This article is brought to you by Allan Bush at CIBC Wood Gundy Waterloo
The University of Vermont caught up with Catamount Hoops Alumni in a “Where are they now?” article. Tri-County Thunder alumni, Aaron Yantzi Dickie, was featured to catch up on where life has taken her and reflect on their days in green-and-gold.
Aaron Yantzi Dickie ’04
Dickie (Yantzi during her playing days) was a three-time America East All-Conference player and one of the top scorers in school history. A psychology major at UVM, she later earned her teaching certification at St. Michael’s College and has taught third grade at Grand Isle Elementary School for the past six years. Building relationships, helping children grow, she rates teaching as one of the best jobs in the world. “There is a lot of new content that the kids are expected to learn each year, and I am always amazed and so proud of what they are able to accomplish,” she says. “But they are still only eight- and nine-year-olds who like to have fun. It’s that youthful energy that I try to use to tap into their interests whenever possible.”
Catamount Highlight: Sophomore season, a run to the quarterfinals of the WNIT that included a pair of home wins in front of the Vermont faithful in Patrick Gym.
A Student-Athlete’s Lessons: Teamwork and time management. “My ‘teammates’ no longer wear jerseys, but I still deal with that same dynamic when working with those around me. The better we can work together, the more successful our students will be.” Dickie adds that balancing academics and athletics provided a four-year course in perseverance. “There were many times playing basketball when I was tired, both mentally and physically, but you have to tell yourself to push through it and that same theory applies to many aspects of life.”
