Dribble the ball, assess the court, get in formation and shoot. That’s what Lucy Aronsohn knows to do during a basketball game. She knows when the game’s tempo is slow, when the energy is down and how to play well in those situations. But more importantly she knows how to get through that, work with her teammates and get the ball through the hoop.

As a two-sport, three-season athlete, Lucy works hard at staying committed to her sports while following her passion. 

Now a sophomore, Lucy started playing basketball in seventh grade. During eighth grade, when the pandemic prevented her from playing soccer, she joined a travel team, which gave her a better sense of the game.

Although she has been playing basketball for a few years, her main sport is soccer, which she began playing when she was 2, so by now she has a great sense of the pitch. But with basketball, she had to learn and practice, which she accomplished with her travel team.

“My passion for soccer is bigger just because I’ve been playing it my whole life,” Lucy said. “Soccer and basketball are kind of similar. You have to be able to see the core. There’s a lot of aspects that, like, cross over.”

Lucy said the travel team helped her understand the game, but since she started playing later she had to catch up.

Lucy’s commitment to her growth as a basketball player shows. Her coach, Alexis Jenkins, can see the evidence in Lucy’s second high school season.

“She’s excellent. I think she’s made huge improvements from her freshman year,” Ms. Jenkins said. “She’s still quiet, but she is more of a leader on the court, which I can appreciate as a coach. She’s just athletic. So her ability to see the floor very well, anticipating passes and making that connection with the players, is important.”

From her years of team experience, Lucy’s teamwork shines when she’s on the court.

“[She’s] a great teammate,” Ms. Jenkins said. “She works her butt off and, you know, some of that stuff you can’t coach.”

Lucy’s athleticism comes from playing sports in three seasons: Chicago Fire in the fall, U-High basketball team and futsal in the winter, and U-High soccer in the spring. 

“[Basketball’s] a good break for me. It also allows me to stay in shape. Futsal is a very technical game. It’s on the gym floor, so it keeps my touches fresh,” Lucy said. “So then when I start the season, I’m not super rusty and also I’m in shape because of basketball.”

Being a three-season athlete on top of school work and the sophomore service learning requirement, life can get busy quickly. When it comes to balancing a full schedule, Lucy discovered something had to give. 

Lucy said that balancing basketball and service is hard because changes to the basketball schedule make it hard to know if she can go to service. There’s a lot of prioritizing some things and sacrificing others.

Making sacrifices can be hard, especially when it comes to things Lucy enjoys and the requirements like her service site at Hyde Park Neighborhood Club. 

“I think the hardest part is trying to please everyone,” Lucy said “I like my service, I like being with the kids. So in that way I feel bad not showing up for them. And then also from my coach’s standpoint, like, I need to show a level of commitment, which is hard, and I have been all season, but still I feel like I still find myself feeling bad if I miss a practice or two.”

Ms. Jenkins understands the balancing act as she was also a U-High athlete.

“I think that’s what life is about is understanding how to balance things,” Ms. Jenkins said. “And from here on out, it’s all a balancing act, no matter what gets thrown at you.”

Lucy’s commitment and struggles in her high school career help her become a better athlete. So when her team is struggling in a game, she knows how to pick them up so they can work together. Like in the Morgan Park Academy game on Feb. 7, after she scored 11 points, even when the team lost by 4 points, Lucy will still show up and do her part.