Basketball leads Grace McDougall to calling Ohio home
ROCKHAMPTON girl Grace McDougall is calling Ohio home after making the move last year for her favourite sport of basketball.
McDougall, 18, attended Rockhampton Grammar School and played for the Rockhampton Cyclones before moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, USA in August 2012.
The talented player has never looked back, having started playing basketball in Year 6.
"I love everything about the game of basketball," McDougall said.
"I love it because it challenges me to compete, rewards hard work, and motivates me to improve myself every day."
McDougall moved to the United States to play college basketball and study on a scholarship.
When she was not training or playing for the Lady Surge Cincinnati State Women's Basketball Team, she was studying for her arts degree at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.
"Basketball and school keep me very busy," she said.
"My goal is to play in the WNBL back in Australia (Women's National Basketball League) and to also become a graphic designer."
Since moving to Ohio, McDougall has not been back to Australia, but hoped to return at the end of April for some much needed time at home.
"I definitely miss my family and friends, going to the beach and even hearing Aussie accents," she said.
"The hardest thing to adjust to was probably the initial culture shock as life here in Cincinnati is pretty much the complete opposite of life back in Rocky."
Apart from her assistant coach, McDougall said she had not met anyone famous in Cincinnati despite keeping an eye out for some sports stars. "Tim Gittens is one of our assistant coaches and he is quite famous here in the US," she said.
"He has a basketball video game created after him which is really cool. President Barack Obama also came to Cincinnati but unfortunately I didn't get to see him."
The Cincinnati state side have had 21 wins to four losses this season so far.
