Bookends
In the fall, my mind starts turning to basketball. Baseball is still going on, but I'm looking ahead, obsessively checking the news for tidbits about women's college basketball. This past season, though, I wished I could avoid the news I found. In late September, Shawtinice Polk, star center for Arizona and certain WNBA draft pick, collapsed and died at 22.
So, the season began in sadness. Polky was an engaging young woman, and a fun player to watch. I had watched her since she was a freshman in the Pac-10, as teams struggled to stop this 6'5" woman from dominating the game. Then, suddenly, she was gone.
But the games go on, and the season was soon underway. There were new stories to follow, new exciting young players. Tournament time came around, and I was glued to my television set. The first weekend of tournament play is one of my favorite times of year. Teams you never heard of are upsetting higher seeds, and even when the upsets aren't happening, you're finally getting to see some teams and players that are never highlighted during the season.
One of the best stories in this year's tournment was Maggie Dixon. She was hired by Army less than two weeks before the beginning of practice, but coached her team to a Patriot League championship and a spot in the tournament. Coincidentally, her brother coached his men's team to a spot in the tournament as well, the first time that had been done.
Dixon's Army team got blown out in their first round game against perennial powerhouse Tennessee, but the game was interesting because of Dixon. She was one of the highlights of the tournament, despite her brief stay on the national stage.
The season ended, a champion was crowned, and basketball was done until next fall. Except that this season that began with a death, ended with a death. Maggie Dixon, only 28, collapsed and died.
Shawtinice Polk and Maggie Dixon, your stories ended much too soon.
So, the season began in sadness. Polky was an engaging young woman, and a fun player to watch. I had watched her since she was a freshman in the Pac-10, as teams struggled to stop this 6'5" woman from dominating the game. Then, suddenly, she was gone.
But the games go on, and the season was soon underway. There were new stories to follow, new exciting young players. Tournament time came around, and I was glued to my television set. The first weekend of tournament play is one of my favorite times of year. Teams you never heard of are upsetting higher seeds, and even when the upsets aren't happening, you're finally getting to see some teams and players that are never highlighted during the season.
One of the best stories in this year's tournment was Maggie Dixon. She was hired by Army less than two weeks before the beginning of practice, but coached her team to a Patriot League championship and a spot in the tournament. Coincidentally, her brother coached his men's team to a spot in the tournament as well, the first time that had been done.
Dixon's Army team got blown out in their first round game against perennial powerhouse Tennessee, but the game was interesting because of Dixon. She was one of the highlights of the tournament, despite her brief stay on the national stage.
The season ended, a champion was crowned, and basketball was done until next fall. Except that this season that began with a death, ended with a death. Maggie Dixon, only 28, collapsed and died.
Shawtinice Polk and Maggie Dixon, your stories ended much too soon.
posted by WritingMom at 8:04 PM
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