Former Plains player makes it big

After a storied high school career, three-time Trotter MVP Heather Earhart has taken her game to the next level. Literally.

“I’m just really busy,” Earhart said of her freshman season at the University of Montana Western. “I don’t really have time to do anything else. I’m in the gym or I’m in my classes.”

Having no time for anything but basketball is a luxury Earhart hasn’t always had as perhaps her biggest accomplishment was not made on the hard-wood, but at the hospital.

Earhart suffering through much of her senior season with a mysterious medical condition, experiencing severe stomach pains and dropping 16 pounds from her already slight frame. Eventually her doctors discovered that her stomach had quit producing acid.

This forced her stomach to bloat to twice its normal size and made it almost incapable of breaking down any food.

Although Earhart is still taking HCL pills every day, her health and ability to focus on basketball have returned and she’s not taking it for granted.

Long hours are nothing new for Earthart who’s work ethic was the subject of local legend during her career at Plains. She would come in at 6 a.m. during volleyball season to work on her jump shot with then assistant coach and former University of Montana Western basketball player, Richard Griffin. She played in multiple basketball camps each summer and literally played with the guys at every open gym in town.

Eight games into her freshman season, Earhart had already worked her way from the bench into the starting lineup of the Bulldog’s JV squad, helping her team to a 5-6 record.

Earhart handled the transition from a starring role to a reserve player well, although it didn’t sit well with her competitive nature.

“I always expected I’d come in as the underdog because all the other girls have come from teams that went to state every year,” she said.

As hard as she worked in high school Earhart has been amazed by the amount of work required to participate in collegiate athletics.

“Even though our we didn’t start practice until the first week of October we’ve been weightlifting and running every single day since school started in the middle of August,” Earhart said.

Although she admittedly didn’t lift weights much in high school Earhart says she can already feel the difference in her play.

As if tackling a collegiate sport wasn’t enough for the 5’3” guard, Earhart has given her all in the classroom as well, taking on 18 credits to pursue her dream of becoming an elementary school teacher.

It’s still too early to speculate about what kind of legacy Earhart will leave at Montana Western, but if her time at Plains has taught us anything, it’s that no matter what obstacles are in her way she’ll take the bull[dog] by the horns.