By: Gary Dove
BRADSHAW – River View senior girls’ basketball player Kristen Calhoun has decided to play for the Concord University Lady Mountain Lions this fall where she will study to become a teacher and coach.
A four year Lady Raider basketball player, Calhoun has served as a captain the last two seasons and was named to the Class AA third team All-State squad after her senior season.
During her four years at River View, Calhoun concludes her career as the fourth leading scorer and fourth leading rebounder in Lady Raider history, tossing in 905 points and snaring 706 rebounds
She also recorded 147 steals and ranks seventh all-time in blocked shots with 45, while ranking fourth in starts with 71.
Remarked Gehrig Justice, Calhoun’s basketball coach at River View, “She’s a real hard worker. She developed and improved greatly during her freshman season.”
Her play inside as that 2016-17 season progressed helped the Lady Raiders advance to the state tournament for the first time in school history.
Basketball memories while at River View include the Lady Raiders winning the Regional championship her freshman season and her being named Bluefield Daily Telegraph Player-of-the-Week in both her sophomore and junior years.
Kristen, who had offers from Davis and Elkins and Bluefield College, talked of her choice of Concord, “It’s close to home and has an outstanding education program. I want to major in secondary education and possibly have a double major, also getting an elementary degree. I want to teach English and coach after graduation.”
This school year, Calhoun lettered in volleyball, tennis and cross-country in addition to basketball.
Those athletics were in addition to solid academic and other extra-curricular undertakings.
She carries a 4.36 GPA and qualified for the Promised Scholarship as well as being the recipient of the Les and Vern Evans Scholarship, the CU Promise Scholarship and the Girls’ State Scholarship.
Kristen attended Rhodendron Girls’ State last year and is a three year County Winner of the Young Writers’ Competition.
A member of the National Honor Society, she is also a member of the National English Honor Society.
Calhoun is a founding member of the New Beginnings Christian Church in Bartley. She works with youth of the Church and Sunday School programs.
She takes particular pride and interest in the theatrical performances at River View, where she received direction from assistant girls’ basketball coach Don Smith, who heads up those efforts.
Kristen mentioned her first theatrical performance as a freshman as being one of her best memories of many at River View.
A four year performer in the Theatrical Program at River View, Calhoun was also a member of the Bible Club and the Book Club.
Sherry Calhoun, Kristen’s Mother, addressed her daughter’s upcoming education at Concord, “We’re completely satisfied with Concord. She had several other offers, but this is close to home and has the programs Kristen wants to study. And she gets to play basketball.”
Her Mom continued, “Kristen has participated in the Upward Bound Program at Concord and is very familiar with the campus.”
Not slowing down this summer, Kristen, who has 9 hours college credit through her AP studies in high school, plans to take 7 more hours over the summer and has been invited to play in the North-South girls’ basketball game in South Charleston next month.
Kristen is the daughter of Kevin and Sherry Calhoun of Bradshaw and has an older sister Aleisha and a younger sister Sheridan.