Reflections of 2011

Naturally, I forgot to write another post before I went home for Christmas break. I thought about creating one when I was home, but I forgot my charger and my computer died early on... typical me. So, in honor of the New Year, I thought I’d write a reflection post about 2011, as it was a special year for me with many ups and downs. 

The start of the year and on through springtime was filled with many accomplishments for me. I became the 18^th player in Princeton women’s basketball history to score my 1000^th point. It came on a three point shot (naturally) in front of a large crowd of family and friends on the 5^th of January. We ran through the Ivy league once again with a 13-1 record and ended up cutting down the nets on Senior Night. It was an amazing moment for fellow senior Krystal Hill and me. In front our biggest crowd yet, we were honored before the game and given a nice ovation as we were taken out at the final moments after the victory was sealed. Krystal may have played her best game of the entire season, knocking down a pull up three right before halftime to send us into the locker room with momentum. What an awesome night... I mean, who doesn’t like beating Harvard? And to clinch the title against them, even better!

Following the Ivy season, All Ivy selections were announced. As it should have been, we had 3 players, Devona Allgood, Lauren Edwards, and myself, make First Team All Ivy. We also boasted the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year in our point guard, Lauren Polansky. Finally, and a surprise to me, I was named the unanimous Ivy League POY. Having the award be unanimous was a huge surprise and even bigger honor for me. My stats were not AMAZING, 12 points and 5 rebounds a game (though I was in the top 10 in the country in 3 point percentage and assist to turnover ratio), so it was nice to see other coaches in the league recognize what I contributed to my team. Unbeknownst to me at the time, was that I was also the first ever POY in women’s basketball at Princeton. My dad brought to my attention how cool being the “first” was because in thinking about how prestigious the University is, there are not many firsts left to be had. Basketball-wise, this was by far one of my greatest accomplishments. And what makes it even better, was I did it my way with unselfish play. 

Though springtime was filled with many great memories, it also was filled with some sad ones as well. In a span of 4 months, I lost my two grandmothers and only remaining grandfather. It was a sad time for my family, but it was also a time where we got to see how much our friends supported us. Though I would love to have the three of them here for 2012, I know they are in a better place and looking down on us everyday... maybe even cheering me on yelling Nan’s patented phrase “hit a sinker!”

Towards the end of my college experience I had what I think was my biggest accomplishment of 2011. Not only did I finish my Senior Thesis, a project that all seniors must trudge through during their whole senior year in order to graduate, but I ACED it!! I have never worked so long or so hard on something in my entire life, and that says a lot considering how much time I have put into basketball and my studies! Putting together an experiment, running it, analyzing the data, and writing 65 pages worth of explanation with only the guidance of my amazing advisor, proved to me that my Princeton education was worth it. I was able to put out something that was my own original ideas in an organized manner that was enough to impress two highly recognized Princeton professors. I could go on and on about this (that is how excited I still am about this accomplishment), but I would be entertaining only myself, I’m sure. 

Our Beach Week House

Following Thesis came what I like to call the best two weeks of my life... Beach Week, Reunions and graduation. When you go through a rigorous four years as we did at Princeton, you become extremely close with your friends at school. You get to see them at their best and their worst. During those last two weeks of school, we got to celebrate our time together without school work. Beach Week was filled with amazing memories for me... from our house dinners, to our No Sleep game, to all of the ridiculous things that happened and beyond. Spending that time with my friends was something I’ll never forget. 

And then there were Reunions and graduation, where family and friends collide into a mess of orange and black. My closest friend from home and my family were able to drink and dance the night away with my closest friends from school. No offense to my parents, but I didn’t know they were THAT much fun!!! With the help of bartender LP, we were able to dance the night away and close down the 40^th tent! Graduation was the same in terms of having friends and family there. From listening to Mayor Bloomberg’s Baccalaureate address, to sweating our butts off dancing at Prom, to sitting practically next to Brooke Shields on Class day, and to, finally, being able to walk through Fitzrandolph gate, the whirlwind of Princeton ended. With teary eyes, I said goodbye to my friends and started the next phase of my life.

I refuse to call the next phase the “real world” because, let’s face it, I wasn’t quite there yet. My summer was filled with re-inventing my game. I worked camps and practiced basketball with some new faces. The Crossroads crew and MK Sports became my new bball family for the summer. I was able to take my game to another level. My goal for the summer was to add some swagger to my “white girl”, Ivy league game... and that I did. 

With my new and improved skill set, I signed my first contract and headed off to Luxembourg. As you probably know from reading my previous blogs, I love it here! We keep progressing as a team, almost beating the 2^nd place team in my last weekend before Christmas (just to fill you in on what I forgot to post before I left!). We really worked hard in that game and we played solid for 40 minutes. 

2011 ended with a nice two week break back in the States. From being away for so long, I really began to appreciate some of the little things I missed while living in a foreign country (my family, salsa, my car, having the grocery store open past 6 for example...). I took a ‘cousin’ trip up to NYC and even got a chance to make it down to Philly for New Years Eve. It was a needed and relaxing break home!

Looking back on 2011, it was a pretty good year for me in terms of accomplishments both on and off the basketball court. They have led me to the amazing experience I am going through now. I can only hope that 2012 holds some big things as 2011 did... and with the first tough workout our team had today and our new tougher mentality, I am thinking it will!

Happy New Year everyone!!