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Lady Jacket Memoirs

Shyra Oliver - Class of 2012

               When I first started to play basketball in 7th grade, I didn’t know how to do a lay-up and didn’t even know you were supposed to take two steps. Basically I was clueless and had a lot of learning to do. I wanted to be so good but didn’t know how to get it out of me. All my coaches would say “I see potential in you” but never got it out of me, until I joined the Lady Jackets program. I’ve played a lot of AAU, and school basketball and never been a part of something like this program. When I joined this team I was nervous and scared of what was to come. As time went on I grew more and more comfortable with the lady jacket program and my ability to play. My teammates are my sisters and even after I graduate I’ll still be in touch with them. Being around them so much made them my family away from home. From the raps we did in the locker room to the jokes we’ve made about each other. Also how we encouraged each other and truly love one another like the family we are. I’ve learned so much from this program as far as my attitude, being a leader, and learning how to deal with adversity, also taking tough love from my coach and each other. Coach Giles is an amazing coach and he bought the potential out of me that all the coaches I’ve meet said they seen.

                When I first played here man he pushed me and pushed me, he showed me I could be a better player, leader and person all together. I’ve never came across a program or coach like this since I’ve been playing, I didn’t ask coach Giles to get me to college he helped me make a dream come true that I thought would never happen. He contributed to the person I am today and push me in the right direction, by keeping positive people on our team and keeping us on the right road. If it wasn’t for this program, moving here and having a great coach I don’t know where I’d be basketball wise right now. I am thankful for all the things Coach Giles has done for me and to keep our program successful, I’m thankful for playing for Coach Giles, and I’m also thankful for the teammates I got to play with for the 3 years I’ve been here. They taught me enough to move forward to the next program and be successful thank you Coach Giles and lady jacket program.

Nadia Ogene - Class of 2011

When I first stepped foot on the court during my first tryout, I viewed basketball as merely a game to pass my time – I have come to realize that it is so much more than that. When you’re surrounded by such a supportive group of people on a daily basis, you have no other choice but to become a family; it is because of this that I was able to grow not only as an athlete, but as a person. I was able to venture into other activities because of the confidence I had developed from my participation in this program. In that respect, I can say that most of my accomplishments can be attributed to becoming a Lady Jacket.

 
Above all else, I have learned to remain diligent it whatever I do from my participation in this program. My coaches often said that if you couldn’t give basketball your all, you should quit – it has been so ingrained in my mind that I applied it to every other aspect of my life. I also learned the crucial skill of time management and, most importantly, decided what was important to me. Because of this, I was able to cut extraneous activities from my life in order to further my goals as a student-athlete.
 
Being a Lady Jacket is not a passing phase that ends once you graduate. Once you become a Lady Jacket, you’re one for life. I am so grateful for what this program and the people involved in it have given to me. I can only hope that those I encounter in college will be able to see the product of such wonderful people.

#42 Nadia Ogene

Ashley Speck - Class of 2010

            Basketball was only supposed to be something for me to do in my free time. I never thought playing basketball would lead me to everything that it eventually led me to. Being a Lady Jacket taught me how to manage my time, it boosted my self-confidence, and I also learned how to be successful on and off the court. 

            Being a Lady Jacket gave me something that I felt I belonged to. There was always someone to talk to about anything that was bothering me, whether it was a certain class, or listening to me decide on which college I thought was best for me. When you become a Lady Jacket, you join a family that will be with you even after you graduate. During my freshman year at The University of Alabama, there was a devastating tornado that ripped through the town of Tuscaloosa, that same day I had calls, texts, voicemails, emails, Facebook messages, and wall posts all from teammates and coaches asking me if I was okay and safe. If that’s not the perfect example of what the Lady Jacket family is about, then I don’t know what is. 
            Being a Lady Jacket shaped me into the person I am today. I will always have a special place in my heart for the coaches, and players who were there during the ups and downs of my high school years. I will always remember what this program did for me and how the amazing people in it affected my life. 

Melissa Little - Class of 2008

 

Being a Lady Jacket has truly had a lasting impact on my life. I started playing basketball in middle school because I looked up to my big brother. It was a fun hobby and it kept me active. I had a choice of whether or not to go to Sprayberry for high school and my main decision was based on basketball. I choose to become a Lady Jacket. It was the best decision I have ever made, especially when Coach Giles transferred to Sprayberry and became the Lady Jacket Head Coach.
 
Being a Lady Jacket gave me a sense of belonging. I had a family that I knew I could count on no matter what happened. The girls and the coaches became my support system through anything I needed, even if it was just to vent about a class I was stressed out about. This family also brought me a few of my best friends. This family helped me to grow into the person I am today. Being a Lady Jacket taught me discipline and self-accountability. The coaches always seemed to have more faith in me then I ever had in myself. They pushed me to realize that I have so much more potential than I expected out of myself. They are the reasons I was able to graduate with higher than a 4.0 and with a basketball scholarship to West Alabama. 
 
Being a Lady Jacket did not just end when I left Sprayberry. When you become a Lady Jacket, you become part of a tradition of excellence that never dies. Being a Lady Jacket had such an influence on my life, which it led to me to find my future career as a teacher and a coach, and I have been so lucky to come back and become part of the Lady Jacket family again; this time as a coach. I now have the chance to show young females what being a Lady Jacket is all about. I will forever remember what this program and the people surrounding have done for me and my life.

#35 Melissa Little

Kathryn Ewing - Class of 2007

 

Basketball was always a huge part of my life. Ever since I started playing at eight years old, my love for the game continued to grow. When I found out I would be attending Sprayberry, I decided to try out to be a Lady Jacket. This was one of the best decisions I could have made and became a source for some of my greatest high school memories. The girls I met through my time as a Lady Jacket became more like sisters and I will cherish those bonds and always remember them. When you work so hard with a group of girls and you go through so many struggles and successes, the bond that grows between you is so strong. I will always remember these girls and think of the times I had with them and smile. Looking back on my years in high school, memories of being a Lady Jacket are most prominent in my mind. From 6 a.m. practices all freshmen year to playing against Maya Moore in the state playoffs my senior year, I will never forget the memories I made as a Lady Jacket.
 
But being a Lady Jacket is about so much more than just basketball. Coming in to my senior year, I had struggled to find myself as a basketball player. I wondered where exactly I fit into the line-up and what exactly my role on the team was. Yes, I was a senior, but was a really a major contributor to the team? Once Coach Giles started coaching us my senior year, he helped me to find my confidence both as a player and as a person. He was always encouraging me and giving me opportunities that I never thought possible. I remember him even setting up an in-bounds play designed so I could shoot the ball! I missed the shot, but I will never forget that amazing moment! It helped me gain a confidence that would remain instilled in me for life.
 
Even though I have moved on from Sprayberry and have now graduated college, I will always be proud of my time as a Lady Jacket. I will always remember the wonderful memories both on and off the court. The girls I met and grew to love, the coaches, and everything about being a Lady Jacket will always remain close to my heart.