After a promising start to her varsity basketball career, Ella Jameson, the only freshman on the Kennedy Varsity Girls Basketball team, saw her season come to an unexpected halt due to a season-ending injury.
Throughout her 12 varsity games, she scored 37 rebounds, 18 offensive and 19 defensive, along with 15 blocks and 6 assists all while averaging 6 points per game.
“I scored 16 points in a varsity game and made varsity as a freshman,” Jameson said. “Both were pretty big accomplishments.”
Although she is proud of her stats, she is a big team player. Jameson is happy to celebrate team wins over personal ones.
“Ella Jameson exemplifies maturity, character, and selflessness well beyond her years,” Kennedy’s Girls Basketball Varsity Coach, Madison Parker said. “She is a great kid who truly respects her coaches and teammates and consistently shows a genuine desire to make her team better.”
Jameson put up six points along with seven rebounds for varsity’s first win against Cedar Rapids Jefferson, breaking the 6-game losing streak. Continuing the winning streak, the girls won their next two games against Prairie, being Jameson’s best game, and Regina Catholic.
Jameson’s big wins this season came from Dubuque Senior and Waterloo West, where she played her last varsity game before her season-ending career.
“My proudest moment of this year was probably beating Prairie,” Jameson said. “Prairie was a ranked team, and really good; we haven’t beaten them in a couple of seasons, but we all came together as a team and beat them; it was a really big accomplishment.”
All of these accomplishments were just before her season-ending injury. At a junior varsity (JV) game against Clear Creek Amana on Jan. 17, Jameson broke her fifth metatarsal at the base of her foot. The break resulted in surgery along the base of her pinky toe.
“Despite facing adversity this season, including a foot injury that required surgery, Ella has attended every practice and even attended a game the day after her surgery, a reflection of her commitment to her team,” Parker said.
Finding her place on Varsity was a challenge to Jameson. However, with perseverance and determination, she found her place.
“I think finding my spot on varsity as the only freshman,” Jameson said. “And becoming a team player in my own way was challenging.”
Jameson had found her rhythm once, so throughout her recovery, she will find it again and continue her outstanding start to her Varsity basketball career.
“She continually supports her teammates by offering encouragement and staying positive, especially when things are not going well,” said Parker. “Ella’s attitude, work ethic, and team-first mindset make her one of the most mature players I have coached, and she has a very bright future as a Kennedy Cougar girls basketball player.”
