Leslie White is a freshman and is a part of the Jefferson Morgan girls basketball team.

When asked what her inspiration for playing basketball was, Leslie replied, “I started playing basketball in 3rd grade. I started because I always used to play at my cousin’s house. They said I should play for the team, so I did.” Leslie, like many other people, both amateur and professional, understands that basketball is an exciting game. It is fast paced, aggressive and combines skill and speed to form a sport that is not only fun, but also physically and mentally challenging. Remembering and executing plays is hard work, and having the skill to actually score the points is just as important. Which is why it is so crucial to begin early on in life. Some have achieved success later on, but generally, those who begin earlier and continue to practice are those who become the most successful. Being inspired to play a sport for so long is most definitely a factor in why Leslie is able to do as well as she does. Practice makes perfect, and probably more in this sport than any other.

Basketball is a different kind of sport. It is one that takes endurance and skill. It also takes a great deal of attitude to play, as the practice and effort needed are something that need to be pushed to achieve. Like any sport it takes dedication to show up to the practices. To shoot the shoots needed. To execute the plays needed to win the game. Dedication like that does not show up overnight. Which is why it’s so amazing that Leslie has stuck with basketball all this time. That dedicated drive to continue practicing and continue playing is what really makes a great basketball player.

But, it is a new season. And with this new season comes new challenges. As her first year at the high school level, Leslie admits she is a little nervous. However, she also says she is looking forward to playing. “I’m looking forward to this season because it is my freshman year.” While freshman year can be scary and nerve-wracking, Leslie is looking forward to it. It is the start of her final years in high school, and her biggest chances to make it count. The team is dependent on good players, and if Leslie’s practice says anything, it’s that at the very least, she has put the time needed into her game. If nothing else, she has proven she is willing to try.

Basketball is a hard game. Skill, stamina, speed and strategy are all needed to be good at it. However, Leslie White has developed those skills. With the hours she has clocked practicing, and the optimism for the New Year, Leslie is sure to make something special for the Jefferson-Morgan Basketball Team. Hopefully, her potential pans out, and she can help lead the team into a new era of victory. Hopefully, the optimism shown will come to fruition, and a victorious trophy may once again sit in our glass case.