My Superstar Sister

Allow me to take a moment to brag on my biglittle sister. ("Big" because she's got half a foot on me. "Little" because I've got three years on her.)


Andrea graduated from high school as one of the top basketball players in Colorado. Everyone anticipated a great college career as she signed to play D-I basketball at the University of the Pacific. But, just a few games in, she suffered a season-ending ankle injury and things were never the same after that.


Andrea has spent a lot of the last four years on the bench due to injury or simply not being played. For someone as athletic as her and as passionate about her sport as her, this is crushing. But, she somehow managed to stay positive through it all. 


My husband and I have attended many of her games in Southern California. We have really enjoyed watching her play whatever precious few minutes she got. But, the thing that we constantly remarked on was her attitude. Despite all the setbacks, she rarely complained. While on the bench she was constantly clapping, cheering, and encouraging her teammates. She was always the first person to stand up to cheer on her teammates as they came back to the bench to get subbed out.


The past couple of weeks, I have watched as her final basketball season quickly came to a close. Looking back, it would have been great if the injuries and bench warming had never been the dominating reality of her college basketball career, but it was sure amazing to see her underlying joy and peace come to the forefront in the face of so much discouragement.


Good job, Andrea. I'm so proud of you!