Many students struggle to balance a hectic schedule filled with homework, friends and extracurricular activities. However, senior Chelsea Shuman manages to accomplish this routine while starting on the girls’ varsity basketball team.

Shuman credits her father Robert for educating her in basketball from an early age, and providing her the essential skill sets to become effective in the game.

“When I was about six or seven I would shoot with my dad in the hoop at our house,” Shuman said. “My dad taught me how to shoot, dribble and handle the ball.”

A few years later, Shuman’s father placed her in the Clovis West Lil’ Hoopsters program
to advance her abilities, inspiring her to pursue the sport.

“He got me started playing basketball and other sports. He pushed me to get involved with a team and encouraged me in my activities,” Shuman said.

At age 8, Shuman began swimming, merely to escape the summer heat.

“I started swimming for the Clovis Swim Club’s elementary team, but got moved up to the Junior High team,” Shuman said. “I liked to swim, then decided to join the team, but it became a really big commitment for being so young. I had also been playing soccer and basketball since kindergarten, so I had to start choosing which sport I liked more.”

Although Shuman began to narrow down her athletics to a single favorite sport, she continued to undertake adventurous hobbies in her spare time. While at her aunt’s house in Prather as a child, she learned to ride horses.

“I like horseback riding because it’s just fun and laid back,” Shuman said. “It’s not something I do very often because I’m so busy, but when I do have time I try to make time for it. I also love horses and it’s just a fun hobby with no commitment.”

The competitive nature and fast paced action of basketball ultimately persuaded Shuman to commit to it.

“I love basketball because of the team atmosphere,” Shuman said. “It a really exciting and fast-paced game.”

Despite the competitive intensity of of basketball, Shuman has developed lasting friendships with her teammates.

“Basketball has helped me make friends and be involved with the school,” Shuman said. “I know I can trust my teammates with problems off the court, which translates to trust on the court.”

Shuman says the varsity girls are unlike most other squads in how they share a bond of frienship outside of basketball as well as on the court.

“Our team is more like a family than a team,” Shuman said. “We are one of the closest teams on campus. Even after basketball season is over we still hang out, and all the girls are basically my best friends. We have a strong bond like sisters.”

Shuman’s favorite basketball memory involves a half-court shot just before half time.

“I was on the JV team, and it was about to be the end of the first half, and the ball left my hands as the buzzer went off,” Shuman said. “It was really exciting of course because I made it.”

Shuman develops her relationships with friends off the court while sharing a common obsession with the Harry Potter series.

“I am obsessed with all the Harry Potter books and movies. My two best friends Tatiana [Fontes] and Kayla [Haydock] meet nearly every month for a Harry Potter marathon where we watch as many of the six movies we can before falling asleep,” Shuman said.

“We also bake cookies and eat junk while watching our favorite character Ron Weasley. We pretty much have all the movies memorized and have read all the books. Last summer we saw the midnight premier of Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince.

Though Shuman relishes her time with teammates and friends, she maintains her family as a high priority.

“My brother and I are very close but he lives in Los Angeles so I don’t get to see him very often,” Shuman said. “My sister has has impacted my life in a lot of ways. Since she has disabilities, my family does things differently and can’t always go places without getting a babysitter. She has made me sensitive to those who have disabilities or are different.”

Even though her brother lives far away, Shuman says she maintains a close connection with him and holds him as her inspiration.

“My role model would be my brother because he works really hard and he’s smart,” Shuman said. “He makes me want to work as hard as he does to make a life for myself.”

With much hard work and continual persistence Shuman proceeds to contribute positive play as she matures into adulthood.

“Basketball has made me a stronger person and hopefully the lessons I have learned while playing will help me in the future,” Shuman said. “It pushed me to get me out of my comfort zone and helped me to learn how to stay commited to something.”

For more information, read the girls’ basketball sport shorts, part II or part I.