BB player leaves UConn

[Amy in AZ.]

UCONN WOMEN: Samarie Walker to transfer (video)- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut

Coach asked her when she decided that she didn't like basketball and she said her sophomore yr. of HS. He asked her why she came to UConn and she said because her parent's wanted her to.

Poor girl.

 

[SoftSocDad]

Mmm, not buying the 'my parents made me do it' spin on that one. Although it *could* happen, a person doesn't just get a chance to play women's basketball at UConn without really wanting it, I would imagine.

Sure, they could force her to play through high school, but there's no way they could make her competitive enough to earn a scholarship to the premier women's program in the country.

 

[obbay]

college costs a lot. if a kid can get a full ride somewhere, there isn't a whole lot of choice involved as to whether she'll continue to play and accept the ride. maybe she'd do better at a DII or DIII school. or maybe her playing days are over.

People here talk about it happeneing all the time- kids deciding they've had enough. Usually it happens before college though.

she's a freshman, she's probably what, 18 years old? she's kid. college is tough enough if you just go there to study.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

These kids are recruited at age 14, so I very much buy that she was made to do it.

You verbal, you get the accolades. The HS, town, family and teammates are talking about it. Your dad has spent $10,000/yr. since you were 10. So, what was she supposed to do? Who wants to disappoint their dad?

I heard my nephew tell his DD that it would kill him, if she ever quit softball.

One of the other UConn recruits that had been #1 in the country, hadn't wanted to play BB since she was 15. She missed her hs graduation, to get to UConn. After 1 weekend, she went home and admitted that she didn't want to play. She stayed local and played volleyball. Money was not a problem for her family.

 

[Daddylawman]

Amy - this is her

Ex-UConn recruit DelleDonne enrolls at Delaware for volleyball - USATODAY.com

 

[druer]

Here is what is scary ... imagine how good she could have been if she "really loved" what she was doing.

 

[chinamigarden]

Mmm, not buying the 'my parents made me do it' spin on that one. Although it *could* happen, a person doesn't just get a chance to play women's basketball at UConn without really wanting it, I would imagine.

Sure, they could force her to play through high school, but there's no way they could make her competitive enough to earn a scholarship to the premier women's program in the country.

Kids have prostituted (literally, not figuratively) themselves for parents. Kids have done all sorts of terrible things in order to make their parents happy, not to say this is the same as being forced into a life of crime. But if a child will break laws and endanger themselves for a parent's love, it is not outside the realm of possibility that there are kids with a high level of talent whose parents are pushing them to develop that talent at a high enough level to earn a scholarship to UConn. I recall a girl (highly sought recruit) who quit college basketball about 5 years ago who basically had the same reason.

 

[softballphreak]

People change. She probably enjoyed her success. "Prostituted" is a disgusting analogy and most likely not true.

There is also the possibility that the coaching demands at that level (maybe even that specific coach) changed the game perspective for her. What she accomplished and enjoyed may look different now that it is expected. Some players I've seen have to be free to fly to excel.

She could possibly be a number one player at a different school. That doesn't mean UCONN coaching is bad; it means that maybe this is just not a good fit.

If I was her parent I would support her decision and help her succeed in whatever she wants to do now. She obviously has BB talent; she may come back to it. "Most everyone will be going pro in something besides sports."

 

[starsnuffer]

There could be a plethora of reasons for this. (when is the media ever right?). I just hope she's doing what she thinks is best for her and what is fun for her. Life is too short to be beholden to anything else.

-W

 

[Greenmonsters]

Here is what is scary ... imagine how good she could have been if she "really loved" what she was doing.

IIRC, biggest reason she left UCONN was being away from home and a sister w/ special needs. Don't know how much BB burnout had to do with it, but I'd be surprised if that didn't have a little to do with it either.

Anyway - I think she's happy now and doing quite well as noted in the excerpt below from the U of Delaware website (http://www.bluehens.com/teams/womens-basketball/stories/2011/january/wbb11-notes-16-odu.pdf)

Most recently, Delle Donne was one of
50 players named to the Naismith Trophy
Preseason Watch List. On Nov. 3, she earned
votes for the Associated Press Preseason
All-America Team. Prior to the fi rst day of
practice it was announced that she was on
the Wooden Award Watch List on Oct. 5. She
was making national waves even before the
school year started, as it was announced on
Aug. 4 that she was on Wade Player of the
Year Watch List.
Delle Donne is one of just four sophomores
named to the preseason watch lists, joined by
Baylor’s Brittney Griner, Notre Dame’s Skylar
Diggins and Georgetown’s Sugar Rodgers.
In conference, Delle Donne was selected as
a Co-Player of the Year with James Madison’s
Dawn Evans. Both players were named to the
CAA Preseason All-Conference team as well.