By John "Woods" Armwood III
Luckily, here at Sh3GotGame, we were able to sit down with one of the most prolific guards on the East Coast being recruited by several major Division I programs. The Pennsylvania native, Kamryn Gallis, has taken the AAU circuit by storm and ranks amongst the top 20 players in the 2029 class, according to Elite 48. Although Gallis resides in Pennsylvania, many have mistaken her for being a New York native based on her game and swagger on the court. That said, she’s often traveling around the country when she plays for her AAU team (NEPA Elite Basketball) led by head coach Kevin Clark. This includes winning the national championship in the Diamond division in the Nike tournament of Champions.
Nonetheless, Gallis began getting involved with sports at a fairly young age and realized early she had big shoes to fill. Both of her parents played at Lafayette College, one of them going on to make it to the pros. Kam’s mom, Tiffany Gallis, proved to be a bonafide star for the Leopards and naturally helped inspire and motivate Kam to pick up a basketball as well. Her father, B.J. Gallis, played linebacker in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and was a three-year starter for the Leopards where he never missed a game.
“Honestly, they motivate me so much,” Gallis states. “Knowing they’ve worked so hard to gain the success they have just gives me motivation to get to the next level and be as successful as possible. Outside of them, my uncle played at N.C. State with Russell Wilson, so my family is sports-oriented.”
How it Started vs. How it’s Going
Like many, when Gallis began playing she struggled in numerous areas of her game, however she admits to always being naturally skilled at shooting the basketball. This explains why this attribute is one of her strongest to this very day. Now, this didn’t happen overnight, therefore she explains that she shoots on average nearly 200-300 shots daily to ensure her shooting ability.
“My shot is probably what came the most naturally to me, even at a young age that’s something I worked on all the time,” Gallis explains. “I’m putting up 200-300 shots daily to ensure my shooting ability.”
As of now, she sits as one of the most sought-after seventh graders in the country. Clearly, her hard work and dedication are paying off and her support system has ensured her success. In fact, Gallis’s parents enforce the ideology of being a student-athlete rather than being an athlete-student. Oftentimes, Gallis prides herself that she consistently earns, "Distinguished Honors".
“I’m extremely proud of Kamryn's development because she started out here at our local AAU and was probably one of the worst players on the team I’d say,” Tiffany Gallis says. “Kamryn has incredible drive and work ethic like I’ve never seen before, in fact, she reminds me after I get off work that she has to go train.”
In fact, Gallis's coach has help instill what many recognize as the "no days off" mentality. Meaning, whether it be basketball or not her drive and relentlessness never appears to wither.
“Her coach, Arnold Alleyne, instilled into her that a day off only leads to an off day,” she continues. “... Where she’s started to where she is today, mind you she still has a ton of work to do, however she plays with some talented girls [Zya Small, Cora Castellani, Chrissy Jacklinski, Ella Clementoni] and iron sharpens iron.”
Kamryn Gallis “Sh3GotGame Moment”
Prior to any game, Gallis often goes through her entire routine which consists of several entities. Gallis states that she never plays without her pair of Lamelo Ball sneakers, Melos. From there, she proceeds to go into the corner and complete her entire stretch routine to decrease her chances of cramping or pulling a muscle. Naturally, coming from a family who’s heavy in their faith, she concludes her pre-game rituals with a prayer.
Ultimately, leading to an opening tip-off for Gallis where she excels and oftentimes impresses many. That said, the most impressive feat to Gallis has been the fact that she competes with the 15u while only being 12. The majority of middle schoolers don’t play with high schoolers unless they’re exceptionally skilled and far beyond their years. Yet, Gallis has competed at a high level quickly gaining recognition amongst the country.
“I’d have to say my Sh3GotGame Moment would have to be that while in seventh grade I’m fortunate enough to compete with the 15u team at NEPA Elite,” Gallis emphasizes.
In conclusion, Gallis has proven to be an exceptional and favorable prospect due to her reputation and actions on and off the court. There’s still tons of improvement to be made and her journey is far from finished. When asked, if there was any advice she’d like to offer to anyone who may resonate or be following her story, she responded:
“I’d just say always dream big and stay passionate. I believe you can accomplish anything if you put in the work. Whatever you want to accomplish, just set your mind to it and you can get there as long as you put in the work.”