Wekiva HS Girls Basketball
Nominated by: Terrence Cobb
What Makes a Champion?
America loves champions.  They grace the cover of our cereal boxes.  They sell us everything from cars to shoes.  They are invited to meet the president.  The Lady Mustangs may not be on Wheaties and President Obama has yet to extend an invitation, but they are champions nonetheless.  Commonly, to think of a champion is to imagine trophies and taking first place.  And, we have had our fair share of wins.  But a great athlete who wins first place isn?t always a champion.  To be a champion takes an attitude ? an attitude the Lady Mustangs have in spades.
Our champion attitude is based upon two drives, passion and positivity, where each drive reinforces the other.  The Lady Mustangs were initially united by their passion for basketball.  But, they have also fostered a passion for one another and spend time together just as much off the court as on.  It is this passion for sport and for team that drives each player to push herself and her teammates to the best of their ability in practices and games.
And when passion isn?t enough to ensure a victory, positivity powers the Lady Mustangs through.  In the last ten games of the season, we suffered a demoralizing five losses in a row.   But the girls maintained their poise, their self-confidence, and their belief in their own preparedness.  They were ready to treat each game as a new opportunity.  Finally, in game six, that perseverance paid off.   This win was especially meaningful to the Lady Mustangs because it coincided with their ?pink-out? game.  A pink-out game is meant to raise awareness about breast cancer and celebrate breast cancer survivors.  The team?s passion extends beyond themselves to the community at large.  The Lady Mustangs are champions because of their respect for the game, respect for each other, and respect for their world.