute right away along with other members of this recruiting class.”
Schroeder started her travel basketball career with the St. Catharines Rebels and moved to the Welland Warriors before playing a season of Niagara JUEL Prep and Niagara JUEL travel hoops.
Late last summer, she was contemplating whether she was done with basketball before she rediscovered her passion for the sport.
“I was iffy about it, but once school basketball started it came to me that this is what I actually wanted to do,” Schroeder said.
She credits her Eden teammates with helping her make that conclusion.
“Have great relationships with all my teammates made it that much better and made me want that for next year.”
This season, she is playing her travel basketball with a Niagara Rangers under-19 team that is riding a six-game winning streak in Ontario Basketball League action. The Rangers have been a perfect fit for her.
“It’s very chill and it’s something I had been looking for,” she said. “It’s more about developing skills and that has been really helpful.”
