1. How long have you been playing basketball? I’ve been playing for as long as I can remember. I probably first started playing when I was four, but did not play seriously until I was eight. I started playing because I wanted to compete with my brother. He was always doing all the sports, and I wasn’t comfortable just doing nothing. I wanted to be competitive like him.
2. Why did you choose Citrus College? My teammate from high school Shateah [West] came here the year before I got here, and she told me that I should come. After that I met with the coaches, and really liked the coaches. The last thing was that it was close to where I live.
3. How have you changed as an athlete and a student? When I got to campus, it had been a year since I had played basketball. I had to get back to my normal routine and find my work ethic again. The coaches have really helped me get my work ethic back, and they also challenged me to be a Scholar Baller. They’ve continued to challenge me both basketball wise and academically so that I can go on to the next level and continue to be successful.
4. What are you majoring in? I’m still undecided. I’m just working on getting my AA now, and then plan to decide what I want to do when I leave.
5. What has been your favorite academic class you have taken so far here at Citrus? I liked taking Sociology of Marriage and Families, which I took my first semester here, and I really like Spanish. I liked the Sociology of Marriage and Families class because it helps you relate to what is going on around you. My parents got a divorce, and the class kind of helped me figure out why things were happening. As far as the Spanish class, I like to think of myself as bilingual, even though I’m not. I like being versatile.
6. Who are some of the people besides Coach Anderson and Coach Peters that have affected your life in a positive way here at Citrus? I would have to say the whole staff in general, like the trainers and equipment managers. I’ve probably been hurt a lot over the last two years, and the trainers have really helped me keep my confidence up and keep me healthy so that I can get back out on the floor.
7. What are some of your best memories so far playing for Citrus? Last year when we almost beat Mt. SAC [the Mounties were ranked in the State Top 10 at the time, and the Lady Owls lost 74-77 in the final minute of the contest], and when we played against undefeated State #1 Ventura in the playoffs.
8. What is your favorite thing about going to Citrus? It’s diverse. It doesn’t consist of just one type of people. Everybody is different. It’s laid back and quiet. Everybody knows everybody.
9. Who has been the biggest influence in your life so far? My mom. She’s been there for me since day one. I’m very close to my mom, and she helps keep my head on my shoulders. She helps me stay grounded. She helps me figure out what I need to do, not just now but for the future. I love my mom.
10. If there was one thing that you could accomplish in the next year what would it be and why? Getting a Division I scholarship and actually playing. I’ve always wanted to play big time competitive basketball, and I’ve learned that you can use more than one route to get there. You don’t always have to go straight out of high school; you can come to a community college like I did. I feel like I want to do that, because I love basketball, and I want to play at the most competitive level.