Mone't Sykes Introduction | The Baller In Me

Welcome to Basketball Advice  for Young Girls! 

This blog was created for you young girls out there who are dying to either get on the team, get in the game, or even advance your game to the next level, PRO BALL. 

I understand first hand what many of you young girls are going through, whether you are in elementary, junior high, high school or even playing college ball. I've been through it all. Although I Started pretty Late, I still went on to traveling around the world playing the game that I loved. It wasn't always pretty or "fun" but that's life! I wish I had someone to look up to who has been in my shoes but unfortunately I didn't. I mean I did have my coaches, and my teammates to help me out, but to have someone who has been through the trials and tribulations of basketball as I have would probably have made the difference between me quitting due to my confidence dwindling down, or remaining on one of the WNBA's top teams. 

I will tell ya though that no matter what anyone can tell you, your final decision is all up to you and  you alone. NO ONE can take the steps that are needed to succeed but you. All I , or anyone else can do is provide good advice and pray that you learn it one way or another. 

I will briefly introducing myself now, but my story will continue through out my blog. 

My name is Mone't Sykes, I currently live in Los Angeles California. I am 5'11, 6'0 with shoes and I've played every position available from 8Th grade until I completed my basketball career 11 years later. I grew up in a household where my parents allowed me to experiment with different activities like ballet, tap, soft ball , drill team, modeling and acting. Although I enjoyed each activity, basketball was the only activity that I focused on for a very long time. To this day, many people are shocked to know that I started playing basketball very late ( according to most people). Like I said I was involved in ballet and tap around the age of 6-7, then I played softball around age 10-12. I was apart of the Compton Sounders Drill team between the ages of 12-13 and also did a little bit of modeling and acting throughout those time periods as well. 

During my 8Th grade year, I attended Hosler Junior High School in Lynwood California and I decided to play on the basketball team with some of my friends. Back then the WNBA didn't exist and for some basketball for girls was not an option after high school unless you went over seas. Well I didn't know about any of those options, it just never crossed my mind that basketball could be a career for me. I just wanted to find out how to play , have a little fun and that was that. 

My time on the Hosler team in my mind now, is very vague but I do remember tripping and falling on the basketball court, shooting up air balls and double dribbling all over the place. I also cried and I believe I quit at one point in time. I just didn't get it and the P.E teacher being the coach wasn't helping much either. 

I didn't get into the basic groove of basketball until I played for one of the most elite teams ( still to this day) Lynwood High School's Traveling team. This was the summer before I entered the 9Th grade. The girls on the team were awesome. The team record was amazing and the coaching staff was extremely tough on us, but they were nice off the courts of course! Although I was still learning the game, I had the opportunity to travel to different cities and play against other really good teams. I was on the JV team but we traveled and practiced most of the time with the Varsity team. This discouraged me a little bit, well actually a lot of bit because the girls on the Varsity team were HUUUUUGEE and extremely good players. I didn't my best to try and keep up but they seemed like grown women in grown men bodies passing me up as i try to figure out how to get as good as they were. 

I was excited to try out for the team once my freshman year started but my family had to move so we packed up and headed to Cerritos California. This is when I really gained alot of interest in basketball. A new city, new home, new school, and a new opportunity to play for another great school. I was scared and I was nervous so I asked my father to take me to the park around the corner and just play ball all throughout the night. My dad would dribble around me, i would foul him and it would just get frustrating, until the day I beat my dad in basketball. On this day, my father said, okay I think you might be ready to play in high school and the rest is history... Ill tell you more of the story tomorrow in the next section... 

Feel free to ask me any questions , leave comments, and definitely subscribe to this blog. 

As I said before I'm here to give you my story, my advice and my love for basketball as you girls have. 

I'm excited and cant wait till the next time... keep ballin' girl, the games not over yet! 

Mone't ( but you can call me Moe)