A Letter To The Senior
Dear Senior, Wow. Time really does fly. I remember when we first both got started in this. I was just a beginning scout in my early years, trying to keep my head above water, not having a clue what I…
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Continue ReadingDear Senior,
Wow. Time really does fly. I remember when we first both got started in this. I was just a beginning scout in my early years, trying to keep my head above water, not having a clue what I was doing. You, you were just arriving in high school, trying to navigate both class loads and being on the basketball court. We both made noise though. Oh the good times. I remember your first boyfriends.Haha. You dated “The Rock”. Then It was Wilson. Then it was Evo. Evo is a lot better than the other two. All of them were better than Spalding, but Evo, boy is he a keeper. The way you and Evo connect is really a match made in heaven. A love and basketball type story.
Over the years I was able to follow your development. You went from a kid who had that deer in the headlights look, to a confident kid who wanted the ball as the time rolled down. You established dominance, making the hardwood floor your stage. Each year you added multiple moves to your arsenal that you used to down your opponents. Your role went from roster spot to being a big-time contributor. C’mon, all those long hours in the gym. The blood. The sweat. The tears. Man those were some days. Oh, we can’t forget the rivalry games. Love those. Some of those student sections were um, let’s just call them different. But you shut them up though. Yes you did. Talk about leaving them quiet. Boom, step back. Put your finger over your mouth because they were done talking.
I will say this though, what I really love about you is how you elevated the game of women’s basketball in this state. You put people on notice. Other coaches, scouts, college coaches, families, friends, ect. I mean everyone knows your name. You are leaving the program better than you found it and to me, that speaks volumes. There will never be another you. Someone might mimic you. You know like Dr. J, then Jordan, then Kobe, then Lebron, and so on. They are going to try to be like you because you set the bar of what a young lady hooper should be. You did it. That was you. And I commend you for doing that.
Dang, four years flew by. Promise me this, you won’t forget about this here. The memories between you and your teammates. The love for hooping in this state. Me. haha. Don’t worry about me though. I’ll still be around trying to encourage and follow other hoopers as well. But don’t forget about the people who helped get you to this point. Without their support, believe me it would have been even tougher. But you got it. You made it. You’re an awesome young lady and myself and many others are so very proud of you.
So, here we are. The season is gone. You made your mark on the game. This May you are going to walk across that stage, get that diploma, and then it’s off to another chapter in your life. I just wanted to say thank you. For allowing my co-workers and myself to cover you. Through the good times and the bad, it was a blessing to be able to see your name in the box scores. As you move on, go out there and make the world your oyster. You are amazing and will go on to do great things. Tell Evo I said hello, keep him around. Unless you find someone who is a lot better (the NCAA may make you switch it up). Just never forget that Tennessee is home and what you did here is never gonna be forgotten.
It was truly a blessing to watch you perform. Keep doing your thing. You are so good at this. We are going to miss you.You did a fantastic job throughout your four years here. I’m speechless. Well,once again, thank you for all that you did. You definitely left a lasting impression on myself and so many others. Congrats on all you accomplished and good luck on your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Brandon