How basketball and a grandmother’s love helped a high school grad overcome life’s challenges | CBC News

David Crowe never imagined the day he would be walking across the stage to receive his Grade 12 diploma, but basketball came into his life and changed all that.

Crowe, 18, from George Gordon First Nation and lives in Regina graduated from Scott Collegiate on Wednesday. 

“I believe basketball is a healing sport,” said Crowe. “I believe the way people approach the game is how they’ll approach life, and just having an outlet from somewhere, just let that stuff go is really important.”

Crowe grew up in foster care in British Columbia and started playing basketball when he moved to Regina at 11 years old when his grandma gained custody. He said he started playing to get closer to his three older brothers and fell in love with the game.

He said didn’t know how to deal with the traumas he faced as a child but basketball gave him a place to heal.

“I had a very poor self view of myself and I didn’t have self belief. So it took a lot of years to refine that, build that and I’m really happy because just from my own personal journey and how far I’ve come,” said Crowe.

Now, he’ll be going to Briercrest Christian Academy College and Seminary in the fall to attend their Junior Varsity Basketball Program and pursue a major in psychology. 

“I wanna help people and I’m gonna be going into it becoming a therapist just so I can give back in my own way,” said Crowe.

Daniel Stonechild, Crowe’s basketball coach, said he uses the sport as a medium to introduce his team to the ceremonies of the Cree culture, like sweat lodges and fasting.

He said he’s seen changes in Crowe from when he showed up four years ago, struggling to stay in basketball, to now, being one of the hardest working player on the floor. 

Stonechild said he helped Crowe build the skills to cope and deal with things that happen off the court.

“To play basketball at different levels other than high school, I think that’s huge and especially coming from where he’s come from for himself,” said Stonechild.

“I hope that he continues to live life the best way he can.”

A grandma’s love

Crowe’s grandmother Melody Constant (Crowe) is one of his biggest supporters and was proud to see him walk the stage to accept his Grade 12 diploma.

Constant, originally from The Pas, Man. but married into Piapot First Nation, said she’s taken care of over 22 grandchildren over the years. Three, including Crowe, graduated from Scott Collegiate this week.

Constant said her grandson needed an outlet to deal with things that happened to him in the foster homes and was happy basketball seemed to change how he dealt with life.

“I just was one of his biggest fans, I just can’t believe that he’s going to places like Briercrest, but he always talked about it and he’s making it happen,” said Constant.

Constant said she and Crowe have such a close bond, she jokingly said she is going with him to Briercrest in Caronport, Sask., 86 kilometres west of Regina, but it’s a bittersweet feeling for them both.

“She has raised me into the man I am today,” said Crowe.

“I can never repay her for that.”