Senior Genna Olson Rocha is embarking on her fourth year on the La Salle girls basketball team. 

Olson Rocha has been playing basketball since the seventh grade and has truly valued her time playing here at La Salle. 

Prior to La Salle, Olson Rocha began playing CYO basketball for Franciscan Montessori Earth School, where she attended middle school, and in the fall and spring, she played with the Barlow Youth Basketball program. Her favorite memory while playing in middle school was traveling to Bend, Oregon to play in the state tournament when she was in the eighth grade. 

Ever since she joined the team freshman year, Olson Rocha has developed strong connections and friendships from basketball. “When I was a freshman, all my friends were from basketball, and I’m still friends with all those people now,” she said. 

Olson Rocha also enjoys the team bonding events with her teammates, and specifically their annual beach retreat at the beginning of each season. For Olson Rocha, spending time with her teammates who are also some of her close friends holds a great amount of importance to her. Olson Rocha’s favorite part about the beach retreat was staying up late, taking pictures, and ultimately getting to know all of her teammates better. 

She gets her motivation from her teammates and friends; “we’re very connected as a team and it’s definitely a place that is fun to be around,” she said.  Having close friends on the same team as her has enhanced Olson Rocha’s experience playing basketball for La Salle. Her friends’ positivity has motivated her while playing, creating a fun and enjoyable atmosphere on and off the court. “The people are fun to be around,” she said. 

Even through tough injuries like spraining her ankle twice in the span of only three months, Olson Rocha has pushed through the barriers and overcame her injuries by continuing to show up to games and practices. 

Another challenge the team has faced is the recent change in coaches, but for Olson Rocha, despite getting a new head coach, she believes the team has a great opportunity to have a successful season and they are adjusting very well. “It’s good to have change sometimes,” she said.

Olson Rocha says the team has set their goals for the season as they are in the beginning stages. These goals consist of beating Wilsonville High School and becoming one of the best defensive teams in the state. 

Last season, the girls varsity team made it all the way to the Gill Coliseum where they placed third in the state. The setting, experience, and spending time with her teammates in a nerve-racking tournament, were all factors that Olson Rocha would like to relive this season. 

Being a senior involved in a sport comes with one of the most memorable nights of the season. Senior night is a common tradition among many high schools, including La Salle, where all seniors get to be honored during their last league game at home. Olson Rocha is looking forward to senior night where she can celebrate her fourth and final basketball season with her family, friends, and teammates.

In hopes of achieving these goals and making the most out of these experiences with the team, Olson Rocha is also looking forward to this season with a positive mindset and simply wants to have fun for her final season at La Salle.