| This season fans will have the opportunity to see first-hand what it it’s like to be a part of the women’s basketball program at Georgia Tech in a series of online journal entries at Ramblinwreck.com written by freshman Shaday “Day-Day” Woolcock. |
Check out Day-Day’s latest entry below:
March 23, 2008
Entry #9
Sadly, the season has come to an end and there are so many feelings involved. Am I supposed to feel happy because of all we have accomplished this season, or am I supposed to let my emotions get the best of me because never again will I be able to play with the four seniors who truly put this program on the map? Honestly, right now, I don’t know how to feel. Yes, disappointed because clearly in this last game we were the better team and that was definitely a should win game, but how could I possibly let disappointment out-weigh all the happiness my teammates and my coaches have brought me during my first year here at Tech. Regardless of whether I play forty minutes, two minutes, or no minutes at all, you couldn’t find a freshman more pleased and thankful than I am right now.
Realizing that this season is really over made me take a look back on how much I have grown as a person. I have always thought of myself to be one of the most unselfish people in the world, until I established this relationship with Coach MaChelle Joseph and now I know what unselfishness really is. I have never known a lady to put so many people ahead of herself when it came down to anything. Outside of my mother, I have never known a woman to be so strong and demanding yet sensitive and caring for so many people. With Coach Jo, I have really developed a blind trust that whatever she says to me, it is going to make me a better person because I know that at the end of my four years, that’s all she wants for each of us before any award or championship. As far as the seniors, I am going to miss them each so much. They have all helped me in different ways:
Daphne Mitchell – she has just been great to me. I can always count on Daph to make me laugh at something. Daphne kind of reminds me of myself in that no matter what happens one day, she still comes back the next day as if yesterday never existed. Daphne is truly one of those people on our team who will put herself aside and help make someone else become better and for that, I will always remember Daphne as one of the kindest hearted teammates I have ever played with.
Janie Mitchell – Janie’s character is unexplainable. To me, she and Coach Jo have many similarities in that they are both very competitive and will go to high extents in order to win, however she also has her sensitive side like all of us. Her competitive spirit has truly brought emotion and energy to this team on many occasions. I must say Janie is truly a strong person. Generally, she has to say all the things we may not want to hear but know they need to get done, regardless of whether someone gets upset with her or not. And for these reasons, I will always remember Janie as a strong, competitive and fearless person.
Chioma Nnamaka – Chioma’s personality is the best. I had the privilege of rooming with her and Chioma has been nothing but positive on and off the court. Chioma has really made me appreciate each day I have here at Tech a little more. I could really tell Chioma didn’t want her time here to come to an end. Sometimes she would say Day-Day it’s almost over in the saddest tone and that just made me want to fight harder to make her season the longest it possibly could be. Chioma, coming from another country, made me admire her even more, even though she cooked weird foods in our kitchen. Sometimes I miss my family and friends and they are just right down the street so I know for her to leave her family and friends back in Sweden for four years must have been hard. But Chioma made the team and the women’s basketball staff her family and I am thankful that I had the opportunity to be apart. Besides the fact that she is the best shooter I have ever played with or against hands down, I will remember Chioma as being one of the most positive people I have ever met in my life.
Jill Ingram – Jill leaving touches me the most. We weren’t the type to go out together and watch movies or what not but on the court Jill has done so much for me, more than I think she even realizes. After recovering from my Achilles injury and really being allowed to practice again, I struggled trying to be able to focus on what was going on instead of thinking about the pain I was in. At one point I felt no one understood how I was feeling and during this time I hadn’t become good with communication yet, but Jill was there to say, “Day-Day, I know exactly how you feel”. “I have been in your same position several times and I know it’s not easy but once you’re strong enough to push through this it will truly pay off.” And she was right. Now I practice pain free. Many days I have felt like Jill has had it the hardest from Coach Jo out of all the other seniors. Being that she was playing point guard for one of the all-time best point guards makes that not surprising though. I doubt Jill realized it but even on her worst days at practice, she helped me. If she ever did something wrong, I knew exactly what not to do and her mistakes allowed me to make corrections. I know I am going to miss Jill so much but from her being in my life I have learned that the more constructive criticism you can take, the better and stronger person you will become. I will always remember Jill as my big sister between the lines.
Although all four of my seniors have impacted me in many different ways, one thing that they have all done is taught me loyalty. The same love that Coach Jo has for them, they have twice as much for her and the rest of the women’s program and one day when I’m part of a senior class, I hope everyone will feel the same about us as I do about them.
– Shaday “Day-Day” Woolcock
