The Hawk

Issue date: 11/10/06 Section: Sports

Cornish is ready to play.

Throughout her high school basketball career, senior co-captain Ayahna Cornish did not miss a single practice or game. Playing her beloved sport since the third grade, Cornish fortunately escaped injuries and illnesses en route to a perfect attendance record for 10 years.

Then, she grew up.

Entering St. Joe's out of Cardinal Dougherty High School in Philadelphia, the 5'9" guard was praised as a highly talented slasher and perimeter defender.

But after showing glimpses of her enormous potential throughout her freshman year, Cornish caught a glimpse of what the game was like on the sideline for the first time in her basketball career.

"It's a different perspective when you watch the game from the bench," said Cornish. "You get to see how hard everyone's working, and then you wish you could be out there. So then you want to work as hard as you can so then you get back out there."

Suffering through a broken foot, Cornish missed the first 10 games of her sophomore year and thus had to overcome serious adversity for one of the first times in her basketball life.

However, Cornish came back strong. She led the team in points per game (12.5) and steals (1.45) to finish her sophomore campaign and received the team's Best Offensive Player Award for her efforts.

Her success continued into her junior year, but it ended abruptly when an ACL tear forced her to miss the season's final nine games. Despite making the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team that year, Cornish once again had to use hard work off the hardwood to make her not only a better player, but a better person as well.

Focusing on regaining full muscle strength since her ACL tear, Cornish has learned to overcome one of basketball's most difficult injuries.

After having surgery a month after the injury, Cornish has been undergoing an arduous rehabilitation process, spending countless hours in the training room and the NovaCare complex, trying to recapture the full strength in her muscle.

She then shifted the focus to basketball drills, specifically on jumping and cutting. Knowing that she has overcome adversity before, Cornish is confident the injuries have helped her mature both in life and in her game.

"These injuries have definitely made me stronger while playing at St. Joe's," said Cornish. "I realize I can overcome adversity, and things just feel a little easier now. I know the injuries were out of my control, but you just have to realize you have to work hard and give it your all every time you're on the basketball court because you never know when you're going to go down for whatever reason."

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools