Paige Gernes has always been a hard working athlete and student who is not afraid to face a challenge.

She graduated from Cotter in May 2013. She is now attending the University of St. Thomas  in St. Paul and playing basketball there as well.

 Paige’s former head coach, Mr. Pat Bowlin, not only knows Paige as a player and person, but has also had the chance to coach a number of college players and run a basketball camp for elite high school girls in Minnesota.  Here is what he had to say

How do you think Paige will do at St. Thomas?

“I thought this year would likely be a JV year for Paige due to the strong team and many returning players at St. Thomas. Paige has once again surprised me as she has moved into the rotation and is getting about 10-12 minutes per game.”

What do you remember most about coaching Paige?

“Some players give you hustle on occasion or most of the time, Paige hustles all the time. Her great defense, passing ability, picking up charges, and clutch free throw shooting also come to mind.”

What are some of her qualities that stand out most about her as a player?

“Her on ball defense and help defense is outstanding. She would have made a great safety in football with her awareness, she sees things before most players do. She is incredibly unselfish, it has always been about the team for Paige.”

What are some challenges for kids trying to play sports at the college level?

College is a whole new ball game. The players are bigger, faster, and stronger. Many good high school players don’t play much in college because of the great competition for playing time. For many the speed of the game is hard to adjust to, although I don’t see that as a problem for Paige.

I also had the chance to ask Paige some questions about how basketball and school is going and here is what she had to say:

How is your season going?

“Our season is going very well so far.  We finished 19-3 in the MIAC conference and 23-4 overall. We are ranked 2nd in our conference standings behind St. Mary’s and and tied with Concordia.  We are currently ranked 16th overall nationally also.  We won our first round of the MIAC playoff tournament and will play for the tournament championship on Saturday in Winona. “

What are the differences in the game between high school and college Hoops?

“The main differences between high school and college hoops is that the speed of the game is a lot faster and more physical.  There is also a major difference in the level of communication taking place on the floor and during practice.”

How are your classes going?

“Classes are great, it is nice to not have 8 classes a day anymore. I personally don’t think it is much harder than high school, at least so far. Cotter had done a great job of preparing me. My professors are very nice and very flexible when trying to work around my basketball schedule to get help.”

What is your typical day like?

“On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I typically have three classes that I am taking in the morning.  I get done around 1:20pm.  After that I have a little break where I start my homework before basketball practice starts at 4:00-7:00ish.  After that my teammates and I go eat, and then I am off to do homework. On Tuesdays and Thursdays the end of my days are the same.  However, for classes I just have a lab in the morning and then I work at our cafeteria from 11:00-2:00pm.”

What’s your role on the team?

“My role on the team as a point guard is to set up the offense and facilitate the ball.  My other main role on the team is to be a defensive player who can pressure the ball.”

Any highlights form the season so far?

“Yes, probably my biggest highlight was when I got my first major playing time on varsity against Augsburg.  It was a close game and I got put in to play the last 10 minutes of the game.  I had taken a charge and scored my first two points of my career.”

What did your team do for preseason?

“For preseason our team lifted in the morning and had open gym/skill sessions every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays we would have conditioning either in the morning or in the afternoon.”

How is the team atmosphere or chemistry?

“The team atmosphere and chemistry is great.  We all love to be there and we all want to make each other better by pushing one another.  There is a sense of family where we all care about one another and how they are doing both on and off the floor.”

Do you have a declared major? What classes are you taking to get that major?

Biology for pre-med. Currently I am taking a general chemistry class, a biology class, and an English class.  Both of my science classes also include a lab once a week. My two favorite classes that I have taken so far has been my biology class about genetics, evolution, and ecology and a general psychology class.

What do you enjoy about the campus?

“I enjoy the view and the scenery of the location.  I also like how it is outside of downtown where it isn’t so crowded.  I especially like how everything is located close together so it doesn’t take long to get from place to place especially in winter!”

How is living in the dorms?

“Living in the dorms is definitely different than what I am used to.  It is a great way to meet new people your freshman year.  However, next year I plan on living in one of the on campus apartments to have a little more independence and be able to cook for myself.”

What are you doing to prepare for the playoff season? Anything different than just regular practice?

“As we are heading into playoffs, we are trying to focus more on our execution and trying to emphasize possession basketball where we need to try and get back-to-back stops or back-t- back scores to gain an advantage.  We are also focusing more on being accountable and coaching ourselves on the floor.  Now that we are in post-season our coach is also bringing in motivational speakers every week, which I think is really cool.  The speaker for this week was John Tschida the head coach of St. Thomas’ softball team.”

You can see Paige in action at 3:00 Saturday, March 1 at St. Mary’s fieldhouse in the MIAC championship game