This year was the first year sophomore Kalen Walker played on the varsity girl’s basketball team for Rock Ridge, although they have been playing basketball for almost all their life. Walker got inspired to play sports from their older brother. “[My brother] coached me through other sports, and I followed in his footsteps,” Walker said. They have also played soccer and football.

When they were a freshman, Walker was pulled up to play with varsity. “I felt really proud of myself because I went from freshman [team] to varsity in a couple months,” Walker said.

They have played on the girl’s varsity team for a year. “[My favorite memory] this season was when we were all lifting weights in the workout room and we were all kind of encouraging each other,” Walker said.

This has caused Walker to feel “in the middle” of the older girls and younger girls on the team. They feel as though there “is a split dynamic between the older girls and the younger girls.”

According to Walker, the dynamic is strong when the five starters — them and four upperclassmen — are on the court together. Walker is one of the five starters and a “valuable part of the team,” according to senior team captain Sruthi Dacherla. “[Walker] is our hustler. They are the most aggressive at getting the balls and getting steals,” Dacherla said. 

Agreeing with Dacherla, head coach Gordon Neal supports Walker in their work on the team. “Kalen is a hard worker with great potential,” Neal said.

Walker believes that they bring “more energy and positivity” to the team. Since they are a sophomore, some of the younger teammates feel more comfortable asking them questions. They advise people to “encourage themselves and better themselves, or at least give their 100% in everything they do.”