Pair of Ukrainian basketball players find home with the Pronghorns in Lethbridge
Plenty of athletes travel far from home in order to play the sport they love.
That’s certainly the case for a pair of basketball players who came to Lethbridge with the hope of playing for the Pronghorns.
But for them, it was less of a choice.
Viktoriia Kovalevska and Vlada Hozalova fled Ukraine to escape the ongoing war there.
But they still wanted to play basketball.
“We just sent our email to our coach, Dave, before we moved here and just asked him, ‘Hey, what do you think? Like, can we join or just practise with you guys?’ And he was like, ‘Yes of course,’” Kovalevska said.
Viktoriia Kovalevska
When the pair reached out to the university’s head women’s basketball coach, Dave Waknuk jumped at the chance to add players of their calibre.
“I just saw a chance to add players who had an international pedigree, had the international background and history that they had, and reached out right away,” Waknuk said.
Both Kovalevska and Hozalova bring a wealth of experience to the Pronghorns.
The duo both played on the Ukrainian U20 national team and played professionally in the Ukrainian Women’s Superleague.
Waknuk has nothing but praise for the pair.
“Their best attribute is their basketball IQ. Both of them played at a high level and you can tell that with the decisions they make on the court,” he said.
“I think to bring in anyone who has experience at the highest level always helps your team.”
Vlada Hozalova
But while she’s trying to stay focused on the year ahead, Kovalevska admits it’s hard not to think about what’s happening in Ukraine.
She still has family there.
“Every day, Russia has bombed our country. And you never know and can't predict where or what city will be the next,” Kovalevska said.
While they’re still concerned for their country and family members, Kovalevska and Hozalova are not just looking forward to playing but also to their time at school.
Kovalevska will study education. Hozalova will study physical education.
As student athletes, they know that school comes first.
“Of course I'm excited. I want firstly to study well, because if I fail my exam I will not be allowed to play,” Kovalevska said.
The Pronghorns will open their season at home on Nov. 4 as they welcome the University of Victoria Vikes to town.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.