Thank you, Maryland Basketball.
First off, thank you for an experience that I will remember the rest of my life. As a freshman at the University of Maryland, I was looking for an experience that could bring me closer to the University. With a camera in hand and a new job with the Testudo Times, I got the opportunity of a lifetime: to be a court-side photographer for both basketball, both men and women's. However, the team that I was fortunate enough to work more with was Maryland women's basketball, which is by far my favorite sports team on campus.
Being a full-time student is a tough job. There's endless homework, exams, part-time jobs and stress, and sometimes, the one thing that kept me going through each week was knowing that on Thursday night or on the weekend, I'd be in the place I consider my second home. Court-side, photographing the Terps and watching them give their all, win or lose.
Maryland basketball didn't just give me a break from the tedious schoolwork and the every day stresses of a college student. It taught me important lessons and gave me something to look forward to.
First off, I learned something about teamwork. Before coming to Maryland, I had never seen any sports team that is as close-knit as Maryland's basketball squads. These players would do anything for one another, and they win together, lose together and play together. No matter what happened at the end of the day, each of them showed true teamwork and care for one another.
One player I want to acknowledge is Chloe Pavlech. Watching her play and even watching her on the sidelines showed her true love, passion and dedication for not just basketball, but her entire team. During the games, whether on the court or watching from the sidelines, she is cheering on her teammates, or jumping up and down and waving her towel. When a timeout is called, or even when the game ends, she attacks her teammates with hugs and leads by example. She is not just a team player, but also the spirit of Maryland Basketball.
As for the men's team, I'd consider Andrew Terrell to represent the spirit of the men's team, even though his role is not as big as his superstar teammates in Melo Trimble and Jake Layman. A walk-on freshman, Terrell is almost always sitting at the end of the bench, a towel around his neck. This is his habitat, where he cheers on his teammates and goes nuts. He claims to lead the nation in "points per warm-up" and is always there to make his teammates laugh and brings a spirited, positive and exciting mood to the locker room.
The Terps also tell me something about friendship. These players are not just teammates, but close friends. It's clear by the way they celebrate with each other, or pat each other on the backs when times get tough. Before each game, the team's huddle and speak with each other. Players crack jokes, laugh, smile and celebrate from the sides when their teammates score. During timeouts, they're high-fiving, communicating or even jumping around. It's always a fun time, and despite the seriousness of the games, they balance work and play in a way that can't be replicated. Maryland
This team also told me something about friendship and commitment. Even when times got tough, the Terps never gave up. Who could forget Diamond Stone's 39-point performance in an amazing comeback win over Penn State in December? Or when the women's team obliterated Minnesota to take home their second consecutive Big Ten title, despite a bit of a slow start? No matter what the scoreboard was, the Terps never gave in.
Lastly, I want to acknowledge that it's not just all about basketball; there is more beneath the shell when it comes to both the men and women's teams. Ten Maryland basektball players were named to the Big Ten All-Academic team: Varun Ram, Trevor Anzmann, Michal Cekovsky, Kent Auslander, Kristen Confroy, Malina Howard, Brionna Jones, Kiara Leslie, Chloe Palvech and Tierney Pfirman.
At the end of the day, it amazes me that even between the practices, traveling and tournament runs, these players are just regular students like the rest of us, and it's fun to realize that your classmates play some of the best basketball in the nation.
Lastly, thank you for everything this season: the memories, flying buzzer-beater shots that would always manage to hit me on the side of the court, life lessons and most importantly, the great photo galleries.
Though the season came to an early end on both sides, there is so much more to be proud of than their is to be upset about. And as we watch the Final Four, just know that next year, the Terps are going to come back. We will all fear the turtle.
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