For Frances Brown, love is not exclusively a feeling shared between two people in a romantic relationship. The word can also be used to describe how she feels about basketball.
“The moment I fell in love with basketball is when I touched the ball for the first time when I was 14 years old and I made my first shot,” Brown said, acknowledging the moment she knew basketball was her passion. “After that I wanted to keep making shots because it gave me confidence and made me feel good.”
For Brown, a junior business administration major from Valley Stream, New York, dedicating herself to her favorite sport wasn’t always for the better.
“You really had to love the sport to compete in New York because New York hoops is just a different kind of game. It’s aggressive, it’s crafty, it’s every man for himself,” she explained.
“(The saying there goes) Bring your game not your name.”
In addition to the native competition Brown dealt with living in New York, she also had to deal with coaching that was detrimental to her journey.
“He disrespected us and made life a living hell everyday,” she said of one of her high school coaches.
“But I knew that my purpose was bigger than him and his antics and that it was just a bump in the road. I knew I was going to face adversity throughout my journey and to push through that I just kept looking at the bigger picture. I just wanted to keep getting better as a player.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Brown was able to find a positive use for her love of the game of basketball. She used it as a way to deal with negative emotions stemming from not being able to finish her senior year of high school basketball.
“Basketball got me through quarantine and not being able to play games for a long time,” she said.
“Everyday I would go to the courts and hoop and work in my game.”
Playing basketball for Nassau Community College post-pandemic provided Brown with some of her favorite memories with basketball.
“I got used to playing at the college level and I got to play with a little bit more freedom. I had fun every game, averaging about 20 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists per game,” Brown shared about her experience playing junior college basketball.
“The mark I made in JUCO helped inspire others in their journey. I made a lot of good relationships and connections and got to play against some people I played in high school with.”
The relationships Brown has made playing the sport of basketball have become invaluable to her. She’s even gone so far as to say “98%” of her current friends are people she’s played basketball with.
“I’ve known them for a long time, they’re like family to me now. My friends, but most importantly my best-friend, have always encouraged me to do better and to keep grinding no matter how hard it gets,” she said.
“They always had my back. I love how far an orange round basketball can take you. If it wasn’t for basketball, I wouldn’t be here in South Carolina on a full ride and I’m very grateful for that.”
If you ask Brown, she’d say part of the reason she’s so fond of basketball is because it’s become a therapeutic escape for her.
“I love basketball because when I’m on the court, that’s the only time I forget about all my problems. It’s the only time where I feel free and can relieve my stress. This sport has saved me from a lot of sad and lonely times,” she said.
Another reason for Brown loving basketball is all the life skills the sport has helped her develop.
“Basketball teaches you how to face adversity, how to work with other people, time management, and most importantly effective communication,” she said.
“It’s not just a sport, it can teach you life lessons and give you skills lots of other people won’t naturally have.”
Brown is truly appreciative of everything the game she loves has provided for her, and in turn would recommend it to others for these same reasons.
“I would recommend basketball to others because it keeps you active and can take you places that other interests can’t. It can teach you a lot of life lessons and help you develop certain skills that you can’t get anywhere else. But most importantly it’s fun, competitive, and it’s a great field to make relationships and connections.”
