By Halle Nottage
Casandra White, freshman, from Modesto, California astonishes those who watch her in all facets. \
“Cas is the epitome of a student athlete,” says Ali Crumb, head of Peninsula College women’s basketball program, “she puts school first, she’s very organized and involved in a lot of things and she’s very mature, one of those kids on campus who can get a lot on their plate and still be able to handle it and come to practice and work hard even though she’s got a million different things going on. She’s the dream student-athlete,”.
White was recruited during her senior year in a tournament in L.A. by Crumb and was very excited to come to PC the following year. However, that freshman excitement was cut short for White as she tore her ACL in October of 2017. In order to recover from an injury like that, she needed surgery, so she returned home in December of that year to do so, where she stayed until February 2018, “It was pretty tough, but I got through it,” she says.
She returned to offer her support to her team as they went through playoffs and to continue her schooling. Through the last year following the injury, she has continued to rehab it and grow stronger, which led her to return to PC for one more year. She is still eligible due to her redshirt season last year. She believes that this will give her better chances of being recruited, as well as helping her to become a better basketball player, “I’m hoping for division one, but division two would be good as well, as long its competitive and I feel like I can make the most out of my play in that division. But, I want to stay in either Oregon or Washington because I like this area,”.
For those younger players who may be struggling with obstacles, Cas has these words of advice, “if you have a goal in mind just practice, and don’t stop believing because you can do anything you put your mind to,”.
Cas is impactful in every way shape and form, in the classroom, on the court, with her position with ASC, with her teammates, and even through her story of recovery and overcoming obstacles. “She’s getting faster each week, she’s getting more confident each week, she’s a tremendous player and we’re blessed to have her for three years,” says Crumb, “she had a tough situation, and she’s just worked really hard at it, she’s done all the right things, and she’s had her trials and I’m just really proud of her and that she’s playing well and she’s healthy,”.
She has been a key player in helping the women’s basketball team here at PC climb to first place in their division, with only Olympic, with whom they are tied for, standing in their way.