Women’s basketball players balance season prep and election stress

Like many in the United States, Bruins have been following the election closely.

Unlike the majority of those following along, members of UCLA women’s basketball also have the extra burden of an upcoming season to prepare for, with the start date sneaking up less than three weeks away.

Balancing preparing for the season and monitoring the fate of the country can be difficult, according to sophomore guard Camryn Brown, but she said the main way she can separate the two is through the lenses of on-court and off-court.

“Once I get into practice, there’s just so much going on so much we have to focus on, so much that my energy towards the outside world just stops in a sense,” Brown said. “But definitely like outside of practice, it’s ‘OK, what’s happening in the world, what’s going on with the election?’ Once we get off the court, that’s kind of when I check back into the world.”

Brown also said the team has had election coverage on nonstop in the training room, so the second they are off the court, their eyes have been fixed on the results.

Before the election, the team provided the players with an available team counselor to help prepare them for Tuesday, and all NCAA Division I student-athletes had the day off to vote. UCLA Athletics boasted a 98% voter registration rate from eligible voters across all sports, and 100% within women’s basketball.

Coach Cori Close said she admires how seriously the players are taking this year’s election and also said that it is indicative of how committed they are to social change.

“These women are passionate – they want to make a difference in the world,” Close said. “They have had serious and raw discussions about all the things surrounding the election and I was really proud of their honesty when we did that.”

One way the players are making a difference in the world is with their More Than a D.R.E.A.M. Committee, created by players on the team to produce social media content with a focus on social justice initiatives.

The committee has emphasized racial justice and this past week released a video featuring the entire team titled “Black Women Matter.”

Sophomore guard Charisma Osborne – a key member of the committee – said the goal is educating as many people as possible and shared the committee’s mission statement.

“We’re striving to be at the cornerstone of change as we advance towards a world that embodies true equality,” Osborne said. “We are committed to sculpting a new culture in which everyone feels safe, seen and heard, regardless of race, identity or background.”

The committee has increasingly connected with the school’s wide-ranging alumni network, and according to Close, it has seen social media support from Bruins like Russell and Nina Westbrook – two former members of UCLA basketball.

Recently, More Than a D.R.E.A.M. has shifted its focus toward the election, with content ranging from different voting initiatives to self-care tips for after the votes are counted.

But as election season winds down, Osborne said there is still work to do, and the team will have her back regardless of what the future plans are.

“It’s really awesome to have that support that we do have from our teammates and from the coaches,” Osborne said. “I know (at) a lot of schools and a lot of other places, it’s not like that. So for them to be able to back us publicly and just support us really means a lot to me.”