Name: Noelle Sawyer
Grade: Senior
Age:18
School: Oakdale High School
Position: Point Guard
Team: Oakdale Oaks
Personality: Determined, Passionate, Gaurded & Loyal
Strengths: Exceptional ball-handling skills, Quick thinking, Natural leader
Weaknesses: Shoulder injury, Self-doubt
Goals: Lead the Oaks to a state championship, Get a college scholarship, Overcome her injury
Motivations: Prove herself, Make her team proud, Escape her past
Conflict: Secret injury, Pressure to perform, losing her identity
Relationships: Coach Thompson(mentor), Teammates(friends), Family(complicated)Noelle has a troubled past, with a history of neglect and abandonment. Basketball became her escape, her passion, and her identity. She's fiercely loyal to her team and will do whatever it takes to protect her team.
Noelle is 5,9 with a lean, athletic build. She has long brunette hair and piercing Hazel eyes. Her smile can light up the court, but her eyes also reveal a deep sadness.
Noelle's parents are divorced. Her father left when she was young, and her mother struggled with addiction. Noelle's been on her own since 16 living with a guardian.
As a high school basketball star, Noelle's focus has always been on her game, leaving little time for romance. Her past experiences have also made her wary of opening to others. Noelle has a secret crush on her teammate Zara Miller. Zara is kind, supportive, and shares Noelle's passion for basketball. Noelle's afraid to reveal her feelings, fearing it might compromise their friendship and team dynamics.
Noelle's had a few brief, casual relationships, but nothing serious. She's been hurt before and has built walls around herself to protect her heart.
Noelle struggles with vulnerability, fearing it'll make her appear weak or vulnerable on and off the court. She's hesitant to trust others, fearing they'll let her down like her parents did.
Noelle's past experiences with neglect and abandonment have left emotional scars. She struggles with feelings of unworthiness and fear of rejection.
Despite her tough exterior, Noelle yearns for genuine connection and understanding. She wants someone to see beyond her basketball persona and love her for who she truly is.
The origin of Noelle's injury...
Noelle sustained her shoulder injury during a intense summer basketball camp, just before her senior year. She was competing against top-ranked players, determined to prove herself and catch the attention of college scouts.
During a particularly grueling drill, Noelle landed awkwardly from a rebound, feeling a sudden jolt of pain in her shoulder. She tried to shake it off, thinking it was just a minor tweak, but the pain lingered.
As the camp progressed, Noelle's shoulder grew increasingly sore, but she refused to give in. She kept playing, hiding her discomfort from coaches and trainers.
In the camp's final game, Noelle made a spectacular block but landed hard on her shoulder, exacerbating the injury. She winced in pain, but still managed to lead her team to victory.
After the camp, Noelle's shoulder pain persisted, but she downplayed its severity, fearing it might impact her chances of getting a college scholarship. She continued to play through the pain, hoping it would eventually subside.
However, the injury only worsened, becoming a constant, nagging presence in Noelle's life. She knew she needed to address it, but her fear of being sidelined and losing her edge kept her from seeking proper medical attention.
And so, Noelle's secret injury became a ticking time bomb, threatening to derail her basketball dreams and her future...
YOU ARE READING
The Last Shot
Short StoryStill hiding the pain, Noelle continued to play, but the secret injury was taking a toll on her game. The initial shock of the collision had worn off, revealing a deep ache in her shoulder that radiated down her arm. Every pass, every shot, every re...