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UT Women's Basketball

Name: Kathleen Nash

What position do you play on the UT basketball team?

Guard/Forward

How do you use math or science with playing basketball?

Math can be applied to basketball in many ways. Here are some examples:

- As a shooter, it helps to know the percentages of fractions. If I shoot 8 times during a game and make 3 of them (3-8) then I know I am shooting 37.5%. This is a valuable tool, because I will know how accurate or inaccurate I am shooting.

How do you think having a math or science background helps you in the court?

- When I was younger I would struggle at getting the ball to the rim from the 3-point line because I thought it was too far. I was a great freethrow shooter, but when I stepped behind the 3-point line it seemed impossible to me. One thing that helped me was learning that the freethrow line was 15 ft. from the basket and the 3-point line was 19.75 ft. This made me realize that the two distances were only 4.75 ft. away from each other, which in turn helped me get past the mental block of the 3-point line being “so far away”.

- One other thing that helped me become a better 3-point shooter was learning the optimal trajectory of the basketball. Since the rim is 18 inches in diameter, it makes since to shoot the ball at a high angle so that the ball will come almost straight down through the rim, giving it 18 inches of room to go in.

What important life skills do you learn from playing sports?

One of the best life skills I have learned from playing sports is how to get along with others. I believe this is one of the most important things in life to learn. Throughout life, you will be dealing with other people. There may be people on your team who you don’t like, or people that are completely different than you. Playing sports teaches you how to get along with these people and accept everyone despite their differences. Also, to get along with others you have to learn how to handle conflict. When you spend a lot of time with the same people, often times conflict can arise. Being on a team helps you learn how to communicate through problems.

One other life skill you learn through sports is how to get through tough times. Every team will have bad games or slumps. Sports teaches you that you will get through the tough times if you stay positive and work hard.

What advice would you give a girl in middle school?

Middle school can be a tough time for many kids because they are going through so many changes. Many kids in middle school try too hard to fit in when in the end it doesn’t matter. Instead, surround yourself with people you have fun with and accept you for who you are. Don’t try or do things just because other kids say it’s the cool thing to do.

How do you manage both playing basketball and keeping up with your schoolwork?

Time management is very important. I have learned to try to get as far ahead in school as possible, because if you don’t then there can be times when you have to stay up all night. It is also important to not get too caught up in school and basketball only, because you will end up drained of energy. You need to learn to set both things aside every so often and have fun.

What interested you in choosing math or science as a major?

I have always loved working with numbers, so math came easily to me. Math is applicable to many areas of life and will always be useful.

What are some of your hobbies?

Shopping, going to the lake, hanging out with friends, watching movies, and reading.

What is your favorite website?

Google.com.. If I ever have a question I just go to google and type it in!

I also like facebook because it is a fun way to interact with friends and stay in touch with people.

Name: Yvonne Anderson

What position do you play on the UT basketball team?

Guard

How do you use math or science with playing basketball?

Use it to judge spacing, think about how much time it will take to score

How do you think having a math or science background helps you in the court?

It helps me think more about spacing, and time management

What important life skills do you learn from playing sports?

Team work, trust, honesty, hard work

What advice would you give a girl in middle school?

Keep working hard, keep your grades up,

How do you manage both playing basketball and keeping up with your schoolwork?

I set aside a specific amount of time to study every day, follow my agenda, and go to study hall during the weak days

What interested you in choosing math or science as a major?

Math comes easy, is interesting to apply in other life situations

What are some of your hobbies?

Listen to music daily

What is your favorite website?

www.singersroom.com

Name: Ashley Gayle

What position do you play on the UT basketball team?

Center

How do you use math or science with playing basketball?

I use math when I'm trying to figure out the best plays to use. Sometimes we use a triangle play or a box set, which both use geometry. I use science everyday to help take care of my body and keep it healthy.

How do you think having a math or science background helps you in the court?

Having a math and science background helps on the court because you're more aware of what's going on.

What important life skills do you learn from playing sports?

You learn life skills such as cooperation, discipline, teamwork, and perservance.

What advice would you give a girl in middle school?

I would say aim high, follow your dreams, and be the best at whatever you aspire to be!

How do you manage both playing basketball and keeping up with your schoolwork?

I go to study hall everyday and I also have tutoring outside of my study hall hours. I also take some time out on weekends and review my notes.

What interested you in choosing math or science as a major?

I've always been interested in different types of sciences and my math has always been one of my favorite subjects.