Senior captain acts as role model for teammates

Coming from the tennis court and as a WSL champion, senior Ashley Zamarripa heads to the gym for one last basketball season. Ashley first played basketball for Upward Sports in first grade and continued playing when she enrolled at Fresno Christian her sixth-grade year.

Zamarripa has played on varsity her past three years of high school and will continue her fourth year on varsity as well. She tells her favorite thing about playing basketball and what she expects from her last season.

“My favorite thing about playing basketball is seeing all the skills everyone brings to the team,” Zamarripa said. “My favorite memory of basketball was being able to bond with my team last year and having sleepovers. As a captain, I am expecting everyone to learn their part and play their hardest. I am going to miss the players and the team bonding so much.”

This season, Zamarripa was named captain along with seniors Macie Thompson and Alina Davila and sophomore Hannah Villines. Being a captain on the team requires hard working players who meet the qualifications of 12 different categories. Each player on the team fills out each category with their top two players. The coaches then look at the team’s opinions and decides captains.

In the following podcast, Megan LeBlanc talks to head coach Robert Foshee about senior Ashley Zamarripa.

Ever since Zamarripa started playing basketball, one of her main supporters has been her mom, Angela Zamarripa. She talks about her love for watching her daughter grow on the court and her emotional state knowing it is her senior year.

“I love watching her competitive nature and her drive for the win,” Angela said. “It really pushes her to play harder. My favorite memory of her is when she made the half court shot at the buzzer against Liberty High School. Ashley has grown so much through the years. She takes charge much more now than ever. She has learned to be a leader and help other players grow. It makes me really sad knowing she is a senior, I cannot even tell you without crying. She is my first born and I love her more than words can say.”

One special factor seen on the court is the family bond she has between her sister, Carlee Zamarripa, ’22, and her father and assistant coach Mike Zamarripa. While the two sisters take on the court as teammates, their father stands on the sidelines coaching them as they play.

Carlee explains her favorite thing about playing with her sister and why she is going to miss basketball with her.

“My favorite thing about playing with my sister is that I can look up to her because I am only a freshman,” Carlee said. “She has always been a role model to me because I can always ask her for help when I do not know the plays. Ashley is very aggressive and even though she is tiny, she is still fast and aggressive with the ball.

“I am sad that she is a senior but at the same time I am not because she is still living with us,” Carlee continued. “I will get to see her every day but at the same time it is going to be different not having her here at school.”

Her father Mike talks about how he has seen Ashley grow these past years and why it makes him upset that this is his last season coaching her.

“My favorite thing about coaching Ashley is just watching her grow in the sport, just being a leader and having the girls look up to her,” Mike said. “My favorite memory would be in Madera when she hit a half court shot. I am extremely sad because she has been there since I started coaching so I will be very sad and very emotional.”

Other than on the basketball court, you can find Zamarripa participating in a mentoring program called Sister to Sister, in the high school choir and in women’s ensemble. The varsity basketball team’s next game is in the Kerman tournament at Kerman High School. The tournament starts Dec. 13 and goes until Dec. 15. Make sure to head out to support your Eagles! 

For more articles about FC sports, read Thompson strives with confidence on the basketball court and Boys soccer kicks off under new head coach.

Megan LeBlanc can be reached via Twitter and via email.