Six weeks out from the 2024 Paris Olympics, it still hasn’t set in for Humboldt’s Paige Crozon that she’ll be there competing.
Crozon is set to represent her province and country in women’s 3×3 women’s basketball, after delivering the qualifying shot for Canada at their final opportunity to reach Paris.
“It was kind of a fairytale story and moment for us,” said Crozon. “That moment was just surreal for all of us. It had just been something that we had worked towards for so long.”
On Monday morning, Crozon was celebrated by fans, elected leaders and the provincial basketball community at the University of Saskatchewan in an official send-off for the first Olympics of her career.
Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark gave remarks on behalf of the city and said Crozon is serving as a shining beacon to young athletes in Saskatchewan.
“It’s a very, very inspirational story,” said Clark. “It’s a model to inspire so many young girls and all young children in our province.”
While Crozon will be chasing an Olympic medal with Team Canada, the Paris Games mark the start of what could be a memorable summer for the sharpshooter as she will return to Saskatoon in August for the FIBA women’s 3×3 series making a stop in the city.
While balancing life on the national team as a single parent, Crozon has also been deeply involved in the Living Skies Indigenous Basketball League in Saskatoon helping to guide the next generation of young basketball players in the province.
Living Skies co-founder Mike Tanton and members of the Saskatoon Supernovas were in attendance Monday to lend their support to a woman who they say has given so much to the program.
“They see her as one of their own and that’s huge,” said Tanton. “We want these kids to be exposed to the opportunities that are out there. What better way to expose those opportunities than to have the person that’s doing all of that stuff right there?”
The path to Paris began five years ago for Crozon, joining twin sisters Michelle and Katherine Plouffe with Kascie Bosch rounding out the four-player roster which will compete for gold.
Crozon’s Saskatchewan roots is something she’s reflecting on with the Olympics approaching, made even more important celebrating the achievement with her young athletes with Living Skies.
“I think it’s really important to have representation of what a kid from Saskatchewan, a kid from a rural town in Saskatchewan, a woman, a single mom can accomplish in sport with the support and the encouragement from my community,” said Crozon.
Crozon was surrounded by her parents and five-year-old daughter Poppy, marking an emotion celebration for the University of Utah alumni.
Crozon said it’s been a long road to Paris, but one that she hasn’t travelled alone.
“I probably don’t say thank you enough,” said Crozon. “So to be able to have that moment to thank them for all they’ve done for me growing up… to have Poppy here to tell her she’s my why, my reason for playing, to have her here to share in this with me has been really special.”
Pool play at the 2024 Olympics begins on July 30 for Crozon and the rest of Team Canada.
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