You can’t know where you’re going without understanding where you’ve been. Just a few months before COVID turned everything upside down, I had started my very first season of AAU basketball. I was nervous—going from rec ball and participation trophies to a much more competitive environment where everyone took the game seriously. But after a few practices and our first tournament, I realized it wasn’t as intimidating as I’d thought. Sadly, right after that tournament, everything came to a halt as COVID shut the season down.
Fear not! When things came to a halt, I was still lucky to have some incredible people in my corner. My middle school coach, Fred Whitaker—who also happens to be the director of the Chapel Hill Blue Flames—helped keep me on the court. I played the next two AAU seasons with his middle school team, coached by Brian Roberts. Brian was an awesome coach who really helped build my confidence and encouraged me to shoot more (even when I wasn’t so sure I should).
While playing for the Blue Flames we were treated to some guest coaching by no other than, the UNC Mens team. Thank you Seth Trimble! And yes, RJ Davis came to hang out and cheer us on. What a day!
Fred is an excellent coach in his own right, and once the summer AAU season with Brian ended, he seamlessly stepped in—continuing to push me to be more assertive on both offense and defense during my middle school years.
I’ve also had the chance to play on my high school varsity team with both of their daughters—who, by the way, are phenomenal players. It honestly wouldn’t surprise me to see all three of them on TV one day. Playing alongside their daughters keeps me connected with both Fred and Brian, who still offer advice, insights, and the occasional pep talk when a game doesn’t go quite the way I hoped.
And I can’t forget my JV coach, Jerry Lux. Coach Jerry brought a ton of knowledge—and just as important, a great sense of humor and team spirit. Like Fred and Brian, he’s always around, cheering me on, offering advice, and making sure I know he believes in me.
Our basketball family at Northwood High is something really special. Writing this out is actually getting me a little choked up—these coaches have had such a huge impact on my journey so far, and I’m incredibly grateful for each one of them.