Alyssa Hughes has been playing basketball for six years and has played small forward and power forward since she started.

Throughout her time on the team, her favorite memory playing at John Carroll was the Mt. De Sales game during her junior year. It was the semifinals; although it was a close game, JC came on top for the victory and advanced to the championship for the second year.

With that being said, Alyssa also plays AAU basketball in the summer for Team Thrill.

She said, “The experience there had a lot of ups and downs, but it helped shape me as a player because through adversity I kept pushing through to achieve my goals.”

“I think playing for a club team gave me more opportunities, and it has helped me have a more diverse game with different people and different playing styles.”

Next year, Alyssa is starting her college basketball Journey at Randolph-Macon College.

“It has always been a goal of mine to play in college and without the obstacles I’ve faced, I wouldn’t be here,” Alyssa added.

Right now, she has been going to the gym and lifting to get stronger to prepare for the new challenges she will face, whether that’s older, bigger, stronger, or faster girls. She is also consistently working on her shot, making sure that it’s consistent.

“I wouldn’t say I’m going to be 100 percent ready, but through the coaching and the support of my teammates and future coaches, I think I have a good start.”

Her long-term goal overall as an athlete is to be successful in college and continue to grow in the sport. Her coaches’ and teammates’ corrections have pushed her to be her best.

“If I were to give some words of advice to a freshman playing basketball here at John Carroll, I would tell them to keep working hard and to keep their head up. Keep pushing through, and make sure you are coachable. Listen to what your teammates and coaches have to say because eventually you will be getting that playing time.”