NCAA Bound: Shaleta Frye's Travel Blog
March 13, 2009
Had to end sometime...What's up PhilaU? I have some good news and
some bad news. I'll start with the bad. Unfortunately, this will be
the last you'll be hearing from me because we did fall to the # 1
seed Franklin Pierce this afternoon, which is the bad news.
Good news is, they knew the Rams were there to compete and they felt our presence. We knew we were not just happy getting to the tournament, and we wanted more. My ladies came out charging to start the game. For a while we looked like the top seed in this battle. So, the other good news is that we went out with a bang, we played hard from start to finish. We have absolutely nothing to hang our heads about. Maybe some people were expecting us to lose, but ofcourse we weren't- so it was still a hard loss for us.
There were a many of tears in the locker room, from myself and fellow seniors (Morgan Henderson, Amanda Brennan, and Kyra Ellzy). We weren't ready for this to end. I will terribly miss my teammates and coaches; they've given me an experience and memories that nothing can measure up to. Coach Shirley always tell us to savor these moments, because when we get into the real world there will be nothing like it. He says that we will never feel this way again. I already know this to be true even though I'm not yet in the "real world" because there is simply NOTHING like college athletics, particularly the game of basketball.
I would like to give a special thank you to our president Dr. Spinelli, the PhilaU staff and faculty for traveling to support us today. I'd also like to shout out to the fans, the Ram Squad and one of our biggest fans Lindsey Cooper who has always been there cheering us on believing in our ability.
In conclusion, I'd like to send a farewell to my wonderful teammates. Thank you for giving me the season of my life. I love each and every one of you. Thank you for accepting me as your teammate, captain and most importantly your friend. My advice to the team next year- stay together on and off the court, work hard everyday no matter what (it will pay off, don't cheat yourselves by not giving it your all), learn from each other as well as your coaches, appreciate each other and your coaches and most of all have fun ladies. The time that you have together on a team will be like no other time in your life, so live it up.
Forever Bonded,
Sha
March 12, 2009
Judgment Day
So, I was listening to the radio last night and the host was
talking abut a party that would be going on Friday night, she then
pointed out that it will also be Friday the 13th, which
my teammate Jess Romano keeps mentioning as well-inferring that the
basketball gods indeed will be on our side tomorrow. But, the next
piece of mind blowing information is what got me. The host lets us
listeners know that so far, this year there have been two Friday
the 13ths (with one to look forward to in November). Talk about
things that make you OUUUUUU! So, tomorrow, Friday the
13th...it IS judgment day.
Ok, I'm finished with the superstitions and myths. There is so much
to tell you, I don't know where to begin. I'll start at the end of
practice today. We end every practice before a game day with a game
of 21. We pair up with a teammate, if you're a freshman or
sophomore you get together with a junior or senior, therefore the
game is young vs. old. We line up around the three-point line and
the first team to 21 wins. Everything behind the three-point line
is two points, inside one point. The old team has a record of about
19-4. It's only natural right?
I wasn't kidding when I said today would be no ordinary day. I'd say it was extraordinary. Today the tournament kicked off with an opening dinner, hosted by Holy Family, which included all eight teams in the tournament. It was by far one of the best times, not only a banquet, but with each and every one of my teammates. From the bus ride to the tables, through dinner, through speeches, to pictures (that we didn't want to end or just couldn't get organized for), back to the bus, there was non-stop laughter. It may sound cliché, but time flies when you're having fun.
We talked and laughed all the way home, reminiscing about the good times. Even though I'm one of the team captains, I am one of the main players that gets bagged on, plays jokes, and that teammates laugh with. But tonight, I believe we all shared the stomach hurting, eye tearing, and foot stomping laughter.
It turns out this tonight will be a night we will never forget. These four years, especially this past season of PhilaU basketball are years that I will truly miss. But if this is the way it ends, with a bus ride full of laughs, memories and a team of my favorite girls- my family, then that's okay.
We remain focused. We got a chance to size up our competition tonight as well so now, it's GAME TIME....WHOOOOO!
Until next time,
Sha
March 11, 2009
It's March.... and we're still here!
One more day...just one more day ‘til game day. I probably
don't need to remind everyone again, but I will. It is March and
yes, your PhilaU Lady Rams are still ballin'.
As I predicted yesterday, practice went up a few notches. We also
watched some more film to get more familiar with Franklin Pierce,
our next opponent. To help keep us in game shape, coach hit us a
few times throughout practice with the "pleasing to the ear" words
-on the line. Coach calls three names, to shoot two foul shots
each, as we all line up along the baseline. They go in the order of
which he calls, 39 seconds is put on the game clock, and if you
miss one of two shots, we have to run six sprints in 39 seconds. We
have to make the time or we run again. It turns out, it wasn't our
best free throw shooting practice. We had to run a couple sixes too
many, but it will definitely benefit us on Friday.
Tomorrow is not just another Thursday. It is the day before a
game of endless potentials, for us as a team and for the school.
For some of us it could be our last practice...EVER, for
others it could be an end to an unforgettable season with another
to look forward to; a chance to create another year of
memories.
Stay Tuned,
Sha
March 10, 2009
Can I Get a PhilaU?!
It's the second week of March and the PhilaU Lady Rams are still playing ball! Now we get to be part of "March Madness" and will not have to watch other teams on TV competing for a shot at a championship. After two days off, or should I say two days of recovering from celebrating our big CACC championship victory, we are back in the gym preparing for our next opponent #14 nationally-ranked Franklin Pierce University.
Our team had a morning meeting to discuss who we were playing on Friday the 13th, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, which will be played just 20 minutes down the road at Holy Family. Later in the day we watched film, worked on some drills and finally got up and down the court- finishing practice with the traditional huddle- a RAM TOUGH (on three)!
Tomorrow's practice will most likely be increasingly intense as we get a bit closer to game day. We do intend on an upset and we are tremendously happy about being crowned queens of the CACC- but the team is most definitely not content with just that. We want to go as far in the tournament as we can. So with all that being said-watch out Ravens, here come the Lady Rams!
Stay Tuned,
Sha
