TORONTO — Balancing varsity basketball with a growing career in sports media is no easy feat, but Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women's basketball guard Reese Bolibruck is learning how to navigate both worlds. What began as a love for basketball unexpectedly opened the door to another passion, leading her to sports media.

Growing up in Beamsville, a small town in the Niagara region, Bolibruck came to appreciate the close-knit community that shaped her upbringing.

"I love saying I'm from a small town," said Bolibruck. "It's a small, tight-knit community, everyone knows everyone."

Living in a town where connections often lead to unexpected opportunities, her community played a role in how she first discovered basketball.

After figure skating from the ages of two to eight, Bolibruck and her parents decided it was time to try something different: a team sport. 

Stumbling upon the opportunity by chance, Bolibruck's grandfather, who participated in a fantasy baseball league, spoke with a friend who suggested that she come out and play for his basketball team. 

What started as a change of pace quickly became something more.

Compared to figure skating, which she viewed as a more isolating sport, basketball offered the same competitive environment alongside a team she could rely on. She began playing with the NGBA Welland Warriors, where she spent her early playing years alongside many of the same girls, growing up together on the court.

When it came time for high school, Bolibruck was ready to take her game to the next level, joining Niagara in the Junior Elite League of Ontario (JUEL).

She later transitioned to play at Niagara Prep, an elite basketball program competing in the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association (OSBA). Niagara Prep aims to replicate the demands of university or college athletic environments for high school players.

The commitment to Niagara Prep left little room for other extracurricular activities after school. Wanting to remain involved in her school community at A.N. Myer Secondary School, Bolibruck found another way to participate through Myer Media, a lunch-hour club started by her computer technology teacher.

The club allowed students to apply the media skills they learned in class by creating content for the school's social media account. Bolibruck joined alongside two of her teammates, and she decided to focus on covering sports.

As she learned to cover sports from a media lens, Bolibruck discovered a new passion, particularly for photography. Her interest continued to intensify and her parents bought her a camera for Christmas, giving her the tools to pursue her own endeavours beyond the school club.

While playing sports had always been a source of joy, covering them introduced Bolibruck to an entirely new way of experiencing games.

After two years at Niagara Prep, Bolibruck decided to return to JUEL for a familiar environment before playing post-secondary basketball. Reuniting with girls she had played with before helped Reese regain her footing on the court.

That summer, she also trained with Team Ontario ahead of her senior year, earning a spot as an alternate. As the only player at the camp representing JUEL, she embraced the opportunity to challenge herself at a high level and regained her confidence once again.

"It was just a good vibe being there every day and I really enjoyed practicing at a high level again," said Bolibruck.

When it came time to begin touring universities, Bolibruck knew she wanted to pursue something in media but was still unsure which program would be the right fit. TMU was her first stop, and the visit left a lasting impression.

The coaching staff, the welcoming nature of the women's basketball team and the university's RTA Sport Media program sold TMU for her.

"I just felt a good vibe," said Bolibruck.

That feeling carried into the fall of 2025, when Bolibruck officially joined the Bold. She quickly came to appreciate how close everyone was to each other, making it more than just a basketball team.

"To spend that much time with people every day and still want to hang out with them afterwards, it's kind of rare," said Bolibruck.

But while finding her place on the team came naturally, stepping onto the court in a TMU jersey for the first time was a different story.

"Oh my gosh, I was so nervous, I couldn't even feel my legs," said Bolibruck.

Former head coach Carly Clarke had told Bolibruck she would get playing time in a pre-season game, but when the moment arrived, the nerves became real. What should have been an exciting milestone took an unexpected turn when she partially tore her ACL.

The injury sidelined her for three months, turning what she had anticipated as an exciting first season in the OUA into a test of patience and resilience.

"Trying to come back from my injury was pretty difficult," said Bolibruck.

Unable to contribute physically on the court, she found other ways to grow and support her team. With her ability to read the game from the bench, she leaned on her voice, sharing observations with teammates.

"At halftime, if I was seeing something on the court, I would share," said Bolibruck. 

She appreciated the team's openness to feedback, regardless of a player's experience or position within the group.

"You were able to talk and share your feelings whether you were a first year or a fifth year," said Bolibruck.

The injury taught her that contributing to a team extends beyond what happens on the court and learning how to navigate recovery showed her how to overcome adversity.

"It's obviously a long road to recovery, so I learned how to navigate that and show up everyday," said Bolibruck.

That same desire to contribute translated outside of basketball as well. While enjoying her studies in the RTA Sports Media program, Bolibruck noticed that finding a sense of community within TMU can be difficult. With many students commuting to campus for classes and then just heading home, she wanted to create more opportunities for people to connect.

Inspired by a friend who had joined a women in business club at another university, Bolibruck saw an opportunity to build a similar community for women pursuing careers in sports at TMU. With the help of vice-president Samantha Walker, she founded the Women in Sport Media club.

What began as an idea for a small group quickly grew beyond their expectations. Initially setting a goal of 20 members, the club had reached 50 by the end of the school year. Its members expanded beyond strictly students in the sport media program, creating opportunities to connect with women from other majors who shared a mutual interest in the sports industry. 

For Bolibruck, building that community has become another way to make an impact in sports, even when the demands of being a varsity athlete limit her opportunities elsewhere.

Balancing practices, games, travel and coursework can make it difficult to take advantage of sports media opportunities. Although studying sport media while competing at the university level gives her a unique perspective, managing both commitments can sometimes feel overwhelming.

"I feel like sometimes it's daunting and I feel like I'm in my own head," said Bolibruck.

Yet, she still sees her experience as an athlete as an advantage when she's working behind the camera. Understanding the flow of a game and anticipating what players might do next helps her identify opportunities that someone less familiar with the sport of basketball might miss.

"If I'm shooting men's basketball, I know who shoots the three," said Bolibruck. "Obviously other people know that, but I know the plays and I'm watching to see where they're going to catch the ball and where they are going to pass it."

That familiarity also influences how she approaches athletes in the context of storytelling. Having experienced the demands of university basketball, she believes she has a better understanding of other players.

"I feel like it does give me kind of an edge knowing what an athlete wants to see and what questions I should ask them," said Bolibruck.

She began putting that into practice this summer, gaining experience with She's4Sports, a Canadian digital media and events platform that amplifies the voices of women and girls in sports, and with In the 4th, a Canadian digital media and community platform that covers amateur basketball, including U SPORTS, NCAA and FIBA games.

The opportunities further developed her skills and helped her gain in-industry experience. 

For Bolibruck, the challenge is not choosing between being an athlete and working in sports, it's finding ways for the two to complement one another, even when their demands compete.

As she enters her second year at TMU, Bolibruck is looking to grow the Women in Sport Media club, which is now an official TMSU club with access to funding. She plans to expand its executive team and explore fundraising initiatives.

"That'd be cool just to get together and do something good for the community," said Bolibruck.

Courtside, Bolibruck is preparing for another season with the Bold after the team's Critelli Cup victory last season. Having recently received official clearance from her injury, she is eager to return and make a greater impact in her second year.

"I'm going to try and impact the game more so this year coming back," said Bolibruck.

From discovering basketball through a family connection to finding her love for photography and creating opportunities for women in sports, Bolibruck's journey has been shaped by the communities that supported her and the ones she is now building for others.

As she continues to progress this year, Bolibruck will continue to find ways to bring her two worlds of playing sport and covering sport together.

"I'm proud that I've found a program that I can continue to grow in both on and off the court," said Bolibruck.