A big part of friendship is having a connection. When you share something you love with that person, it makes the friendship much more special. For juniors Kia White and Penny Watson, basketball is a common interest, but their friendship goes past the gym doors.

“We have been friends since the 6th grade,” Watson said. “I convinced Penny to join the basketball team with me when we were in 7th grade and she loved it.”

Just like talking off the court, communication is vital when working together while playing basketball.

“We know when we’re trying to tell each other something on the court,” Watson said. “We know we’re not mad if we’re yelling; we’re just trying to get our point across.”

For Watson and White, encouragement is a big part of being successful in the game.

“We encourage each other by telling each other what we need to do better on [the court],” Watson said. “It’s not so much criticizing, but rather telling each other that things are better if you do it a different way.”

In order to play at every game, they have been on top of their schoolwork.

“Our coaches give us a break between school and the court for homework,” White said. “They give us time to go to tutorials if we have anything missing. Also Penny and I help each other on things one of us doesn’t understand.”

When one of the players has to sit out for medical reasons, Watson said that although it’s tough to not have a fellow teammate on the court, it still pushes her to play even harder.

“It’s always a thought in the back of your head when one of your players aren’t able to play,” said Watson. “It actually gives you more of a boost to win the game.”

The confidence they get from being on the court make Watson and White feel unstoppable while on the court.

“I feel almost invincible when I’m on the court,” said White. “It seems as if everything from the outside world goes away.”

From being on the court to hitting the books, White and Watson’s friendship show. Their dedication and hard work have been paying off and will help them succeed in the long run.

“Having friends has really helped me along the way to being where I’m at now,” White said. “Without the people that I’ve met such as Penny, I would probably not be doing what I’m so passionate about now.”