Emilia Banmann '22 Recruiting Profile

At a young age, I fell in love with sport because it let me express my energy and competitiveness in a positive way. I got my blackbelt in taekwondo at a young age. Although I was young, it did not come easy. It took hours of training and taught me the importance of perseverance and dedication. Many days, I did not want to train and I felt like giving up, but I pushed through and it paid off in the end. This has helped me in basketball because I know that when a game is not going the way I want it to, I have to keep playing to my full ability to try to turn it around. To earn my blackbelt I had to fight people much bigger and stronger than I was. Although I was scared, that experience has helped me become a more aggressive player and taught me to take on and welcome challenges. Through taekwondo I also learned the importance of respect and discipline. I learned how to listen to others and take criticism and advice to create a positive outcome.

 I fell in love with the game of basketball the first time I played in Grade 6. Basketball has taught me very important skills that not only help me on the court but also in everyday life. It has taught me teamwork and how to work well and communicate with others. It has also helped me grow as a leader and has given me confidence in myself and my abilities. One strength that has helped me be successful in all aspects of my life is time management. When I put energy into something, it is important to me that it is done to the best of my abilities. I have successfully been able to balance school, while obtaining the highest marks in my year, hours of on-court basketball training along with off-court athletic development, volunteer commitments, work; both professional modelling and being a summer camp instructor and also making time for my family and friends. All of these experiences have built me into the player and the person that I am today and will help me as I pursue a higher level education and sport.