Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Raise Your Game: Why basketball?

Stefanie Collins: I started playing basketball when I was 12-years-old. My family had just moved to up state New York. It was the summer before school started and my parents sent me to basketball camp so I could meet some kids my age.

RYG: What skills have you learnt from basketball?

SC: It improves your reactions and your ability to make a split second decision. Basketball's such an up tempo game that you've got to think on your feet or else people are going to go past you.

It also teaches you the concept of a team. People take so many different roles in a team sport. Even if you're not the top scorer you can still bring something different to the table.

You learn a lot about yourself and being able to appreciate what others have. I was very shy and through basketball I found an outlet to express myself. I'm so much more outgoing than I ever was when I was little. I really owe basketball for that.

RYG: What has sport done for you?

SC: It's amazing how a sport like basketball can improve your confidence. The game gives you a chance to be successful, whether it's a good pass, a good shot or a rebound. There are so many positive things that you can do through basketball. It breeds confidence and it does a lot for you, not just on the court but off the court as well.

RYG: How important is it for you to be able to manage your time?

SC: Time management is everything. When you're playing at an elite level you train twice a day, for two hours at a time. You do ten to twelve in the morning and six to eight at night.

It's very important to get enough sleep, and your diet is very important as well. During the regular season, from the fall to the spring, I'm playing basketball on top of going to school at the same time. It's very important to be able to do your studies and to be able to practise.

Every day is packed. You can't do it without good time management. I try to get at least eight hours sleep every night.

RYG: How important is your diet?

SC: In training camp, we're training so much that we need to eat a lot of foods that are rich in carbohydrates and protein. Outside the meals we try not to snack too much. If you do want a snack try to have a piece of fruit. Stay away from the sweets. Try not to load up on the sugars and the fats. It's important to keep an eye on what you eat.

RYG: What makes a good team player?

SC: A good team player is someone that is willing to do everything. If someone's head drops during a game, they'll try to pick them up and give them a pat on the back.

A good team player can communicate well with people and will encourage people to do well. It's as much about supporting your team mates as it is about bringing something to the team that will be beneficial.

RYG: What role does communication play in basketball?

SC: Communication is everything. The more you hear people communicating around you, the more likely you are to go out and pressure the ball.

RYG: How important is it to set yourself goals?

SC: Goals do so much for a team, as well as an individual. In the past I haven't had a big goal to look at, but now that I have London 2012 ahead, I know that each year I have to keep getting better and better if I want to be seen playing in an Olympics. That's made my life, and the way I treat my training, different. That drives me to keep playing and getting better.

RYG: How do you prepare for big games?

SC: You need to concentrate and stay focused.

RYG: How do you deal with the pressure of a big game?

SC: Playing good teams regularly helps. If we can sample that pressure in the run up to London 2012 that should help us out. Experience is the best teacher. You have to experience things to be able to handle them.

RYG: What's more important - talent or attitude?

SC: Without a doubt, attitude. You can be the most talented athlete out there, but if you don't have the right attitude you're not going to get the most out of what you have.

I know a lot of people that work really hard at what they do. They may not be the most talented or most athletic but, because of what they do and how they go about it, they're better players than the most naturally talented.

RYG: What have been the highlights of your career so far?

SC: I'd say the biggest for me was summer 2007, playing for GB. We were in Amsterdam, it was our last game and we were playing Holland. We just had to win the game to secure our placement in division A. We ended up winning by two points. That was huge. The way everyone was celebrating after the buzzer was amazing. We were so happy and excited.

RYG: And the lowlights?

SC: Six years ago I tore my ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in college. I had to sit out a whole year and watch from the sidelines. It was a tough time. I was used to being in the middle of the action.

It was a low period, but at the same time I learnt a lot from it. I took notes while the games were going on and, as a player, it meant I learnt a few things. When you're caught up in the action you don't get a chance to analyse things. By sitting back and watching I was able to do that.

RYG: What advice would you give to someone looking to follow in your footsteps?

SC: I think no matter what sport you get into, if you want to improve it comes down to practice. When I was little something clicked in me when I first went to basketball camp. I had my parents put a hoop in our driveway. I would just go outside and start shooting, because I loved improving. I thought to myself 'If I keep practising then I'll keep improving.'

The more I practised, the better I got, and the more opportunities I got to play the sport. Now I'm playing at elite level for Great Britain. All my hard work finally paid off.