By: Anna Verveniotis '24
A ping pong paddle on a basketball bench seems a bit out of place. You might turn a curious eye, but to the ND basketball team, it means a whole lot more than its dents and ripped edges. Who would ever expect that such a cheap object that has nothing to do with the game of basketball would encourage a whole team to double the amount of effort we put in for everything we do? Not sure how the tradition came about, but it has always been there waiting for us at the end of every practice and game. It ends up in the hands of players like Kaitlyn McKiernan after she hit the game winning shot against St. Catherine’s, or freshman Amelie Evans after she steps up and dominates on the court. The paddle is handed off by our coach in the huddle, and it does not just go to the highest scorer. It could also highlight those who make their voices heard and encourage their teammates at
practice like Annie Dunne. The first time I received the paddle was at a practice towards the beginning of the season. It felt amazing to have all my teammates cheering me on and supporting me. I never really pictured myself being so proud for holding a ping pong paddle, but there I was. There isn’t an ounce of jealousy when the paddle winner is announced, but instead an overwhelming flood of high-fives. We may not be in first place at the moment, but our team is definitely leading the league in spirit. In the end, the paddle is just a paddle, even if she has a name and it’s “Molly”. What really keeps us going and sets us apart is our unity and our confidence that comes from knowing that you can depend on your team. Molly's support brought our team to the league championship game on March 5, where we earned second place in our section. Additionally, Maggie McCabe '25 and Kaitlin McKeirnan '25 were awarded All League Awards!
Photos Courtesy of Anna Verveniotis '24 and ND Instagram
Edited by: Katarina Radulovic '24, Natalia Cseh '23, and Ms. Brilliant
Fair Use Disclaimer
The images and contents in this article are under Fair Use: Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.
Comments