She may have set several school records. She may have won a truckload of awards. She may have a collegiate career ahead of her. Still, that’s not what Clare basketball player Lindsay Winter will take from her time as a Pioneer.
“It was so much fun,” she said. “All the people I was able to share it with, all the memories; it was unforgettable. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I was happy to have the time that I had; I did the most to enjoy it and make the most of it, but I’m going to miss it so much.”
As a senior, Winter averaged 24 points per game, six rebounds, five assists, and five steals. For her career, she had 1863 points, 397 steals, 310 assists, and 195 three pointers, all of which are school records. In addition, the guard has been named to numerous Jack Pine Conference, all-region, and all-state teams.
“Lindsay was successful because of how dedicated she is,” Clare head coach Matt Rodenbo said. “The gym has been her second home over the last decade. You do not get that good by just coming to scheduled practices. She has been the face of our program the last four years. She leads by example and her teammates respect her.”
What one person might see as hard labor, however, another sees as pure passion. “I don’t think of it as work, it’s just something I love to do,” Winter said. “You do exert a lot of time and energy, but I just love going to the gym and working and shooting, so it makes it easy to put in that extra time.”
Winter was on the Jack Pine Conference champion teams each of her four seasons as a Pioneer, won district titles three times, and won a regional title last year.
“The teams that I’ve been on have been so amazing,” Winter said. “We enjoyed playing with each other… We’ve just become so close outside of basketball, and even though the season is over, we still keep our friendships.”
After reaching the state quarterfinal round last year, Clare retooled its roster after taking a big hit at graduation. The response was a 22-2 overall record and a 14-0 record in the conference for its fourth straight league title. Still, after picking up a district championship on its home court, the 66-32 loss to Bullock Creek in the regional semifinal on March 4 seemed like an all-too-abrupt ending.
“That game obviously didn’t turn out how we planned; it was just one of those nights, “Winter said. “We still had a great season despite that; honestly, I think we did better than a lot of people thought we would do, and that’s credit to all the work we put in. It was nice to win league and win districts at home. It was hard to see it come to an end.”
Winter now turns her attention to softball and track, as she will compete in both for the Pioneers this spring. After that, it’s back to the basketball that she loves. This time she’s taking aim at the collegiate level, as she will play for Michigan Technological University next year.
“I’m looking forward to it; it’s going to be a whole new experience, and that’s something I’m excited about,” she said. “I’m going to go up there this summer to work out and to get to know the team. This is something I’ve worked for all through high school, to have this chance. I’m just excited to go up there and start playing again.”