By Lauren Park-Lane, as told to Christian Mordi @thedribbledrop on Instagram and Twitter
I first started playing basketball at Sanford when I was in the 8th grade. I played on varsity my first year. It was a bit hard adjusting to the speed at first, but through the years I have gotten better. My coach and I have developed a very strong relationship. I can talk to him about anything. He was there for me throughout the recruiting process. My time at Sanford has been great. I love the school and appreciate everything they have done to support me in the classroom and on the court.
Last year I saw an uptick in my recruiting. At the time, I played for the Philadelphia Belles and we were at Sportika for an event. At my last game there were a lot of coaches there, Seton Hall, Ohio State, Penn State, etc. We played against a girl named Emily Engstler, who is going to Syracuse. I had a really good game and things picked up a lot.
This year I decided to play for Team Takeover. Awhile back, I talked to our coach (Ron James,) and developed a really good relationship with him. I met all my teammates and I love them. I found my stride at Boo Williams and I haven’t looked back. I love playing for Team Takeover. There is nothing like playing for them. The bond that we all have is real.
Playing on the EYBL has helped my growth as a player on the court and recruiting tremendously. This is the best league in the country. They have countless ranked players and there is no league with better competition than this.
During my recruiting process, I went on a couple school visits. It came down to the University of Delaware, College of Charleston, Seton Hall and Loyola. I visited all of the schools, but I doubled back and went to Seton Hall twice. In the end, I decided to go to Seton Hall. I loved the campus and the coaches. I knew it was the place for me, so why stall the process? The team and vibe was great, everything fit perfectly.
I want to take time out to say thanks to and shoutout my family, Delaware and my Team Takeover family!
Go Pirates,
Lauren