Balcom to continue academics, hoops at Southwestern Michigan
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Charlee Balcom, senior at Constantine, is excited for her future.
Back in January, Balcom signed on to continue her academic and basketball careers with Southwestern Michigan College in Niles. The school is bringing back the athletics program after 25 years and Balcom was one of the first official members to sign on for the ladies’ basketball team.
“I had a really good connection with coach (Jeanine Wasielewski) and let her know I was really interested in it. I reached out to her, she came to one of my practices and we just kind of connected when we first talked,” Balcom said. “It just went on from there. We stayed in touch, then she asked me to play for her. I’m looking forward to being on the team and starting up the new program. I just felt like it would be really cool to be a part of that and help build the program.”
Charlee is currently playing her senior year at Constantine for her coach, and dad, Jeff. He said he’s proud of Charlee’s accomplishment to reach the next level when it comes to basketball.
“She’s a hard worker, she pushes her teammates to be better as well,” Jeff said. “She’s a leader on and off the floor, in the classroom as well. She has been a part of the All-Academic teams for volleyball, softball and basketball. We’re very proud of her.”
The Balcoms love being in the gym. Jeff said Charlee has been spending time getting up a ton of shots, sometimes three and four hundred a day, to continue to get better.
“She’s really worked hard on her outside game,” he said. “It’s come along well. I’m ecstatic for her, she has worked so hard all summer long to get here.”
Charlee said she enjoys being a point guard and pushing the ball up the floor. To her, helping get the offense running is important in basketball. But she’s also willing to step out and take a perimeter shot.
“I’ve been getting out and shooting more and I think that is something that will help me in college,” she said. “I’m going to keep shooting and perfecting and working on my shot, though. I want to continue to build more confidence with it. I think seeing the ball go in and building on that confidence is a big thing.”
Charlee also was a part of the volleyball team and is going to once again be a member of the Constantine softball team. She said choosing to continue to play basketball, once the offer was provided, was an easy choice for her.
“I’ve played basketball since I was a little kid and this has always been my favorite sport,” Charlee said. “I think it just helps me get a break from everything. I really enjoy playing and I think it will be a good thing for me to pursue.”
Jeff said he believes Southwestern is a good spot for Charlee.
“It’s a good fit for her,” Jeff said. “The 25-year hiatus, she’s excited about that part and being able to start the program up again.”
Charlee said she expects to pursue a career in criminal justice.
She plans to potentially be a police officer, but has even higher aspirations than that.
“I want to start by being a cop, but then I really want to be an FBI agent because I feel like with today’s world, people’s views on cops have kinda changed a lot,” she said. “I feel like I can help change people’s opinions on that.”
Charlee said she will also play softball this year. She’ll miss the people of Constantine, her friends and those she sees on a daily basis at school.
“I’m going to miss the people, 100 percent,” she said. “I’ll miss my dad coming into the gym with me every day to shoot because he doesn’t have to do that, but he pushes me to be better and I appreciate that.”
That confidence, whether coming from dad or other people in Charlee’s life, has made a difference.
“I have a lot of people that believe in me, I think that helps me believe in myself even more,” she said.
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