A PLAYER'S EXPERIENCE:

When I became a member of the San Antonio Lady Rohawks AAU Basketball Team, my basketball life changed. Being six feet tall, on any other team, I am a post player, however on Coach Harper’s team, I am a guard. When I started with the team, Coach Harper explained that he has everyone to learn to dribble, and he meant everyone, size did not matter. I was not a very good ball handler when I started with the team. But with Coach Harper’s encouragement and training, I became a good ball handler over time. When you look around at other teams, not many girls six feet tall can handle the ball very well. Not only did I learn to handle the ball, but became a much better player overall, improving all aspects of my game. Coach Harper’s basketball philosophy is about making each player a better player and helping to develop their individual talents. He provides a written evaluation of your basketball skills at the end of each season, to show you were you are and what you need to work on in the future. He is not about the wins for the team, but about improving your game.

He is also about making sure everyone does well academically. Many AAU teams do not share that philosophy. His team motto is, “Using Basketball as a Vehicle for Education”. This is so true, as I am an example of what is possible with that belief system. I have received a full basketball scholarship to attend a Division 1 college, Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi. I will start fulfilling my college basketball and academic dreams this summer, thanks to the encouragement and training of the San Antonio Lady Rohawks Team.


P.S. To all members of the Red Team, it does not matter which team you play on, I am proof of that, as I received more basketball offers and looks when I played on the Red Team. It is not important how many games your team wins or losses, but how hard you play. Colleges look for hustle, and how hard you play and that you do not quit, even when losing. I always played hard.

A PLAYER'S EXPERIENCE:

I don’t believe ever in my life have I dreaded hearing the number forty-five yelled out at me across a practice floor until I started playing with the San Antonio Lady Rohawks. Although I dreaded those twelve sideline touches with 45 seconds on the clock, coach was sure we were in shape; which made the games easier, because as Lady Rohawks we were known to run you out the gym.

Being a Lady Rohawk for me was eye opening to my true skill level. I was always a post player but under the coaching style of Coach Harper I was a guard. His philosophy is he trains point guards so that means everyone handles the ball. When I first heard this in the first practice, I went home and was telling my dad about how this man expected me to be dribbling the ball and using all these different dribbles (six different dribbles to be exact). My dad told me, “Well you want to play so you got to do it.” The next practice I was dribbling alright, looking crazy, but never the less I was dribbling. Coach, who is a very honest coach, called me out on my dribbling, telling me I couldn’t dribble but not in a derogatory manner more of a I’m going to make sure that changes. There was never really a doubt in my mind that Coach Harper was trying to put me down but was always as he would say finding my weaknesses in order to make them stronger. I have to say I do admire that quality in Coach Harper.

Something else that sticks out about the Lady Rohawk organization is the open arm acceptance by teammates, parents and coaches. I remember the first practice I went to everyone had to know something about everyone else and we couldn’t leave the gym until we spoke about someone we didn’t even know at all. I thought it was strange but looking back now it makes plenty of sense. How are you suppose to communicate on the floor if you don’t know your teammates names or aren’t comfortable with them enough to tell them they’re doing something wrong on the floor. The chemistry on the floor was also carried on off the floor. Clicks weren’t allowed everyone was cool with everybody. You couldn’t tell from the outside that there were two different teams because truly we were all one team; not saying we were perfect but we did all feel apart of something, a really good team. I can’t forget our first tournament when I first played with the younger team, we really hadn’t quite clicked on the court yet and we were all nervous and what not. Coach Harper just told us remember to run and we would be fine, well we did. Well we lost, not because the other team was better maybe a bit more experienced but not better. We gave them a good fight though but boy were they just bragging on how they beat the Lady Rohawks because we had a great reputation you know. So to show how much of one team we were, the older girls happen to play the same team and no offense but gave them a good beaten just so they couldn’t rag on us younger girls anymore. I remember that tournament so vividly because it was when I really realized what being one team meant and the true meaning of the saying “We laugh together and we cry together.”

Maybe you could say the Lady Rohawk organization isn’t for you or you could rag on us and say we’re not all we say we are and even just toss us aside but I’m sure when you play us you’ll remember that day like no other. That’s what I take from my experience with the Lady Rohawks we stick together; we help people with their futures and teach life lessons along the way. I must say I’ll never forget my days as a Lady Rohawk, I’ll forever be one and I truly enjoyed the experience.