Nov. 2, 2016
I’m not just a shooter… I’m a team player.
Kaela Davis
I came to South Carolina because I wanted to compete at a high level, night in and night out, and compete for a national championship. Playing for Coach (Dawn) Staley is an honor. To play for someone who has the knowledge that she has, and has accomplished all that she has, is fun to be around. It makes you excited to come in and learn every single day.
I’m not just a shooter. I’m a hard worker. I’m a team player. It’s great to have such great people around you, whether it’s the coaching staff or the other players. I try to do whatever I can to win.
The hardest part about sitting out last year (due to NCAA transfer rules) was simply not being out there on the floor during games. I just wanted to be able to help. It was hard to just sit and watch. I had to find a way to be effective without playing. I had to learn that there is still a way for me to be helpful.
Being on the practice squad last year helped me a lot. It kept me in shape, first and foremost. It’s how I contributed. If I needed to be someone on the scout team, then that’s what I did. It helped me learn about by teammates, which is helpful coming into this year. I learned to take good shots. If I took a weird shot, Coach would tell me the shots I needed to take.
This year has a different feel to the season because my mindset is in a different place. It’s about not only having good practices, but being able to put it all out there on the floor in games. You don’t realize how much you miss it until it’s taken away.
My role on this team is not just scoring. I have to be able to still score, but I have to be a good passer and be a good defender as well. I know there will be times when I may not get a touch or may not shoot the ball for a few possessions, but I still have to be active, and as coach says, “stay in the play.”
My goal for this season is to win a national championship. Losing in the Sweet 16 last year was heartbreaking. You always want to try to do better than you did before.
We have a great group this year, and our fans are great.
I can’t wait to actually put on the uniform.
