Joeliesty Romero, a sophomore in Phoenix Military Academy who loves playing basketball and enjoys being on the team. She is currently in her second year of high school and has been playing for the team since her freshman year.

“Ever since I was little I’ve always wanted to play the game of basketball. I always played with the boys in elementary school and I was always in their team. I’ve had the dream of becoming a WNBA superstar and playing for my home town. Watching Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony when I was kid really motivated me to want this even more. Even though I’m short I don’t let that affect me because you can measure height, but you can’t measure heart. I’ve got a lot of heart for this game and there’s nothing stopping me now.” said Romero.

Romero has been playing basketball since she was little and has a lot of passion towards the game. Stereotypically, basketball has a lot of tall players and Romero says she’s not tall but even that’s not stopping her from playing the game she loves. She also states that she played with the boys and was in their team during the time of her elementary years of school which proves that she really has love towards basketball because going back to being tall, basketball is usually more known for males playing the game like in the NBA, but there is also the WNBA, which consists of professional basketball players who are females.

“Having a coach like Coach Austin really makes you work hard. Some of the training I do consist of intense dribbling, shooting, and passing drills. I spend a lot of time perfecting my defense as Shooting Guard and Power Forward. I work on layups with both my right and left hand. Before I leave, I end the day with 20 free throws.” said Romero

Romero plays the Shooting Guard and Power Forward position , which in basketball, there are five positions, Point Guard, Shooting Guard, Small and Power Forward, and Center. She plays 2 out of the 5 positions, which Shooting Guards are relied on to get most of the teams points, and Power Forwards are defensively minded most of the time.

“Well I like to think of myself as a responsible time managing person. I manage my time very wisely both on and off the court. Because I am extremely dedicated to playing basketball, I know that I must act the same way with my studies. I often find time to study or do homework before a game or on the bus to a game. I make sure all my responsibilities are taken care of before I step out the house and into the locker room.” said Romero.

Romero not only enjoys playing basketball, but she also focuses on her school work as she has good grades and got cadet of the quarter. This shows the definition of a student-athlete and someone who dedicates themselves to school and sports.