In basketball, working hard beats talent every time, but other than persevering when a game gets rough one must possess a good attitude above all. For these reasons Kalisha Parks, Lakerria Holland, Dontesse Evans, and Justin Flemons are “All Around Athletes.”
Chosen by their respective coaches, these four put their team first and maintain a good attitude no matter the circumstance.
Lady Trojan coaches Laketia Petty and Kendra Wright stress how Parks and Holland are willing to work together, play together, and win together–win or lose.
The mere fact that Parks was chosen by her coaches boosts her confidence and makes her excited. Each player is different, and Parks not only shows her differences during the game but also at practices by working hard and being free. As a sophomore, Parks still hopes to improve.
She said, “I think I need to work on my positioning during the games. I also need to work on balancing myself.”
Parks is always motivated, but her coaches and teammates provide extra support when needed. Other than scoring in the paint, Parks contributes to her team morally.
She said, “I stay positive, work hard, and remain loyal to my team no matter how hard it gets.”
When the Lady Trojans face hard games, Parks refuses to let negativity take over. She remains positive by blocking out negative comments and concentrates.
Excitement took over Holland when she found out she was chosen as an “All Around Athlete”. By keeping a confident spirit, Holland believes in herself.
She said, “Whenever I want to give up, I keep trying to better myself.”
Communication is key in basketball, and Holland believes she needs to improve her communication with her teammates. She also aspires to work harder and stay focused. Holland’s coaches and mother play a huge role in her determination as a player.
“I am motivated when my coaches tell me that I have the ability to do anything, and I listen to my mom because she tells me what I should and should not do,” she said.
When she is not driving down the court to score, she is usually attempting to draw a foul and get to the free-throw line. In a tough situation, she stays to herself; she may even be seen sitting alone at the end of the bench thinking of ways to help her teammates.
Wright said, “As coaches, we chose Lakerria and Kalisha because they work hard, on and off the court, and they are respectful young ladies.”
Trojan coaches Davin Young and Allan Clarke constantly observe the selfless behavior and good attitudes of Evans and Flemons.
Evans could not shake an amazing, unbelievable feeling of being an “All Around Athlete”. While on the court, during games and practices, Evans hustles and never gives up. Even though he hustles hard, he feels the need to work even harder and crash the boards.
Evans is motivated by his teammates. He, along with his peers, works to earn a win. He is always rebounding and putting the ball back up to add to the score. Like all teams, the Trojans have difficult games.
During a hard game, Evans said, “I hustle and stay focused and continue to play hard.”
Honored by his coaches’ decision to choose him, Flemons has a strong desire to win. Regardless of what he does, he feels that he always must work harder to become a better player. Flemons is not only inspired by his coaches and teammates, but also the cheerful, screaming crowd.
Besides racking up points, he provides for the team on different levels.
He said, “I work with the underclassmen, work hard in the game, and never give up.”
To remain confident during a hard game, Flemons stays calm and limits his mistakes.
Young said, “Justin and Dontesse have selfless attitudes and a want to win. They are not worried about the crowds or what they look like in the stat book.”