Elora Kawasawa '22 Recruiting Profile

Spirit of Sport is much like Sportsmanship in that it is often demonstrated through a player’s certain actions, such as helping a player from the other team up when they fall during a game or being respectful towards the opposing coaches or referees. However, to me Spirit of Sport is about having a passion and a love for a game so large that it encompasses your entire mindset while playing. When you love something so much, you want everyone else to enjoy it as much as you do. The little things, like playing fair, helping other girls up when they fall, and being kind on the court are just small steps in the right direction. We’ve all experienced the competitiveness of a sport, and that combined with a good atmosphere creates the most amazing feeling. 

My goal, not only as the captain of the West Ranch varsity girls’ basketball team, but also as a person, is to lead by example. I want to give others the opportunity to share the beauty of the sport as I see it. I want to spread the kindness and positivity that I believe is key to building the Spirit of Sport in basketball. I like to follow the cheesy, yet classic phrase, “no man left behind.” If I see one of my teammates with their head hanging after a bad loss, I will always try to cheer them up, helping them understand that basketball is a team sport, and a loss is never one person’s fault. If our team is about to walk into the gym together and one of my teammates is still putting on her gear, I’d wait for her.  

When I play basketball, it’s like an escape. I want to pass that along to others as well, especially through being a good teammate and person. I know how difficult it is to keep playing a sport when it feels like everything around you is telling you not to. That is why I hope to become a coach someday. I want to pass my knowledge onto others and encourage that feel-good energy they can get when playing a sport they’re passionate about while also allowing their opponents to do the same. I think competition is healthy and can be created without having a hostile environment where the coach is always screaming, and the players are arguing between one another. On the court, I often play in a way that allows my team to get the most out of their experience. That starts with learning what sportsmanship truly is.

While it’s not always easy being the bigger person in such a competitive setting, especially when you are losing, it can be so satisfying and fulfilling in the long run. Most athletes struggle with having a consistent “sportsmanship mindset.” It is much easier to be happy and giddy when you’re winning, so you know it takes a very strong person to exemplify the Spirit of Sport, no matter the score.