Image Credit: Anneke Fleming
The heart of the opposing defender sinks as a stunning Lady Vikings Basketball player glides down the court, almost effortlessly. The offender receives the pass, and takes a chance. Before the crowd can register what happened, the ball swishes beautifully into the net and the Lady Vikings Basketball team takes the lead once more; all thanks to Halle Thompson.
Halle is currently a Junior at Orcas Island High School. Smart, talented, and funny, she shines on and off the court. Some of Halle’s sweetest memories are with her dad and brother Dylan, while watching professional basketball and shooting hoops when she was young. The Orcas Island SWISH program was the first team she had played on, and she quickly fell in love with the sport.
“I like the speed of the game, and the swishes, and the shoes. I have a lot of great memories with my teammates. And, you know, it’s easy for a sport to be your favorite when it’s the only one you’re good at,” Thompson jokes.
Halle with friend and teammate Lilly Miller, Image Credit: Anneke Fleming
Halle is also very studious and loves to learn. She impresses her teachers and peers with her hunger for knowledge and for justice. Another defining quality is her ability to provide supportive and loyal friendship for those around her, which she partially credits to basketball.
“I think being part of any team in general can teach you a lot about being patient and supportive of others. [Coach] Gregg gives us speeches all the time about how when we walk in, we need to leave our problems at the door. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about how important it is to find a way to put our individual problems aside in order to work towards a common goal, and that’s definitely something that goes beyond the walls of the gym.”
We can all learn from Halle, and from basketball as she has. Keep it up!