A Valentine to the Women of UCSD Basketball
Last night the women of UCSD Basketball triumphed 66-55 over Humboldt State at RIMAC Arena. This was the eighth straight Tritons win, for an 18-3 season. They are now tied for #1 in CCAA Standings, alongside Cal State Bakersfield. Although impressive, this is not the reason for this valentine.
It was Girl Scout Night @ UCSD Basketball. The UCSD Athletic Department provided free tickets for the game to Girl Scouts throughout San Diego county.
After an exciting game where the Girl Scouts watched and cheered, all the while making friends with scouts from other troups, they were invited downstairs to meet the Tritons.
In a room packed with girls age five and up, Tritons coach Janell Jones made a brief but inspirational speech. She encouraged hard work, but said not to worry about the girl to your left or right; she emphasized striving to be your own personal best, regardless of the competition. Coach Jones then asked each of her players to introduce themselves, and to tell the girls their college majors and career goals.
If playing basketball well weren’t enough to make these players role models, one need only look to their educational accomplishments. At least half of the Triton women are studying to become doctors. There’s one psychology major, two or three pre-law, one graphic designer, one who wants to be a mom, and the rest plan to teach and coach. We learned that their collective GPA is 3.2 and that they work very hard at everything they do.
There were a few questions and answers after this:
- Most of the players started playing basketball somewhere between first and third grade, but one started in highschool
- Some were girl scouts, and some wished they were; Coach Jones was a brownie for one day, but quit when she found out that a skirt was required (it’s not any more)
- None of the players are on scholarship, as that’s not available at UCSD
The most exciting part of the evening came next, when the girl scouts were invited to meet the players and get their autographs. It really wasn’t so much the autographs as the opportunity to actually talk to the players one-on-one that meant the world to the girl scouts.
That was the greatest gift they could have given the young girls who came to see them. To meet these women and receive encouragement, high fives, and a few laughs, to give their time meant more to the girls than anything they could have done for them.
Thanks so much, Triton women, and for that, I’m sending this Valentine to you. 
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