Since the age of five, freshman Nora Hudson has been playing basketball. She is currently a guard for the La Salle JV girls basketball team, as well as a swing player for varsity, where she plays alongside her older sister, senior Clara Hudson. 

Her sister is one of the people Hudson is most inspired by when it comes to basketball. “Basketball wasn’t her first sport, but she really enjoys it,” Hudson said. “I really look up to her.” Hudson has even taken after her sister by straightening her hair before each game as a sort of pregame tradition.

Hudson’s mom is another reason why she started to play since she played basketball when she was in high school and was her coach when Hudson was younger. 

During the season, Hudson hopes to improve as a player and have fun with everyone, and so far she has been able to do so because of her teammates’ help. Hudson’s teammates are “really supportive and they [are] a really nice group of people,” she said. 

Within the team community she feels that everyone does their part, supports each other, and helps make each other better. “Everyone steps up and does the best they can for the whole team,” Hudson said.

To help build community and create new bonds, the JV team eats dinner together before every game. “[It’s] really fun for us because we all like to indulge in food,” she said.

Before the season starts, they also have an annual beach trip. Since Hudson is the only freshman on the team, she was able to grow closer to a lot of the upperclassmen over the course of the trip. During the trip, all of the coaches, new members, and swingers took a polar plunge into the ocean. 

With the addition of new head coach Lucas Fiorante, some things have changed with regard to practices and team culture. However, Hudson feels that he stepped into a role that needed to be filled, and that “he’s pushed everyone to be the best they can be,” Hudson said. She also appreciates Fiorante’s positive attitude. 

One notable aspect of Fiorante’s coaching style this season is the increased intensity during practices, which include a lot of running, conditioning, and layup drills – all of which are particular areas of improvement for the team. Despite the increased difficulty, Hudson still has many parts that she enjoys. One of her favorite drills is “St. Anthony,” which prioritizes getting baskets in transition.

Hudson’s favorite memory from her time on the La Salle team is when they played a team from Washington in a tournament. Although they were losing by a considerable amount, this gave a special opportunity to the players who swung up, as they all got to play together for the rest of the game. This moment was made all the more meaningful when Hudson scored her first varsity points. 

Outside of playing basketball, Hudson enjoys playing other sports like softball and soccer. She also likes doing outdoorsy types of activities. 

So far, her experience at La Salle has been an enjoyable one. “It’s definitely different from public school, but it has definitely helped me,” she said. Hudson enjoys English I because of English teacher Ms. Anna Hooker. “She’s one of the nicest teachers I’ve ever met,” she said. “She really helps me enjoy the class.”