Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="ubasketball, post: 3057951, member: 9530"] “That’s why we present ourselves a certain way because we know we have younger fans,” said UConn’s Napheesa Collier. Last year, I had the privilege of traveling with the team to the South Carolina game in Columbus. Because I went with other fans on the team bus to the game, we had to wait in the arena after the game was over and most fans left for the team to shower, dress and emerge from the player area to go back to the bus. Because it was my first time at an away game, I was, at first, curious why a group of perhaps 300 to 400, mostly adolescent and teenage girls with their parents, were hanging around with us long after everyone else had left. The reason was obvious once our players reappeared. They were politely swarmed by these adoring girls for autographs, pictures with them, and a chance to talk to them. Our players could not have been more gracious and accommodating. Then it struck me: this must happen after every away game. As Napheesa notes above, our players are clearly aware of the extremely important role that they play in building character and self-confidence in young girls and promoting women’s basketball throughout the country. I am sure that others in the Boneyard who have attended away games are aware of this, but for me, a newbie, it was a very moving and enlightening experience. [/QUOTE]