By Amara Evans, Staff Writer
All round athletic champion Violet Waddell (‘28), is currently establishing her spot as varsity teammate and player. Waddell is starting her basketball career at El Camino and the determination and hustle she brings during games as well as practices has been shaping her into the player she is and wants to be.
Waddell has been playing basketball since third grade and spends countless hours outside shooting, rebounding and training herself during the off season. Her love for the sport came from watching the NBA when she was younger and getting her hands on a basketball whenever she could.
“[I] worked hard during tryouts and practices,” Waddell said. “I will put in the effort and I know what I’m doing,”
Coach Maxwell Posner selected Waddell for the varsity team because of how well she demonstrates what she knows on a varsity level and because of her athleticism, skill and effort she puts into everything she does.
“Violet’s hunger to get better stands out. She asks questions to better understand her role… if I ask for a certain type of focus or preparation, she often delivers,” Posner said.
Her coach sees her persistence and willingness to continue to try even when the task seems challenging.
Waddell participates in the Amautuer Athletic Union or AAU basketball club team. Training and competing in these teams feeds her passion for the sport, as well as allowing her to make more friends each year with her new team.
One friend Waddell has made through basketball is Genesis Taylor (‘28), who she has known since eighth grade. Taylor is on the varsity basketball team and has been playing since elementary school. She first met Waddell through basketball practices when they each attended school conditioning together, which ultimately led them to their varsity level team.
“I can tell she wants to be the best basketball player and improve,” Taylor said.
In order to be the best player she can be, Waddell’s family has always been her number one supporters; going to every game possible, helping during home practices and giving her every opportunity to succeed.
Waddell plays two positions, wing and point guard, which is decidedly one of the toughest positions to excel at. The job of a point guard is to make sure the ball is constantly moving up and down the court, as well as making sure the game plan succeeds.
Although the point guard is one of the most important roles on the court, a wing player is responsible for taking most of the shots scored and are mainly played during offense.
Waddell lives her life through basketball, and along with staying committed to the sport, she recently finished her first water polo season this fall. Her JV league was successful, and she even received a Coaches Award.
Water polo Coach Cory Stowell saw Waddell’s hard work through every sport she’s done and watched her grow and improve throughout the season.
“The drive that she has, to be somebody at a new sport like [water polo] was fantastic because it showed everybody else that somebody [who] didn’t even know the game…could do it,” Stowell stated.
To see Waddell and the rest of the girls basketball team in action, attend their next game tonight at Rosemont. JV starts at 5:30 pm and Varsity starts at 7:00 pm. Their next home game is against Rio Linda on Feb. 4.
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