Lockwood stars on court, stage

Senior women's basketball captain Casey Lockwood has received plenty of attention because of her achievements on the hardwood, but she has also distinguished herself off the court through her musical talent.

This past summer, Lockwood spent several weeks with sophomore forward Whitney Downs — whose father is a music producer — recording original music. She also recorded several songs with Downs under the band name Freelyfe. At Princeton, Lockwood has performed at Colonial Club, Princetonian Idol and Frist Fest in addition to performances at several open mics in the area.

"Music for me is not only an emotional outlet, but really a way of expressing myself, sharing part of myself and something I love with others," Lockwood said. "Music has always been a huge part of my life, and I think it can be very impacting. I really see it as a unifying force, so I guess in a way every song I write wants to share a little bit of that feeling and love with others."

Downs is not the only teammate to support Lockwood's musical pursuits.

"Her songs are on all of our [iPod] Top 25 Most Played lists, if that says anything," sophomore teammate, guard Jessica Berry said.

Melodic beginnings

Recalling her start in music, Lockwood said, "I've been singing since I can remember, in musicals and just around the house as a kid, but it was never something I took seriously. I really only started taking it seriously when I started playing the guitar and writing my own music. I started playing guitar in seventh grade and started writing my own stuff in ninth."

Lockwood carries a similar passion onto the court as a forward on the basketball team.

"What I love about basketball, beyond the passion I have for it as a sport and the obvious ways that it pushes me physically and mentally, is the combination of individual and team work that goes into it," Lockwood said. "I can develop myself as a player individually, trying to get better every day, but ultimately it is about meshing with a team and the things you can accomplish with a team. My favorite plays in basketball are ones that result from teamwork — it's such an amazing feeling, especially when it's with teammates you love."

Lockwood's teammates clearly love her back.

"How often do you have a three-time captain in a varsity sport?" Berry asked. "She's doing the job that three people did last year, which is less a comment about the void left by the graduation of two senior captains and more a comment about how Casey has succeeded [in her role as] an indispensable leader."

Indeed, Lockwood has approached both outlets with a very similar enthusiasm.

"Both [music and basketball] are very real, but different passions of mine — they are just extensions of different facets of myself," Lockwood explained.

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"The passion with which Casey lives her life has a huge impact on all those lucky enough to spend time with her," Berry said. "On the court, she's unyielding as a captain, leading not only by example with her scoring and defense but also with pre-game speeches that rival Al Pacino's in 'Any Given Sunday.' Off the court, her passion comes through in her poetry, her song and in her eagerness to perform, be it for a crowd of 10 of her teammates or at any open mic she can get to."

Despite her clear love for both activities, however, balancing them has proven difficult.

"Basketball has dominated because of the time commitments I have had to it," Lockwood said. "Right now in my life is not the time for me to develop my music, although I try to as best I can with the time I do have."

The commitment Lockwood has to the basketball team has only grown this year with her role as senior captain.

"It's such a crazy and strange feeling to be a senior," Lockwood said. "[Leadership] is definitely a learning process, and something you have to work at every day, but I am definitely pleased with our progress as a team, and I think others on the team are starting to come into their own leadership roles, which is such a great thing to witness."

Despite her impressive balancing act, Lockwood is always dependable on the court.

"When I pass to Casey, I know two more points are about to go up on the scoreboard," Berry said. "She's that consistent. She's money."

With her dedication to both music and basketball, Lockwood will no doubt find success in her pursuits beyond the FitzRandolph Gate by exibiting the same dedication.