As soon as the ball left his hands, he felt it. He was only three but he knew what he wanted to play, basketball. The majority of sophomore Jalen Scott’s family are former and current basketball players, so it was practically destiny. 

Sophomore Jalen Scoot’s dad always pushed him to reach his full potential and his mom always supported him through every decision. Eleven years later he is still playing the sport of his dreams, only now in a brand new school full of unknown faces. 

“At first it was intimidating,” Jalen said, “But I focused on the future opportunities and the feeling I get when my foot touches the court.” 

This year was the first year Jalen was in a new high school, but he made quite an impression by meeting new people and building a relationship with them.

“At first, Jalen was just the new kid that played basketball,” sophomore Stephen Ross, a good friend of his, said. “After just a few weeks of getting to know him, we got close.”

Jalen’s friends claim he isn’t just seen as an athlete, he’s a friend and a brother on and off the court.

 “Jalen isn’t just a teammate on the court, he’s also a brother to me,” Dax said. “Basketball brought us together and kept our relationship strong.”

Even when he feels like giving up from work and soreness, he remembers the family he has, his family smiling back at him, taking him through every step of the way. 

“Sometimes my entire body hurts,” Jalen said, “When I put that all behind me and realize I have a support system who has my back, the pain doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Like most athletes, his sport is his motivation and he will never give up on that. 

“I respect that Jalen has determination and drive,” Dax said. “I believe it is what makes him a better person.”

Whenever Jalen goes through anything in life, good or bad, he is able to recognize what is truly significant.

“When anything happens to me, in any kind of situation I always remember what I have in life and everything I am grateful for,” Jalen said. “I am incredibly appreciative of my family, who has never given up on me, and a team that I have grown with and think of like another family. I don’t know what I would do without them.”

“I would say Jalen is a leader,” Dax said. ” Whether it’s on or off the court.”

Playing basketball isn’t just for the thrill of the chase or the adrenaline rush you get when you’re running, it’s also about what it does to you as a person. 

“Basketball has affected me in every way,” Jalen said, “It makes me stronger both mentally and physically.”

He thought playing at a brand new school that he had experienced would be difficult, but it turned into a moment he would never forget. 

“My favorite memory was playing my first game at our new school,” Jalen said. “We came out with the win, and for me, victory was not just winning but playing as a team and succeeding.”

Being a part of a team means more than just playing a sport together, it means having a support system that guides you through all things, not just basketball. 

“My team isn’t just the guys I’m on the court with,” Jalen said, ” They’re the guys I go through life with, and make connections with. The people on my team are another family, and the court is another home.”