Bridget Carleton grew up going to basketball games at John McGregor Secondary School.
She would be there in the stands, cheering on for the Panthers senior girls’ team, which was coached by her mother, Carrie.
"It means the world," said Carleton. "I grew up in those stands watching her [Carrie] coach. Playing there for four years, coached by mom again, a great four years and I fell in love with basketball in that gym."
Now, a large banner hangs in the Larry Lahey Athletic Centre, which was revealed Friday during a tribute night for Carleton at John McGregor Secondary School in Chatham.
"Being there with my family and so many people around that have done so much for me and my basketball career was really special," said Carleton. "The banner... you can see it as soon as you walk in gym, so the impact that has, is really cool."
Carleton has spent a lot of time in the gym at JMSS, but the times that meant the most, were the ones spent alone with her mom.
"A lot of hard work when the lights were off, by myself and with my mom," said Carleton. "It means a lot."
The 25-year-old Canadian Olympian and WNBA veteran is coming off an all-star performance at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Sydney, Australia.
Carleton was named the All-Star after leading Team Canada to a fourth-place finish.
