Hunter Garcia '20 Recruiting Profile

“Born with a Basketball in their hand,” a phrase often used to describe remarkable basketball talents, but not one that can be applied in this instance. I was born with basketball in my heart and I just hadn’t realized it until the summer after I turned 10. That is when I found my calling. At the beginning, I was the player that was only put in the game for hustle and never for skill. I didn’t shoot well or wasn’t able to dribble and run with my head up, but running on the court with my teammates, who were all really good, is all that mattered to me. After playing games and watching my other teammates make layups, shoot and be able to score, I wanted to be good like them too. I wanted that feeling of being able to get a steal and take it all the way down to make a layup or to pull up for a jump shot. I wanted to feel the rush of feeling locked in and making every shot I took. I wanted to make an impact. 

At 11 years old, I realized that I wanted to be a good all around basketball player. During the summer I practiced every morning working on the fundamentals of dribbling, shooting, and defense. After two summers of putting in hard work, I was one of those “good players.” Since then, my role was to be a floor general; to control the game, and lead my team to victory. I evolved from a chubby little girl who knew nothing about basketball, to an eighth grader, starting, on my high school varsity basketball team, and making it to the state tournament four consecutive years. As the point guard, I am heavily relied upon to control the tempo, setup and run plays, and give everything I have to win the game; and last season, I was able to lead the team to the state championship game. 

Every coach that I have played for has had the confidence in my basketball IQ to run the plays and to guide the team. I never knew that I would love to play the game as much as I do now. The game of basketball brought out my confidence, leadership, and perseverance. Basketball has also taught me the importance of hard-work, discipline, and dedication, and that I can overcome any obstacles if I work hard enough. These aspects of the game made me the player I am today. I have felt disappointment and success but most importantly, I have found my purpose. I am a basketball player. I was not born with a ball in my hand but I know I was born with basketball in my heart.