Courtney Ekmark to Skip Senior Season at St Mary's

[UConnCat]

and instead will be home-schooled. From her father Curtis:

“Courtney is not going to be playing her senior year,” Curtis Ekmark said in the email. “She is going to home school and get ready for UConn.”
http://elmcitytoeaglevillenhr.blogspot.com/http://elmcitytoeaglevillenhr.blogspot.com/

By getting ready for UConn I think he means improving her strength and conditioning (weight training) and working on her skills. It appears that Curtis and Courtney have concluded that while Courtney is not yet ready to enroll at UConn, there is not much to be gained from playing another year at St Mary's.

 

[Vowelguy]

Seems odd to me (I would wonder why not just come to UConn and redshirt?), but presumably it's with Genos blessing.

 

[Bestiarius]

That's an interesting scenario that no one here came up with as a possibility. Since she has pretty much finished her course work, the emphasis can be on her basketball development. It could produce spectacular results. Thinking outside the box by the Ekmarks.

 

[Sonny44]

Seems odd to me (I would wonder why not just come to UConn and redshirt?), but presumably it's with Genos blessing.

Good idea.
She could be at UCONN five years, maybe leave with a Master's degree. Any rules against that?

 

[BearJWS]

Maybe a 2nd semester enrollment possibility???

 

[jdubct]

Good idea.
She could be at UCONN five years, maybe leave with a Master's degree. Any rules against that?

A red-shirted player could graduate with a master's degree. The limitation is on the years played, not on the degree(s) earned. It's interesting that players who have graduated at another university who have used only 3 years of eligibility can enroll at another school and go for a graduate degree. There is a player on the Uconn men's team who is currently doing this.

 

[Alydar]

Can she take some college courses without compromising her 4 years of eligibility?

 

[HGN]

There's also the possibility that she could be home-schooled and then play for whichever high school she chooses....This could be a situation where she just didn't want to play for a depleted St. Mary's team. Remember, St. Mary's graduated 4 or 5 D-1 kids last year. All court focus from opposition would be on stopping Courtney.......... Courtney now could be free to pick and choose whichever team suits her if she decides to play.

 

[2Infinity]

Any father who is really into his daughter's game, as Curtis is, knows her strengths and weaknesses very well. They probably realize that she will be able to compete at UConn next year. However, they probably also realize that if she wants to excel at UConn, she needs improvement in a certain areas. They can now focus on these individually. Seems like a smart move by her father.

 

[jdubct]

Can she take some college courses without compromising her 4 years of eligibility?

Yes. The restriction is on years of athletic eligibility.

 

[UConnCat]

Curtis Ekmark was clear in earlier comments that Courtney would not play for another high school team. Sounds like Courtney and her family want her to spend another year at home and then spend 4 years at UConn. Nothing odd about that. Courtney and her Dad seem to know what is required for Courtney to be successful at UConn and I have no doubt she'll arrive prepared.

 

[UConnCat]

Any father who is really into his daughter's game, as Curtis is, knows her strengths and weaknesses very well. They probably realize that she will be able to compete at UConn next year. However, they probably also realize that if she wants to excel at UConn, she needs improvement in a certain areas. They can now focus on these individually. Seems like a smart move by her father.

I just tried to say the same thing but you said it better than I did. Agree completely.

 

[2Infinity]

I just tried to say the same thing but you said it better than I did. Agree completely.

Well you added the fact that there won't be another HS in her future...which only makes sense at this point! Thanks for the thumbs up UC!

 

[Sonny44]

Curtis Ekmark was clear in earlier comments that Courtney would not play for another high school team. Sounds like Courtney and her family want her to spend another year at home and then spend 4 years at UConn. Nothing odd about that. Courtney and her Dad seem to know what is required for Courtney to be successful at UConn and I have no doubt she'll arrive prepared.

Nothing odd about it?
Are you aware of lots of others who have done it?
No offense, we're all just guessing......I guess.

 

[UConnCat]

Nothing odd about it?
Are you aware of lots of others who have done it?
No offense, we're all just guessing......I guess.

I said there's nothing odd about a kid choosing to wait until her class graduates to enroll in college and spend 4 (rather than 5) years in college. Isn't that what most kids do? What the Ekmark family has chosen to do for Courtney's senior season is certainly different from the traditional path, but this is a very bright family which seems to have a plan for Courtney's success.

 

[connboy77]

Only time will tell if Courtney made the right decision to drop out of her school. This is a very bright young lady and I think she will arrive at UCONN with the right attitude and maturity to be a major asset to UCONN in her college career.

 

[ChicagoGG]

While she will not play for another HS team, he did not say she would not play for her's father's AAU team. Wonder if this is a possibility.

 

[chrissaran]

Dropping out is not a good idea unless Courtney's going to be playing competitive basketball somewhere. As far as I know, she's not on any of the international teams. Staying home and just working out is not the same. She needs to play somewhere.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Dropping out is not a good idea unless Courtney's going to be playing competitive basketball somewhere. As far as I know, she's not on any of the international teams. Staying home and just working out is not the same. She needs to play somewhere.

Email her family and her Dad The Coach...perhaps they missed that nugget of wisdom.

 

[UConnCat]

More from Courtney and Curtis in Jim Fuller's blog. http://elmcitytoeaglevillenhr.blogspot.com/

Sounds like a thoughtful, well-rounded kid.​

​

"I am really excited. I think it is going to be a good year to do a bunch of different things and it will be productive," Courtney Ekmark said. "It will be a great chance to prepare for UConn, I am going to have a lot of time to train and just get bigger, faster, stronger.​

​

"I can go and figure out what I am interested in doing after basketball so it will be cool."​

​

"Our family has never been one bound by conventional wisdom," Curtis Ekmark said. "We've always tried to analyze things and see what makes sense. We kind of have a track record in that Courtney home schooled in junior high and she thought that really prepared her well for high school not just for sports but academically as well.

"She has been taking classes at summer school so she is only a couple credits shy of graduation. She just decided that rather than sit in class all day and have Senioritis, she really wanted to prepare herself for going to UConn. She will have more time to do that and also she will be able to spend a little more time with our family and we are happy about it because it is the last time we will be together for a while because once she leaves for Connecticut, they don't get much free time to come home."

Curtis Ekmark said that his daughter is looking into doing internships with a law firm, a local surgeon and real estate company. She could also provide sideline reporting of high school football games for one of the Phoenix area television stations.

 

[pap49cba]

Sounds like a well-grounded kid and family.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Good idea.
She could be at UCONN five years, maybe leave with a Master's degree. Any rules against that?

No rule against that. One downside, however, is that if she were injured or sick and had to miss a year down the road, it is unlikely the NCAA would allow her to play a 6th year - and she would thus end up playing only three years.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Can she take some college courses without compromising her 4 years of eligibility?

Yes. The restriction is on years of athletic eligibility.

Yes - but only if she does not take a full-time course load. If she did that, then her 5-year clock starts ticking, regardless of whether she plays or not.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Maybe a 2nd semester enrollment possibility???

No. She could enroll 2nd semester but would not be allowed to play under NCAA rules. And it would start her 5-year clock.

 

[cookie447]

Hello?! What happened to the value of "socialization" among 16, 17, 18 yr. olds. etc.? I'm not liking this and wonder why??!!