Lilly Hildebrand was selected to be a part of the Graduating A-AAA All-Star game and the dynamic basketball star not only had a great time, but showcased her skills.
"I came from a very sports-inclined family, that loved basketball especially," Hildebrand explains with a smile. "I grew up playing with my older brother, who actually coaches in Winkler and my sister, who also coaches. They taught me everything I know, they encouraged me to get better at the sport and always challenged me."
It wasn't just family that supported Hildebrand's basketball dreams. "I was involved in the Winkler Minor Basketball Club throughout my whole life. Mark Hamm had a huge influence on me, I was always going to his camps and he was always encouraging me to do better. Whenever there was a camp held in Winkler or even close by, I was there. I was always striving to do better and prove my skills."
Right away, Hildebrand says she was all in when it came to being a basketball player. "I started off as basketball being the only sport that I was really passionate about. It was my dream as a kid and I didn't know much about it at the time, but my dream was go to Prov to play. So, I didn't really figure out or there wasn't a point where I started believing that this is what I wanted to do. Recently, the group of girls I've been playing with for the past three years, they helped me realize that this is really what I want to do."
Those teammates that have been by her side the past few years are more than teammates, for Hildebrand, they are family. "These girls, we started playing together in grade 10 and they are just the kindest people I've ever met. They're so encouraging, so sweet, and we're so passionate about the sport, it's really made me strive to be better. We're all so committed, we push each other at practice and they make it a fun place to be. It's such a fun group of girls that are so nice and just want to get to know everybody. These girls, I truly can't thank them enough for all they've done. They are family to me. Having new coaches, we connected with them right from the start, too. They make it such a positive place to be, it's a special group, for sure."
Through all the hard work and dedication, Hildebrand was rewarded by being selected to the Graduating A-AAA All Star Game, but she says it was a bit of a surprise. "I didn't know I had been nominated for it at all," she says with a chuckle. "I got word that I was selected and I was instantly super happy for, I was so excited to be nominated and grateful for the opportunity. I was super nervous as well. I was the only one from my team and from being from a rural place, no one around me was selected either, so I was scared to go and play with a bunch of city girls that have way more opportunities in sport than I've had. I was so nervous to go play along side them and I was scared I wouldn't play well or connect with them, but they were such good and nice people. They were so accepting and they were terrific right off the bat."
While being selected might have been a surprise, Hildebrand says the bigger surprise was that her reputation had preceded her. "It was a bit of a reality check, I went in thinking that nobody would know who I am and there was no way I was going to be friends with these girls, but they were so nice and they actually knew who I was, too. That was really surprising but it was so nice to feel like I belonged there, they really made me feel that way."
It was a quick event but Hildebrand believes she did rather well but also believes she has another level she can reach. "I was able to showcase my skills for sure, but maybe not as much as I thought I could. I hadn't played in a few weeks, so I feel like I could have done better, but overall, I'm very happy with how it all went."
As she sets her sights on graduating, Hildebrand is hopeful that more basketball is in her future with a career also already in her mind. "Job wise, I'm pretty set on doing real estate. Now, with possibly going places for basketball, I may have to rethink my decision there and what I want to do in the future. The big thing is, I'd love to keep pursuing the sport of basketball."
Whether it's her childhood dream or a newer version, Lilly Hildebrand is going to do amazing things.