March 25th, 2015 | Uncategorized
Thinking back about basketball, kind of where it all began, and where I am today is like a walk down memory lane – it really makes me think of how far I’ve come. It all started as young girl — before I could walk, before I could talk. My dad was a college coach so ever since I was born I have been around basketball. It started out as the baby in a stroller watching games, and then I became the little kid who would go watch practices and games, while cheering the team on. When I was old enough, I began playing myself and, from there, the rest is history. Basketball has given me so much in life, from education to friends to an experience abroad. While there were definitely ups and downs, as there always are in life, I wouldn’t trade any of it. As hard as it might have seemed sometimes, it is the tough times that really made a difference in my life. They taught me to never give up, work hard, stay positive, and believe – they helped shape the person I am today. Due to a lot of hard work, I was blessed to have the opportunity to play basketball in college and then continue playing overseas here in Ireland as part of the Sport Changes Life program, but the greatest blessings are the friendships, memories, and experiences I’ve made along the way. Not a day goes by where I do not think of all the experiences and how they’ve helped me get to where I am today.
This wouldn’t be complete without mentioning family. Family means the world to me. I am incredibly close with my family and truly believe that part of the reason for the close bond with my family is basketball. Throughout my AAU and high school career, I usually had games every weekend and my parents and grandparents would come to a majority of them – there was always someone there. Even if I played in an out-of-state tournament, I knew someone from my family would be in the stands. This didn’t change in college. When most students would only see their parents or grandparents on holidays or breaks, I was lucky enough to see my parents and grandparents almost every week during my basketball season. Basketball has helped me form bonds with family, friends, and even strangers.
Looking back…it’s crazy to think of how my journey began as a little girl in a crib holding a basketball. Now I’m living in Ireland getting a masters degree, coaching kids, and playing the sport I love. Time really does fly.
As I look forward, my dream has always been to be a college coach or work in the sports industry – a dream that probably started to take shape as the little girl cheering on her dad’s college team twenty years ago.
