Although Frances Vollett has excelled at a number of sports including high jump and softball, her sights are set on being a top-tier basketball player.
Born in Toronto, and moving to Brantford at the age of three, Vollett started playing sports at an early age.
“The first sport where I really played well in was softball which I really enjoyed…I have also competed in high jumps, which is very different from team sports, because you’re on your own [and] must [have a strong] mentality because you don’t really have team to support you,” she said. “I started playing basketball when I was around nine when my friends introduced me to the sport. At the same time, I was also competing in high jumps in elementary school, which I have a passion for. I’ve been continuing in those three sports over the years, but I think basketball is just such a fun sport because it’s competitive nature.”
Vollett would play for the CYO girls basketball program which helped her build a strong foundation.
“My CYO experience was great. I grew up playing with of the same team for around four years, which gave me chance to really develop and connect with my teammates which translated to good play on the court and having some great seasons,” she said. “During that time, I learned the roots of the game [and being] my first team I ever played on…I also learned like how to be a good teammate,” she said.
Nevertheless, Steve Patrella, who coached Vollett on the CYO girls’ rep team, discusses her development.
“I’ve known Frances since she was playing novice with my younger daughters. I didn’t coach her initially during her first few years in basketball, but then I had the opportunity to coach the CYO rep team when she was in grade five. And from the get-go, Frances was a hard worker and very coachable. That’s the biggest thing I remember about her…that she was so coachable and her willingness to learn and her strong desire to win,” he said. “One of the biggest highlights was three years ago when we beat Hamilton Transway at the OBLX championships and seeing Frances’ [sheer] excitement with her fists in the air when we were on our way to winning the gold medal.”
However, Vollett has played for the St. John’s girls’ basketball teams (junior and senior) for the last several seasons while also playing for the Lincoln Prep Junior team, which is based in Hamilton.
“For the last two years I played for the St. John’s girls basketball team, which has been amazing. My first year (grade nine), we won cities and CWOSSA. And then this past year, I played on the senior team. [Although] we didn’t win, I had the chance to make so many good memories with that team [where] I learned so much playing on senior basketball team,” said noted. “I also played for Lincoln Prep junior team [while] I still went to St. John’s. But next year, since I’ll be a senior, I have to attend St. Mary’s in Hamilton [which is] connected to the Lincoln Prep program….so I have to transfer there for grade 11.”
Vollett also mentioned some of the important coaches in her development throughout the years.
“My coach for the last two years at Lincoln Prep has been Amos Connolly…he’s really helped me develop as a player and has shown me what I can do to expand my game. And there’s my CYO coach, Steve Petrella, who has made a huge impact on me…by helping me find my love of the game early on,” she said. “Jamie McCourt is another important coach who supported my development. He coached me at the North American Indigenous Games in 2023 [and] also helped me get selected for the Native Indigenous Basketball Camp.”
While Vollett continued to find success across these programs she has also been part of the Indigenous Basketball Camp in Calgary, which gave her a chance to represent her community.
“Last September, I went to the Native Indigenous Basketball Camp…Canada Basketball was involved, which was my first experience with them and where I got exposed to another level of basketball. I got selected by my province…two girls and two boy athletes from each province got to go. And so, Indigenous kids across the country got to come together and play basketball,” she noted. “It was a special experience because it showed young indigenous athletes that anything is possible [and] it showed me that I could play on the national level. It was also important for me to represent my culture proudly…I am Kaska Dena through the Liard First Nation in Yukon on my dad’s side my mom is Mohawk. So just being able to represent my culture and also be a role model for indigenous youth that want to play basketball at a higher level is something I will continue to cherish.”
Nevertheless, this led to Vollett getting good exposure and eventually a chance to try out and make it for Team Canada, which would go on to play at the FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup 2025 in Mexico.
“In March, they did an assessment camp with 25 athletes [and] I got invited to the first for the U16 national team that competed this past June. I played in that camp in March, and then I got invited back to the final tryout around the end of May and beginning of June. The roster was soon announced and I found out I made the team which was an honour to be able to represent Canada,” she explained. ”The team then had a week to train in Toronto, and then we flew to Mexico. We were there for two weeks. For the first week it was training and playing in some exhibition games which gave us some time to adjust. Playing at the international level is a very different experience…some teams are a lot bigger and stronger than we were, so we had to adjust. And others were smaller…so it’s just interesting to be able to play against different teams from different countries.”
The U16 team did well, eventually making it to the finals against the United States.
”We went 3-0, in pool play. As a team we played well, but we were still trying to figure each other out. And when we go to the playoffs, things started to come together…when we made it to the quarter finals, we knew it was a very important game for us, because if we won that one, we would qualify for the World Cup in 2026 which only the top four teams did…we ended up moving to the finals securing our place in the tournament next year,” she said. “In Mexico, I showed that I was able to compete against bigger and stronger teams like the USA. As a team, I think we fought them hard and showed that we could really compete. Along with going up against the USA, the Panama game stood out for me because I got to show my versatility by scoring a double-double with 16 points and ten rebounds.”
However, Amos Connelly, her current coach at Lincoln Prep, continues to see her strong development as a player and as a leader. He believes Vollett has the skills, commitment and work ethic to play professionally one day.
“Playing for Team Canada really shouldn’t be a surprise for people that know Frances…she has a good combination of athleticism, length [and] mobility…she’s hitting the game at the perfect time for what she brings to it, because she now has this ability to be that player that can hit the three, attack the post, defend, and get those defensive rebounds…also, she’s not afraid to work hard [and] puts in the time and effort…she is also a very selfless player, “he said. “But, the real X factor is when she realizes she can take over a basketball game simply because she’s stronger, taller, has longer reach and has a higher IQ than a lot of players on the floor. She needs that moment…but, overall, she has the potential to get paid to play the game one day, which is a rare thing, and she has the potential to represent her country in the sport too. I think the ceiling is limitless for her.”
