Jamie Lalor comes from a strong family of multi-sport athletes.
Her dad played baseball at Washington State, while her mom played basketball at Red Deer College. Her two older sisters, Kelsey and Hayley, are also well-rounded athletes. Kelsey plays basketball for the University of Saskatchewan, softball for Boise State University and also competed for Team Canada in baseball and softball. Hayley plays Canada West basketball at MacEwan University.
Although basketball seems as though it was in the Lalor family blood, it was just one of the many sports the Lalor sisters played growing up. All three sisters played various sports in high school, including basketball, volleyball, track and field and cross country, Jamie even played soccer in her senior year of high school just because she wanted to try it out.
"I just really liked playing on teams and being a part of team environments, so I played everything and anything I could," Jamie said.
Jamie didn't specialize in any sport until she signed with the Mount Royal University Cougars in 2019. She is currently in her third year of a Health and Physical Education degree and is the captain of the team.
Living in a house full of busy and talented athletes, Jamie grew up in a very competitive atmosphere.
"We played all the same sports growing up and everything was a competition in our house. If you could make it a competition we did, even playing Just Dance," Jamie said.
Even in a competitive environment, the three sisters inspire each other and the family as a whole is always cheering each other on.
On November 11, almost all of the Lalor family members will be in MRU's gym to watch the Cougars host the Griffins for their season home opener on Kenyon Court. While Kelsey won't be able to be there this weekend due her prodigious multi-sport talents that have her competing with Team Canada's women's softball team at the WBSC Pan Americas Pan American Championship in Guatemala Nov. 12-19.
"My parents will definitely be in the stands, probably in neutral colours so they don't pick favourites," Jamie said. "But I think it's a pretty neat situation to have all three of us on the court in some capacity or another and I know my parents will be cheering all of us on."
By Hayley's count, it will be the seventh time her and Jamie have gone head-to-head in Canada West action, which is always interesting.
"I think it's kind of cool," said the fourth-year Griffins guard who is one year older than her sister. "It isn't really that much different. It's kind of funny sometimes when I'm running down the court and we're bumping around.
"Last year, I never really guarded her much; I guarded other people. But it is kind of fun, especially after the games we can hang out and joke around. I like playing against her. I like getting to see her."
That's brought out a trademark intensity that all three Lalor sisters have, making them invaluable members of their respective teams.
"We've played sports our entire life, so it's been something that's always been there," said Kelsey over the phone from Florida where Team Canada is currently preparing for the Pan Ams. "The three of us are close in age and the competitiveness is brought out between all of us. I think it's been really good. There is lots of competitiveness in the household, but it also pushes us to be the best versions of ourselves.
"I think it's really starting to shine through for both my sisters as they start to mature in their university careers. That competition has driven them to be leaders on the court for their teams. As the older sister, it's really cool just to sit back and watch. I'm excited for this weekend to see how competitive the two of them get."
At the very least, their parents will be in the same gym. In recent years, their practice has been divide and conquer, which made the sisters have a conversation with them.
"It's actually kind of funny," said Hayley. "I don't know what it will be like this year because we told them to stop, but what they would do is one would drive to Edmonton and one would drive to Calgary for Friday night's game and then they would switch, so each of us always had someone there to watch. But we told them they could stop, and they just go together and then go together (to the other place) the next night. They did that in preseason, so we'll see how it goes this year."
Chances are they might also be trying to live stream Kelsey's softball action from Guatemala at the same time.
"I just think their support over the years has been everything we could have asked for and more," said Kelsey. "What they do for us is so incredible. One will drive to Mount Royal and the other's at MacEwan. While they're there, they'll have the other game pulled up watching on Canada West TV.
"They just love watching us and seeing the people and athletes we've become. Having parents like my mom and dad have made all the difference for the three of us."
