Basketball is more than a game; its her way of life

Jessica Parker is a freshman point guard on the Mt. Hood women’s basketball team. She loves the game, and like most things in life that we love, she uses it as her getaway.

“Basketball can be a stress reliever… Afterwards I always feels better,” she said.

Parker has played since the first grade. “Basketball has been a part of my life since I was little. My dad coached me all through grade school and at the time I didn’t really realize how much it later would affect my life,” she said. “My love for basketball has grown over the years… It’s always something I know can cheer me up on a bad day.

“When I’m in the gym it’s easy to forget about whatever else is going on in my life outside,” she said.

Parker attended Country Christian High School, in Molalla, where she helped lead her team to the 1A state championship last year, her senior season.

Leaving high school, she knew she wanted to continue to play basketball.

“That’s been my goal since eighth grade. I didn’t care where, I just wanted to play. I wasn’t ready for it to be over,” she said. Mt. Hood gave her that opportunity. “It was between Mt. Hood and a few other schools. I chose Mt. Hood because when I came to my first open gym, the girls were extremely welcoming and It immediately felt like home.”

Head coach John Hawley said the Saints will lean on Parker’s game.

“We like where she’s at. She’s been a great team leader, and really picked things up,” Hawley said. “We want her to be more of a scorer, which she wasn’t before and she wasn’t expected to be. So we’re really trying to amp her game up to be more of a floor general.

“She’s a tough kid. She came on late, and has worked real hard. She’s been a solid player, and she wants to get better,” Hawley said, praising her work habits.

Parker said she wants to help make this Saints team stronger, because the stronger her team is, the better she can be.

She is currently taking general studies classes, but is also taking a business class and is considering majoring in business. She wants to play basketball at a four-year college, after her sophomore year next season. She doesn’t have a clue where,  but if she can play, she’ll be happy.

She admits that her commitment to basketball does add an element of stress to her school work, but insists basketball is worth it. “Actually sometimes it helps me, because it keeps me motivated to keep good grades,” she explained.

Right now Parker’s focused on what she can do to help the Saints succeed. Last season Mt. Hood finished in seventh place in its division, with a conference record of four wins and 12 losses – though it did that with only five healthy players – and failed to make the playoffs. Overall, the Saints went 9-18.

This season is a fresh start, beginning tonight with a tough home game against Peninsula. And if Parker has her way, Mt. Hood will be competitive.