By Anil Jhalli
After months of deliberating and consulting friends and family, Ottawa’s Courtnay Pilypaitis made the most difficult decision of her life – to retire from the sport that runs through her blood.
The 27-year-old is closing the door on her basketball playing career, leaving behind a resumé that qualifies for her the title of Ottawa’s most successful basketball player internationally.
It was time to walk away, Pilypaitis notes, after battling through the effects of several concussions the last few years.
“I needed to do it and it was the right time to do it,” she explains. “The past two summers I have just had some unlucky breaks and it was tough getting back into the groove. This was a health decision and I debated it for a very long time. Life throws you some curves and sends you signs that it’s time, so I knew then, it was time.”
Under the influence of her brother and the guidance of her father – who coached her from the second grade until high school – Pilypaitis began playing basketball for the social and competitive nature of the sport, and quickly set high goals as her skills and passion for the game elevated.
The back-to-back OFSAA medallist became a star guard at St. Peter Catholic High School and garnered the attention of several colleges and universities.
Pilypaitis chose a “perfect fit” at the University of Vermont, becoming the first NCAA player to record over 1,900 points, 800 rebounds and 600 assists, and leading her school to back-to-back conference titles and its first ever win in the NCAA Tournament.
“I remember I was told I wasn’t good enough and that I wouldn’t make it,” recalls the 6’ 1” sniper, chuckling at the thought. “I always had faith in what I can do, and it has been a nice feeling to really prove those people wrong.”
Pilypaitis represented her country numerous times on the international stage, most notably earning team MVP honours as she led Canada to its first Olympic basketball appearance since 2000, scoring a game-high 21 points in a win over Japan to secure the final ticket to London 2012 at the last-chance qualification tournament.
She helped Canada to a quarter-final appearance at the Games and was later recognized as the city’s female athlete of the year by the Ottawa Sports Awards. She again played for Canada in 2013 and 2014, including a limited role in Canada’s fifth-place finish at the 2014 World Championships, having suffered a concussion in the lead-up to worlds.
Representing Canada at any level is an honour, underlines Pilypaitis, and wearing the maple leaf at the Olympics represented the culmination of years of hard work.
“I brag about Canada all the time,” she says proudly. “To get a chance to play at the highest level, it is truly special. As kids, you only dream about playing for your country on any stage, and I can say I am one of those kids who got that chance. And I am truly blessed to say that I got that chance.”
While Pilypaitis’ playing career has taken her all over the world, including a two-year stint playing professionally in Lithuania, it was her early years in Ottawa under the tutelage of her father and high school coach Mario Gaetano that developed her into the person she is off the court, and the player she became on the court.
“With my dad, he coached me for so many years and it was something we could do together,” indicates the former Gloucester Wolverines club player. “And without Coach Gaetano, I really don’t know where I would be. He helped me and guided me, and I couldn’t be more thankful for that.”
Coaching at alma mater UVM
Pilypaitis has now become a coach herself, currently serving as an assistant with her former team at UVM in Burlington.
“It’s a nice way to give back to a program that really helped me,” signals the Catamounts’ career leader in assists, 3-pointers and games played. “I just want to help the young players develop and hopefully have an impact on their lives the way the coaches in my life helped me.”
While it was difficult to retire in advance of a season that includes the Pan Am Games in Toronto and the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifier in Edmonton, Pilypaitis says she closes her playing career without any regrets.
“While it was a tough thing to do, I’m doing it on my own terms and I’m doing it because I have accomplished everything I have wanted to do as a basketball player,” she highlights. “I look back at everything and I am truly proud of everything I have done.
“I have played in NCAA Tournaments, I have played at the Olympics and I have played professionally in Europe. Honestly, what more could I ask for?”