Not many teams at any level get the chance to be coached by a two-time WNBA All-Star and WNBA Champion. But at 11:00am Saturday morning the Woodgrove girls basketball team was given advice on the parallels of life and basketball, as well as being run through drills by one of the all-time greats, Nikki Teasley.
When Teasley started talking her message was clear, “It’s not just about basketball, I learned to be who I am through the sport.” Teasley emphasized that basketball can teach life skills that last far longer than your time on the court into your daily life in the professional world, along with what it takes to raise a family. She specifically mentioned how her basketball career enhanced her accountability both on and off the court.
Teasley seemed happy to share her message to the young Wolverines.
“To be able to build character and mold great people, that is our responsibility as parents and as professional athletes, to use our platform to spread positivity in the world.”
When Woodgrove Head Coach Travis Coon was asked about what he hoped his team had taken away he said, “Learn from somebody that’s struggled, who has been through the fight, who has fought adversity.”
Woodgrove is coming off a solid 13-11 season, but this year the expectations are higher. “We have a good returning core that can get us through some tough games and lead us to where we want to be, and that’s the state tournament,” says Coon. The biggest changes coming into this year is experience. “Last year we started two freshmen and two sophomores, now we’re looking for consistency and putting the pieces together,” he said.
“We’re a lot closer together this year,” explains team leader Ashley Steadman, who was First Team All-Region and State her freshman year for the Wolverines. “We like to get out and run and we have a lot of good shooters this year.”
Listening to Teasley can only help. Woodgrove, new to the Patriot District this year, opens its season with John Champe December 4th at home.
-Grayson Alto
Grayson shut up!