Whenever life became too complicated for Simone Redd, she turned to the game of basketball to alleviate her problems. But lately, that safe haven has become more of a sense of frustration than comfort.
Redd, who has been known to hit the gym every time she had problems with school or an argument with her sister, has seen her minutes dwindle since her sophomore season, despite ranking as one of only 12 players in Bobcat history to score 1,000 points in her career. Now, she is just trying to adjust to her new role, which is to provide an offensive spark for her team off the bench.
It's tough
the senior guard said. It's something that you live and learn. Every year is not going to be the same.
Redd burst onto the scene as a freshman when she averaged 11.6 points per game on her way to being named Mid-American Conference Sixth Man of the Year and to the All-MAC Honorable Mention team.
In her second season as a Bobcat, she did even better. Although she was slowed by an ankle injury, she still managed to start in 19 of the team's 23 games and saw an increase in her scoring (14.4 points per game), rebounding (4.6) and assists (2). For the second consecutive year, Redd was named to the All-MAC Honorable Mention team.
But in her junior season, when most players start excelling, Redd was dealt a serious setback.
Ohio was playing Florida Atlantic in a tournament in Louisiana when Redd felt something in her foot.
I went to push off and I felt a stretch Redd said. I ended up hurting myself G? that's probably when my down spiral began.
Redd started in the Bobcats' next game against Kent State, but was unable to play for long. She was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, which causes severe pain in one's heel or the bottom of one's foot and is common among athletes. The pain was so bad that Redd's foot was put in a boot and she was on crutches for the next three weeks. It was the second time in two seasons that Redd had been forced to sit out because of an injury.
It's been very frustrating Simone's father Joseph Redd said. Here was a girl that for her entire career had only missed maybe a few games in the summer time because of a sprained ankle. She got down a little because the pain was so obviousG? but she handled it better than I would have.
Before her senior season, Redd and coach Sylvia Crawley sat down to discuss her future. Crawley had decided to cut Redd's minutes and have her come off the bench, which she hadn't done since her freshman year, in hopes to keep her healthy for the entire season.
Crawley noticed that whenever Redd went down, the team panicked. Ohio went 1-5 after Redd was injured in her sophomore season but was saved a similar fate when freshman guard Jennifer Bushby stepped up in Redd's place last season.
The history of the team was that whenever she went out
the team would lose four or five games until she came back
Crawley said. She's a senior
so she wants to be out there
but if she played the minutes she wants to play
she'd be in dress clothes right now.
Crawley's strategy has paid off for Redd and the Bobcats. Ohio is now in contention for its first MAC championship since 1985, and Redd has played in every game this season.
While Redd is thrilled with her team's success, the competitive player inside her wants to get out on the floor and play significant minutes in her final games in an Ohio uniform.
I definitely have a burning desire to get out there
Redd said. It's kind of a bittersweet thing
because you want to see your team do well
but of course you want to be out there contributing more than I am at this point.
As tough as the transition has been for Redd, she is adjusting well to her new role. In the Bobcats' game against Toledo on Wednesday, Redd scored 12 points in 15 minutes and provided instant offense for her team when they got off to a slow start.
Her main goal now is helping her team accomplish the goal she set when she came, which was to turn the program around by winning a MAC championship.
I am adjusting
