Whenever I go home for breaks and holidays, people always ask me if I’m still playing basketball at school and tell me how great it is that I still am. During the winter, friends and family constantly check in to see how the season is going or to congratulate me on our last win. When I first decided to play basketball in college, I thought I was just continuing to do what I loved; I had no idea it would make such an impact on my college career.
Being a student-athlete at Colby is more than simply being on a team and being able to wear a sweatshirt that says “Colby Women’s Basketball” on the front. My team has become a support system, and many of my closest friends are on the basketball team with me. When you spend hours a day with a group of people, it is easy to grow together. While I also have my friends outside of basketball, I definitely have a different kind of friendship with my teammates. On a team, you go through ups and downs, wins and losses, good days and bad days. You work through these things as a unit, developing a sense of camaraderie and trust that is special and unique. I’ve found that my teammates are my safety net—they have seen me at my best and at my worst, yet my sense of belonging with them has never faltered.
Not only has being on a team affected me within the team and in a sports environment, it has also taught me invaluable lessons that I bring into my life outside of basketball. Being an athlete requires confidence, determination, leadership, and commitment, to name a few important qualities. These traits do not always come easily, especially for a college student faced with countless obstacles and problems. Through basketball, I have learned how to be a leader when the odds are stacked against you, how to remain confident and determined even when something seems impossible, and the importance of being committed to everything you do, regardless of the circumstances. These things can be hard at times, but the rewards that follow make them truly worthwhile.
I have always loved being on teams. But being on a college sports team is different than any other team I have ever been on. I’ve met people I may never have encountered outside of basketball, often people that are very different from me. Some are economics or pre-med majors, others play the violin or have been performing in dance recitals for years. Before college, I had grown up playing sports with the same people, so it was hard to learn as much from them and that experience. Now, I am constantly learning more about each of my teammates and realizing more and more every day how the things I learn on the basketball court affect my life and personality.
So when people ask me if I’m still playing basketball, I tell them that of course I am; I wouldn’t trade it for the world. While they may think that is simply because I enjoy the sport or because of the games we win, I know those are only small parts of the reason. It is the friends I’ve made, the lessons I’ve learned, and the lasting influences that will stay with me for the rest of my life that make me proud to wear that sweatshirt that says “Colby Women’s Basketball.”
Message from C Club President Alex Wilson '73
Winter Previews
