Jordyn Derricott

Me Against Me: The Steady Ascent of Jordyn Derricott

She found her rhythm through after-school camps, built her game around community, and learned that success starts with winning the battle in your own head.

Some players fall in love with basketball at first dribble. For Jordyn Derricott, it started with her dad — signing her up for after-school camps just to keep her moving. What he really did, though, was give her a compass. “I realized I felt better with a ball in my hands,” she says. “That’s when I knew I wanted to play at a higher level.”

It didn’t take long for her to make that promise to herself real. In high school, Jordyn became the kind of player coaches remember. Athlete of the Year once, MVP twice — the kind of résumé that reads like a highlight reel of dedication. But the moment that still gives her chills wasn’t a medal or a plaque — it was a game-winner at a local tournament. “It wasn’t just about the shot,” she says. “It was about the feeling — the community behind it.”

That sense of togetherness still drives her now. When motivation runs low, Jordyn leans on her teammates. “On the hard days, I think about them,” she says. “We push each other. We keep each other going.” Her goal this season is simple but essential: consistency. Long-term, it’s broader: become a better athlete, and a better person. “Success to me is fulfillment,” she says. “Knowing I gave my best, and feeling at peace with that.”

Off the court, Jordyn’s balance comes from the quiet things — reading, visualization, and breathing exercises. She treats calm like a skill, not a luxury. “It keeps me grounded,” she says. “It’s how I reset.”

Her role models are exactly the kind of people you’d expect from someone who values both drive and decency. Her dad, for one — “an incredible person who inspires me to make the world better.” And Coach Topic, her Grade 10 coach, whose competitive fire reshaped her mentality. “He taught me how to use my competitiveness in a useful way,” she says.

At St. Mary’s, she’s found something she was looking for all along — a community that feels like home. “It’s knowing I have people in my corner,” she says. That same spirit extends to how she gives back. Coaching younger players has become her way of paying it forward — teaching kids not just how to hoop, but how to grow. “It’s about helping them become better people,” she says.

Ask about her pregame soundtrack and you’ll find a mix that fits her energy perfectly — “It’s Time” by Steve Aoki to get focused, “Don’t Stop the Music” (yes, the Pitch Perfect version) to remind herself that it’s supposed to be fun.

And if she could go back and tell her younger self one thing, it’d be this:

“It’s me against me.”

That’s Jordyn Derricott in a nutshell — not chasing anyone else’s path, not performing for the noise. Just working, learning, and quietly proving that her best self has always been the real competition.