Kayla Henning of American University Women’s Basketball offers a perspective on her journey to collegiate sports. From playing with the boys at a park district to becoming an all state player, she discusses the steps along the way that brought her to D.C.
Transcription:
JADE EDWARDS:
Welcome to all things women’s sports. A behind the scenes look at female athletes and their climb to the top. I’m your host Jade Edwards, enjoy.
JADE EDWARDS:
Hello everyone! Welcome to today’s episode. We have special Guest Kayla Henning. Kayla, would you like to introduce yourself?
KAYLA HENNING:
Okay. My name is Kayla. I’m from Evanston Illinois, right outside of Chicago, I am 19, and I will be a sophomore on the women’s basketball team.
JADE EDWARDS:
Kayla and I are teammates. Do you want to tell me how you got into basketball?
KAYLA HENNING:
I started playing soccer when I was younger. Throughout my whole childhood I lived across the street from a school or a park. So, by the time I was in elementary school I lived across the street from my elementary school and my cousins did as well. They were 3 boys and I was an only child and so even though I was playing soccer they were always playing football, basketball, racing cars. And so it was either play with them or play by yourself. I kinda started playing basketball with them along with other sports. I enjoyed basketball the most and that’s how I got into it.
JADE EDWARDS:
It became a passion of yours?
KAYLA HENNING:
It did. For sure. I used to go before school. I remember going before school to play outside and play basketball. I used to go outside and play for three hours. I never played organized basketball at that time.
JADE EDWARDS:
When did you start organized basketball?
KAYLA HENNING:
I started organized basketball in 6th grade. And that was still kind of a park league. But it was big for our community. It was with an organization that has been around for nearly 50, 60 years and everybody in the city did it. That’s when I started playing then 7th grade, 8th grade is when I started travel ball and AAU.
JADE EDWARDS:
So growing up it was mainly playing with the boys until you got into organized basketball.
KAYLA HENNING:
Exactly. It was all playing with boys. My elementary school didn’t even have a team. I didn’t even know girls played basketball.
JADE EDWARDS:
Did you find any major differences?
KAYLA HENNING:
I think I was shocked when I first started playing with girls. Because obviously when you’re in elementary school and you’re the only girl playing basketball you kind of create this idea that you’re the greatest basketball player ever and since you can stick with the boys you think you’re find. But then when i stated playing organized basketball I was like wow these girls can shoot they can dribble they can do all these things fundamentally that a lot of the guys couldn’t. I think that was the biggest difference, having to actually get in the gym. Because with boys you can beat them if you stay faster than them, which closes up eventually, but with girls you gotta get in the gym get a shot things like that.
JADE EDWARDS:
Yea for sure. You can definitely get lost in your own bubble with women’s basketball. And then you realize there’s a whole scene out there. Which brings up AAU. When did you start?
KAYLA HENNING:
I started in 7th grade. I was playing soccer up until this point and I was playing for that park league. The league I was playing for had a draft, had MVP’s, and I didn’t get MVP my first year and I was like ‘oh this is messed up, I got to get better, I’ve got to lock myself in this gym.’ And so my whole point of playing AAU was to get better for this park league which in the grand scheme of things seems backwards
JADE EDWARDS:
Did you find your motivation and drive and love for the game to rise after that?
KAYLA HENNING:
I definitely did. I can’t say I started loving basketball more because I think I really loved basketball. I spent the same amount of hours. It was just transitioning from playing outside in a park to now spending time in a gym with other girls. I don’t think I spent more time doing it but I definitely found that this is the only sport that I definitely want to get better at.
Show Notes:
Kayla Henning- American University Women’s Basketball khenning1314a@student.american.edu
American University School of Communication