While many athletes prefer sports with minimal amounts of running, there are a few students who commit to long-distance races in order to train for another sport. Junior Tatiana Fontes competes on the cross country team during the fall and transitions to basketball for the winter sports season.

With her 26:33 personal best of the season, Fontes recognized her gradual improvement after several meets. Her experiences on the cross country team helped boost her performance for the pre-season basketball practices, she said.

?I really did cross country to get in shape for basketball, but it was a totally different sport,? Fontes said. ?Cross country is so tiring and all about endurance ? not so much speed ? where as basketball is all speed and agility. Instead of competing against another team, you’re competing against yourself, your best time and other individual athletes [in cross country].”

As the recipient of two cross country medals and the award for most improved, Fontes was overall pleased with her first season on the cross country team.

“I don’t really know if I’ll be participating in cross country next year,” Fontes said. “Coach [Ericlee] Gilmore really made my cross country experience worthwhile, and it’s uncertain if he’ll be coaching again.”

In her second season, Fontes plays post on the varsity girls’ basketball team. With 76 total rebounds to make her the fourth highest on the team, Fontes plays a critical role among her teammates, they said.

“Tatiana’s energy has a way of infecting the rest of us on the team,” captain Larissa Hensley, ’09, said. “She knows how to keep us focused and she is definitely a beast on the court.”

The team has participated in many tournaments, taking them across the Central Coast and as far away as Florida. Coach Josh Tosland enjoys taking the players on road trips because they often strengthen the team’s morale, he said.

?One fun tradition we have is a basketball summer camp in San Diego, where we sleep in the university dorms,” Fontes said. “My best memories are on our bus rides to games, and pretty much any time we hang out as a team.?

Fontes began her basketball career during junior high, when she played on the combined seventh and eighth grade team. Her position involved sitting on the bench and cheering on her teammates ? a result of her lack of experience.

“I wasn’t disappointed to sit on the bench,” Fontes said. “I was new to the sport and just wanted to learn and have fun on the team. I learned to love basketball; in high school I started to take the opportunity I had more seriously and worked hard to reach my fullest potential. All the work since then has paid off in our team’s success and all the awesome friendships I have made.”

Following her junior high years, coaches Jim White and Robert Shuman taught her the basics of basketball and also sparked her interest in the sport, she said.

“Coach Shuman and Coach White introduced me to the post position,” Fontes said. “They taught me how to use my height as an advantage. They also sparked my love for the game by showing me their love and knowledge for the sport.”

Her father, Celebes Fontes, Jr., moved to Brazil to work for 5 years and then moved back to Fresno for his work as a dairy nutritionist. Due to her heritage, Tatiana used to speak fluent Portuguese, but her ability diminished after a lack of practice.

?I like to try new things and get involved as much as I can,” Tatiana said. “From sports to choir to leadership, I enjoy doing a lot at school.?

Now in another season, Fontes aims to make it to the Valley championship game at Selland Arena with her team and claim the title.

?I haven?t had to overcome anything major in life, but losing in section championships was very disappointing because we worked so hard to get there and lost in the final minutes [of the game],” Tatiana said. “This year is the year to do it, and we’ve already proven to be better and have pushed ourselves harder in practice and in more competitive games.?

For more information on the varsity girls’ basketball team, visit the Girls’ basketball sport shorts, 2008-09.