Lonnie Rowe Photo
Kentucky junior Cassidy Rowe remembers growing up in eastern Kentucky when there were not a lot of basketball camps for young girls and her dad, Lonnie, would have to find camps for her to attend.
“I learned things at other camps I had not seen in eastern Kentucky,” said Rowe.
She shared that knowledge with campers in kindergarten through eighth grade recently at her second Cassidy’s Skills Camp at the Knott County Sportsplex but also tried to make the camp fun.
“It’s hard to find that balance of working hard and having fun at camp,” the former Shelby Valley High School star said. “I don’t want to lie. It’s a lot of work. I would spend every day in the gym if I could. I explained to campers that if you want to play at the next level you have to put the work in. We had fun but I emphasized that they have to push to be the best they can be.”
The majority of campers were from eastern Kentucky and many had seen Rowe play the last two seasons at Kentucky.
“One girl showed up in a Kentucky women’s basketball shirt I had signed at a game,” Rowe said.
Rowe enjoyed working the camp with her father, a former high school coach who continues to conduct workouts for her when she returns home.
“It is such a blessing. We have been doing gym work my whole life,” she said. “We have learned so much together. He has always pushed me outside my comfort zone and taught me new drills to make me a better player. The things we did at camp are things my dad taught me. It is really nice to get together with him and show other people what I have been doing my whole life.”
Rowe said sometimes she would demonstrate some of her skills doing a drill that would make the “campers’ mouth drop open” and could remember the times that happened to her as a youngster at camp.
“It’s just nice to be able to give back and help that way and hopefully teach the young players things to make them better players,” she said. “It was a nice way to end summer break getting to see what it means to some of these young kids who are fans and how they appreciate they are at camp. It just warms my heart seeing all these mountain kids who are just like I was having fun playing basketball like I always have.”
Rowe is now back at Kentucky and “excited” to see what new coach Kenny Brooks will be like. She’s talked to him a few times since he left Virginia Tech to succeed Kyra Elzy and also has had only limited contact with her new teammates.
“I kind of feel like I am coming in as a freshman again,” Rowe said. “I have been on a group message (with other players) but not had any real conversations. It’s both a little scary and exciting but playing basketball is what I love.
“We seem to have a lot of talent coming in. We have girls with great resumes and I really think we will have a good team this year.”
She’ll have three international teammates, including All-American guard Georgia Amoore who played for Brooks at Virginia Tech before transferring to UK.
“I know Georgia is a great player. I am looking forward to being with her. I know I will learn a lot from someone like her and she will make me better just practicing against her,” Rowe said.
