My AAU travel team has some seriously good drills—like, annoyingly good. They keep things fresh so we’re not stuck in a drill Groundhog Day, but sometimes the new ones are so tough I instantly regret them. I mean, who likes drills they keep messing up? Definitely not me. But somehow, those are the ones that actually make me better. Weird, right? Growth really needs to chill. All jokes aside I am learning to dial in on hard work and this quote from Breanna Stewart really hit home:
You have to love your sport. Your passion and dedication can’t be some-time, part-time or spare-time. It has to be all-time.
Breanna Stewart
Sometimes when I’m tired and just want to lie down dramatically like it’s a movie scene, I have to tell myself: take a deep breath, tighten up the laces, and keep going. Because apparently, that’s exactly when the work starts. Big thanks to my coaches for always pushing me—especially when my brain is screaming “nap” and they’re yelling “again!”
Dribbling with a plastic grocery bag seemed totally crazy at first—but it ended up being one of the drills that helped my ball handling the most.
Go figure!
A Big Thank You
Big shoutout to my coaches—thanks for always believing in me, pushing me, and somehow knowing when I’ve got one more rep left (even when I’m pretty sure I don’t). You’ve turned water breaks into motivational speeches, mistakes into lessons, and practices into something I actually look forward to… most of the time. Appreciate you more than you know!