Kalocay energizes Upper St. Clair
Rylee Kalocay possess the perky personality of a cheerleader but the Upper St. Clair freshman never acquired the abilities of her mother. She inherited the talents of her father.
Wendy was a gymnast but Mike excelled in basketball. A 1985 Bethel Park graduate, he served as a captain on the Washington and Jefferson College men’s basketball team.
“When I was little I did things like cartwheels but nothing crazy. I definitely don’t have the ability to be a cheerleader,” Kalocay said with a laugh.
Kalocay instead started to play softball. By 8 years old, she was starting at shortstop.
“It was my favorite sport,” she said.
Kalocay added volleyball. She became a strong outside hitter.
When basketball joined the mix, everything else took a back seat.
By the time she turned 14 on July 18, the sport consumed her. She was traveling the country with her AAU team, winning as many as seven national championships and earning All-America acclaim three times. She also garnered multiple MVP and Player of the Game awards at various tournaments.
“Basketball just took over,” she said. “I’ve played AAU since fourth grade and could still balance softball and volleyball until last summer. Right now, it’s my No. 1 priority and I am enjoying it the most. I’m having so much fun.”
Recently, Kalocay delighted in besting North Allegheny. USC’s nemesis had won five of the last six encounters, including last year’s WPIAL championship triumph, 70-36.
In the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals held Feb. 25 at Robert Morris University, Kalocay scored the final nine points of the game while guiding the Panthers to victory over NA, 48-44.
“It’s a great feeling. Very exciting,” she said of the victory. “I was nervous but at the same time I knew this was a doable game. Not an easy game at all but one in which we had confidence that we could beat them even though they have a lot of great players and coaches.
“I love playing in big games like that. The intensity of the crowd and people cheering against you,” she added. “We were on fire though. Focused. We knew what we needed to do and we executed well.”
When Kalocay entered high school, she was uncertain what was necessary from her.
“There’s definitely a big difference between AAU and high school ball,” she said. “I personally prefer the fast-pace of AAU but I love my high school team, all the girls and my coaches.”
Kalocay transitioned well thanks to her teammates. Some coached her during recreation ball. Others, like Molly James, are her best friends.
“My teammates have been super welcoming and including me in everything. They are all super nice and they push me to be better.
“I have had a connection with a lot of them, especially the older ones, because I have known them for so long. They have definitely helped me make the big jump to high school. Overall, it’s gone better than I could have ever imagined.”
Kalocay is also enthused about her coaches.
USC is guided by Pete Serio. His wife, Suzie McConnell, is an assistant. A former WNBA player, McConnell owns two Olympic gold medals and plenty of experience coaching at the scholastic, collegiate and professional level.
“It’s very humbling,” Kalocay said. “I enjoy it and I am getting a lot out of her coaching. She knows what she is talking about. She wants to help me become the best player I can be.”
Serio predicts big things from Kalocay in the future.
“Rylee is special. This kid is that good and she is only going to get better. People are going to enjoy watching her play. She has a killer attitude and no moment is ever going to be too big for that child.”
At this time, Kalocay has big plans for the future. Already she is drawing interest from schools that have seen her play such as Duquesne, Davidson, North Carolina State and American as well as a variety of smaller schools. She hopes to play collegiately while pursuing a business degree. Eventually she hopes to earn an MBA and even possible a doctorate in the field.
“At this point, I am not sure about basketball beyond college. As of now the time and energy required to make a great living out of it is not worth it but I wouldn’t rule out maybe coaching,” she said.
“Right now my parents and I are putting together a plan. They talk me through future aspirations and what I need to do for the future. They have helped me figure out what I need to do to be successful so far.”
Currently, Kalocay is working on improving her game. While she excels at getting to the rim and playing at a high speed, she is working on “finishing strong” and “going to her left” as well as getting stronger.
“I’m pretty enthusiastic about my future. I want us to win championships and I’m doing everything in my power to improve and see that that happens.”
Age: 14
Birthday: July 18
Parents: Mike and Wendy
Siblings: Ryan, 9
School: Upper St. Clair
Year: Freshman
GPA: 3.83
Sport: Basketball
Activities: Kids Helping Kids
Career choice: Business
Dream School: Notre Dame, Davidson or Stanford
Food: Steak
Color: Light blue
Restaurant: Ruth Chris Steakhouse
Book: To Kill A Mockingbird.
TV: Gilmore Girls “I watch it on Netflix.”
Favorite athlete: Michael Jordan. “He’s classy and was a hard-working player.”
Dream Destination: Hawaii
Person you would like to have dinner with: Mary Lee Kalocay. “She’s my grandmother and she passed away when I was one.”