“The Rebounders” is a feminist coming-of-age story told from an interesting perspective: that of a college basketball player, Amanda Ottaway, at a middle-of-the-pack Division I school – in this case Davidson College in North Carolina. Her story is representative of the majority of scholarship athletes who play in the shadows of the really big-time programs. An English major who’s gone on to a journalism career, she describes her recruitment, the practice sessions, the school demands, the road trips, and the sisterhood of playing mostly outside the limelight.
Here’s an excerpt from The Rebounders:
“Because everything was always provided for us on road trips, most of us didn’t even bring our wallets. There was no need. For planes we needed our IDs, but we never needed any money. Everything, from food to lodging to transport, was always covered. So even if we found a way to buy our own food – if we sneaked out to try to find a restaurant or grocery store within walking distance in Charleston – we wouldn’t be able to pay for it. Washing our own uniforms and practice gear would be tricky simply because nobody had change for the hotel washers and dryers. We were lucky Jenni’s parents were around to donate some cash to the cause.
“On this trip, thankfully, Ashley had brought a credit card. The team quietly gathered in her hotel room, sprawled on the beds and the floor, and listened, practically drooling, as Ashley ordered a stack of pizzas. We would all owe her money later, but for now we at least had a snack.”
