Pronghorns newest signing brings a can-do attitude

By Dale Woodard on May 8, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDsports@lethbridgeherald.com

Perhaps no one would be surprised if the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s basketball team’s latest recruit arrived complete with a lunch pail and work boots.

This much is certain, Chloe Deklerk has put in the work to make the step up to the Canada West.

On the same day it was announced the Canada West had received the thumbs-up to begin exploring a return to play in the fall after the COVID-19 pandemic sidelined the 2020-21 season, the Horns women’s basketball made some headlines of their own with the announcement of the commitment of Deklerk, a guard who hails from Pigeon Lake.

“We’ve been watching her for a little while now and we had some really good conversations with her last summer,” said Pronghorns women’s basketball coach Dave Waknuk. “Obviously with the restrictions, seeing her in person was tough, but we were able to keep in contact with her throughout the fall and we were able to come to her decision to join us and we are excited to have her.”

In-person contact may have been limited due to the pandemic, but Waknuk knows he’s getting a workhorse, and a smart one, at that.

“I think what she brings is a basketball IQ,” he said. “Everything I hear about her is her great attitude and her work ethic. I think those are great things to bring into our Pronghorns team.”

When everything shut down last year, Deklerk kept working.

“She had some school access and was able to get in a little bit by herself,” said Waknuk. “She was working with a club in Edmonton. So she has been able to stay involved in the club scene in Edmonton, which has been good for her. Then it was just like everybody, having to do stuff on her own.”

That do-it-yourself approach to training is a big plus for the Horns bench boss.

“I think that is always a good sign for a recruit, knowing how committed she is on her own because that is going to help transfer to this level when we ask them for a lot of their own time and their commitment to our training,” said Waknuk. “She has shown that throughout the year to how committed she is to her game. It’s not an easy year for high school athletes to be coming into post secondary because they have essentially missed a large part of their development. But I think the ones who will connect and work are the ones who are doing the work on their own and that is what she has been doing.”

The latest Horns signing coincides nicely with the Canada West return-to-play announcement.

Of course, it also came one day after the province announced it was handing down further COVID-19 restrictions in light of recent soaring numbers.

Fortunately for the Pronghorns, that won’t affect them too much.

“We have been OK because back in March post secondary sports got re-classified by the government,” said Waknuk. “So we were able to come back in early-March entering outside of adult sports regulations, which we were lumped into for a while. That was good, we got about six weeks where we felt really good. We trained through our exams, which is something we don’t normally do, but because of the year and the circumstances, to get back in we did it. We thought it went really well. We had wrapped up for a little bit because athletes were going to go back home and start with their summers.”

Waknuk took stock of Wednesday’s announcement and what it will mean for his team.

“I think there are a lot of positives,” he said. “Obviously, it is a shorter season and there is less travel cross our league. But the benefit is we are going to have a season and it’s going to be unique in its own way. A 20 per cent reduction in games, but we are still getting games and I think at this point we are just happy for that.”

Waknuk said having all the teams in the playoffs will be different.

“It provides a pretty unique and exciting experience for the student athletes. They’ve really had to dig in and commit through a tough period and I think hopefully it will be a celebration of their commitment through this and it will be a positive of that when we get to it.

“Overall from the athletes, it’s excitement. Sure, there is always a little bit of caution now, it’s just the way things have been. But I think it definitely feels more real, the fact that you have some of these things out there.”

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