Junior Lucy Maloney, a member of the La Salle varsity girls basketball team, has been playing since she was in third grade. 

Maloney used to attend her older sister’s practices and gradually began playing the sport herself. 

Growing up, Maloney looked up to her older sister and described that their relationship was close. As the youngest child, Maloney feels that she is very competitive and likes to win. 

As Maloney got older, she would come and watch her older sister play volleyball and basketball at La Salle. She decided to attend La Salle following the path of her older sister. Apart from the influence of her sister, Maloney decided to come to La Salle because she enjoys the community and what academic opportunities the school has to offer.

“I really like the community and how nice everyone is,” she said. “Even just walking the hallways, having everyone on your team and people in your classes, everyone’s very welcoming.”

Outside of basketball, Maloney also plays club soccer. She finds the best way to balance her time between practice and schoolwork is communicating with teachers and utilizing her time in the best way possible. 

To get ahead of assignments, Maloney uses class time to complete her homework.

Maloney finds that teachers are flexible and supportive when she needs an extension. “Teachers can be very helpful if I need an extension or any help,” she said. 

Maloney’s pregame rituals for basketball games consist of wearing a type of ponytail which she believes brings her good luck and helps her play better. However, occasionally she will switch it up and opt for a bubble braid. 

Her soccer pre-game ritual looks a little different, as she always listens to the same playlist before each game. 

Besides playing basketball, Maloney’s favorite part of being on the team is her teammates. 

“I’m just very thankful for basketball because it’s a very fun sport for me, especially with my teammates,” she said. “We all just really enjoy playing with each other.”

Maloney enjoys playing for her team because of the supportive environment. This year, she has built new relationships with others that wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for basketball. 

Even when things get difficult she still enjoys playing because of the atmosphere.

“In big games where it’s intense, it’s still fun for me, because I know how supportive everyone is off the court, so I feel like I could make a mistake, and people will still be supportive of me,” she said. 

Maloney finds that her biggest motivator is her teammates. 

In the future, Maloney hopes to attend college in the Midwest. As an adult, Maloney hopes to become a physical therapist or go into sports medicine. 

“I’ve just been involved in sports my whole life, so I want to continue that,” she said.