Gym Shorts: Leah Martinez

Leah+blocks+a+shot

Leah blocks a shot

Leah Martinez receives the well-known “pass of shame” after the other team has scored. We are down 39-40. The ball is passed to her.  Dribbling up the court, she calls out a play and brown jerseys get in position.  The wings receive a screen, she finds an open player and passes.  Leah cuts in and goes for the layup.  Two points, and the win! The crowd jumps to its feet, roaring, while teammates surround Leah.   You could experience this excitement in person by attending the Girl’s and Boys’ Basketball games this winter.  

Leah, previous and soon-to-be Girls’ Varsity Basketball player, says she is especially excited for this basketball season to start, “I am most looking forward to playing my last year with the seniors and seeing what we can do this year.”  Basketball is her main sport, but she also participates in cross country and plans on running track in the spring. She was first introduced to basketball by the North Middle school team. She states, “Since in middle school the coaches and past basketball players would support me and include me,” which encouraged her to move on and join Palmer’s basketball family.  So she works hard, and in freshman year she makes varsity! Often times freshmen get overloaded with work and decide to drop basketball due to a lack of passion or the workload of high school. But when freshmen stick with it in the end it all pays off.  

Leah is a good student at Palmer, she takes IB classes and knows how to balance her sports and academics. She says, “I finish my homework before late practices and finish it later after early practices.” Apparently, the coaches (Coach Shack and Coach Berry) are understanding when it comes to academics, and they put academics first before athletics. So, if you’re debating on if you should try out for any sports this winter it’s highly encouraged, not only can you play a sport, but you can be part of a team, make new friends, and get yourself involved with what Palmer has to offer.  or if you don’t want to try out for a team everyone is encouraged to come and get loud. The dates will be posted in the Lever and the one-pager.