Hy-Vee Player of the Week: Felisha Gibbs

Dylan McManis

Felisha Gibbs, junior kinesiology major, is Washburn’s female player of the week.

Gibbs is from Parkin, Arkansas. She came to Washburn from Oklahoma last school year (2014-15).

“Sometimes in life you just find the things that do and don’t work for you,” Gibbs said. “I just think Oklahoma wasn’t for me, but I’m glad I did go, because it gave me the tools to come here to Washburn.”

Gibbs has been playing organized basketball since the seventh grade, having a background of playing basketball with the guys that she grew up around playing pick-up games.

“One day, my teacher, who was my school’s new coach, asked me if I wanted to try out one day. At the time I didn’t think I would be good at basketball in organized play, but once I did I knew everything I needed to and I liked the structure of it.”

Gibbs finds that playing basketball is very personal to her and a big part of her life.

“Just doing what I do can help inspire someone else,” Gibbs said. “It requires a lot of hard work, both physically and mentally, and I feel like just me giving my best, my 100 percent, every day and every game and someone coming to me and saying I did good makes me hope that I have motivated them in some way.

“Last year I didn’t play as much, I just sat around and watched. Now I get to put everything I learned last year into practice this year.”

When asked about her favorite part about playing basketball at the collegiate level, Gibbs looked toward their game Saturday Jan. 23, in which the team will be facing off against Emporia.

“Going against that one school that’s your rival really gets you pumped up,” Gibbs said. “I like going in where the competition is going to be high; that is my favorite part about basketball.”

Gibbs believes that she has two great years left — the rest of this year and all of next year — to enjoy her time playing basketball, but doesn’t really see it going beyond college.

“If the opportunity does present itself, I will probably take it. But it isn’t likely. I am getting my kinesiology degree in hopes of opening my own gym and being a personal trainer one day though.”