- 2021 Highlights
Personal Statement
Hi my name is Noelani Carter. I like to be called Lani ("a" pronounced with the short sound). I learned I really loved basketball when I participated in track. I’ve always had a lot of speed and athleticism, so track seemed like a natural fit. I loved participating in all of the events and placed in both the state and the region (NC, SC, FL). When I was 12, I won the regional championship in the high jump, and when I was in 8th grade I placed 3rd for the 400m hurdles at state. And although I had fun, I knew there was something that I loved more. While track allowed me to showcase my athleticism and conditioning, it was still very much an individual sport. I love being part of a team and achieving our goals together. I started playing basketball when I was three years old. It has always been and will always be my first love!
Basketball has taught me a variety of skills, such as leadership, determination, tenacity, and focus; I have found that these skills are applicable on the court and in real life. In the classroom, I apply these talents by staying as focused on my academics as I do on my handles. Through the highs and lows, basketball has also taught me the importance of sportsmanship and remaining bubbly and loose.
One thing that drives me everyday is when people underestimate me. They see my smiles and bubbly personality and think that I am a pushover. I just don’t see why I have to be angry to be a great ballplayer. I have been thrown to the floor, spat at, cussed out, punched, and more. Each time, I just get up and keep on playing. Some of my best games are when I am having fun and laughing. Staying loose and not allowing the tension to get to me is a great way to lead by example. It also helps me when I need to pick my teammates up when they get down. This doesn’t mean that I am not serious on the floor. I have just learned that when I am angry I tend to lose my focus and I make mistakes. On the floor, I definitely focus on the task at hand. I will dive for loose balls, I will box out and battle for rebounds, and I will defend the people no one else wants to guard from the speedster to the big girl in the middle.
My short term goals include graduating with honors and earning academic scholarships along with any athletic ones. I also want to go to college and major in a degree where I can serve and help others. I have thought about nutrition, physical therapy, or exercise science as possible majors. I am also interested in obtaining a degree in business administration, going to culinary arts school after college, and opening my own restaurant. I know these are not necessarily basketball goals, but I see basketball as the vehicle to my goals and not the goal.
