December 5th, 2018
By Evan Choi
Desiree Caldwell is an rising star who has just entered the college sport scene. A freshman in USC, Caldwell is part of the majorly successful women’s basketball team who remains undefeated at 8–0. Although new to the scene, Caldwell is still a young motivated player that strives to be a better player throughout the years.
To get to the point the team is at, Caldwell believes its success comes from “the collective goal as a team to win PAC 12” and continuously “improving [their] culture and working hard.” Her and her teammates have the eye on the prize and are working together to get better and be the best team out there. This has proven to be a success for the team, who have gone undefeated so far.
As an individual of the team, Caldwell looks to be a “constant positive force” for her teammates. She has a strong mindset of doing the most she can for her team in area that she can. Although a bit foreign to the offense from a result of just joining the team, she does her best on the defensive end. As she gets accustomed to the team, she looks to master the plays and run the offense smoothly for the team as a point.
As Caldwell spends more years with the team, it will not be surprising if she becomes a big factor for the team. She was an impressive player in high school, earning numerous accolades, and looks to translate that at USC. Her game is always growing from high school, and especially more so now as a freshman. Learning new things everyday, Caldwell is doing “her best to be a sponge.” From high school, her defense has noticeably improved and is learning to look at the game in different ways. By reaching new perspectives, Caldwell is able to see the game as a bigger picture and be a smarter player. On offense, her moves “are a lot simpler” now since her old moves does not work as well in this skill level. Fundamentals are also crucial for Caldwell as she constantly goes to the gym, reinforces important points from the coaches, and participates in film sessions to fix mistakes.
Her teammates play a large for her motivation to improve. Really looking up to older members and their success, Caldwell wants to “keep contributing to this success.” As an underclassman, Caldwell sees the older players as role models and strives to do the same as she becomes a veteran on the team. She keeps the team close to her heart and wants to play a part in the restoration of the USC women’s basketball team. Her experiences with the team so far has and is constantly molding her into a better player.
Final Show: You’ve been schooled
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