Heavy breaths, hard set faces, the smell of sweat, and the unity of the team. We’re a team, we’re the team, and we put it all together in the huddle. Plays are drawn and plans are made as we converse ideas and thoughts. Winning or losing, we’re doing it together, and we’re doing it positive. That’s just the way we are, we’re all spokes of the tire, we all help the tire roll and we all push to make that tire run right over our competition!

I look to my left and see the strong-willed, fired up guard, Alysha, better known as Alaska. My best friend on the team, and the one I work best with, you rarely find us apart. She listens to the coach tell her to, “Shoot the ball girl! You can make it, have more confidence.” The words play over and over just like a scratched record to both her ears as well as to mine. We both struggle with having the confidence to shoot the ball, but we work on it together. “We can do it baby,” we tell each other exchanging faithful glances. #5 is the number that I always look for on the court, and never have to look far for. She’ll always be just a stride away.

#21 gives me a sweaty high five from the opposite end of the huddle and flashes me a famous Lindsay grin. Loony Lindsay-Loo is the most positive girl I’ve ever met. I look up to her for not taking things too seriously, and encouraging us to do the same. She may be of the shorter posts, but Linds always stands tall and is proud of what she can do. Loony Lindsay earns her name by being the happy-go-lucky girl that many wish they were. She’s gorgeous, easily attracts the guys, and has the best personality I’ve ever seen. She helps me to be more confident each and every day and I’m so grateful for my curly-headed, giggling teammate.

Blonde hair, blue eyes, and silly head band that shows she’s a basketball addict, #12 gives Hot Shots its true name. Crazy and loads of enthusiasm, (and I mean LOADS) Avery falls nothing short of jubilant. She’ll never fail to make you smile unless you’re the one she shoots a 3-pointer against right in your face. She holds me to higher standards then most teammates, and makes me accountable for my actions, which is usually a good thing. Her freckled face is in its serious mode doing what she does best, coaching the team. I can’t help but giggle at her efforts to take the coaches responsibilities, but hey, that’s why we love her. As I shake my head, I realize that girl is the one who’s gotten me through those tough losses, and been there to celebrate the good wins.

I glanced over at Kaitlyn staring off into space, and just wondered how she wasn’t yet diagnosed with ADHD. Boo-Boo, as I call her, is one of those girls that you could spend the whole day with and laugh over just her crazy facial expressions. You can’t help but love that girl, its something I’ve learned over the past year of being in public with her (which you might want to avoid if possible). Muscular, witty, and a great ball handler, this girl meets all the requirements for being an amazing teammate and friend.

There I was, Molly, Missouri, Molly-the-smally, or just that little scrambling point guard you hate to play. You might mistake me as just another one of those over-competitive, giving it her best girl, but I was more then that. I was the girl so blessed to be apart of a team with such amazing individuals who backed my efforts 110%. Whether I wanted their advice, or didn’t, they were always the first to put their two cents in. It was my huddle, our huddle, and most of all a sacred huddle. Teams have changed since then, huddles have changed, but the memories will last a lifetime.