“My favorite NBA player is Steph Curry,” sophomore Ava Rogerson said. “And my favorite WNBA player is Sabrina Ionescu.”
The second-year varsity girls basketball player certainly shoots like her favorite players. As one of Oak Park High School’s best three-point shooters, the lead guard of the girls team is looking forward to taking on the 2025-26 season. Her journey to basketball started long ago and has blossomed into a fantastic career thus far with plenty of future prospects.
“I first started playing basketball when I was five-years-old,” Rogerson said. “My dad and brother both played, so basketball was just something that I was brought into.”
To Rogerson, basketball means so much more than just a game. It guides the principles she lives by, the challenges she faces and the experiences she treasures. As she played through prep ball and then joined the high school team, it hasn’t come without hurdles.
“Probably the biggest challenge that I’ve faced, and still face, is burnout,” Rogerson said. “I think that because I’m at a certain level I forget that I’m not just an athlete and when I work too hard it gets difficult to focus on other things that impact my life.”
Dealing with burnout is something many high-level student athletes must overcome. Due to burdening expectations and pressure to not let the team down, performance issues can occur.
“On that same note, I sometimes experience challenges in my confidence when playing,” Rogerson said. “I have certain expectations for myself so when I don’t achieve it’s hard to remember that not everyone is perfect and that there are ups and downs. When I have a bad game or practice it can have a spiral effect where I start thinking negatively about my performance.”
However, Rogerson doesn’t let these challenges stop her. She continuously works to meet the expectations she sets for herself, striving for improvement and putting in constant hours and effort. Part of improving means setting a consistent routine.
“Before games I always talk to my dad and give him a hug,” Rogerson said. “I listen to Drake, PartyNextDoor and Brent Faiyaz. I also envision myself playing well and having a great game. Lastly, right before the game starts, I make two free throws to calm me down.”
She has learned plenty from the game that she can apply on and off the court and use to combat the challenges she faces.
“One life lesson I’ve learned from basketball is that it isn’t about what already happened, it’s about how you respond,” Rogerson said. “I think this really plays a big part in basketball and life.”
Rogerson responds to difficulties by giving even more effort. She stays ready for any situation in all aspects of her life.
“When something unexpected happens in a game or life, being able to stay poised and not let it affect what happens next,” Rogerson said. “I can’t always control what happens but I can always control my response. Being resilient and bouncing back from a bad game or bad test grade or any other challenges that come my way is something that basketball has taught me.”
Rogerson’s work ethic shows up big time during games, where she has performances like a 24 point, six three pointer outing against Oxnard last season. However, for Rogerson, basketball is not always about the box score or the late nights in the gym.
“My favorite memories of playing basketball are during the summer when I’m traveling with my teammates,” Rogerson said. “It’s always exciting and fun to take trips with your team and all the memories and connections you make.”
Basketball has connected Rogerson with new people and helped her build up strong relationships.
“I’ve made so many friendships because of basketball that I’m truly grateful for,” Rogerson said. “Some other good memories are just simply shooting with my dad. He always makes it fun and it gives us time to bond with one another.”
Amid an amazing high school career, Rogerson still has plenty of ball ahead of her.
“I do intend to play basketball in college,” Rogerson said. “My ideal college would be Duke University.”
Overall, Rogerson is able to sum up what the game of basketball means to her.
“To me basketball can be summed up in three words,” Rogerson said. “Humble, hungry and heart.”
