In Reply to: Don’t Mean to Dwell, But…. posted by Larmz on April 07, 2026 at 18:03:47
It's the coach, bringing Coach Wooden back for us with her.
It's whom the players are, in this case Cori made sure she shared each of their individual stories with us
And their stories were all so compelling, just stuck with us -
Kiki intent on pioneering her own way and bringing people with her
Gabs living out her life long dream - and the legacy already laid down by her brother
Lauren, dealing with her issues and over coming them, then sharing them with everyone
Angela transferring and buying completely in to her new home and family
Charlisse blowing out her knee right here in Pauley and then embracing the school and team and coach, spending a year of recovery sitting next to the coach, getting to know her new teammates, on and off the court, learning to be their leader serving each of them, enhancing their strengths
Gianna choosing being selfless and hard work, choosing completing herself as a basketball player and a college student over leaning on her shooting as her school's transcendent star, choosing hard work over personal glory
And also Megan, adding joy to the equation, Sienna coming to join her older sister on her college journey, Timea sitting it out rehabbing her own injury this whole year, and the sophomore Amanda
and the freshmen, Lina, the 6'3" guard with the great three point shot, and young Christina
And Cori Close herself. Built a continuation of John Wooden's basketball program, all her charity doings, all of her doing it the right way all the time, all of her respect for the game.
Not the accomplishment, a helluva lot more than that. But it was the confirmation and the proof that if you do it the right way, every stap of the way - no shortcuts, the rewards will be the collateral benefits to the value of the journey, of doing it all right.
Truly a team for all time.