Shooting for a goal

Photo illustration by Paul Robeson

Volleyball and basketball nets have been a part of Tabytha Wampler’s life since she entered West Valley High School. She is now focused on the hoop holding the basketball net. Wampler would like to shoot for a career in professional basketball playing and she has a good start at it — by accepting a full-ride basketball scholarship to New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.

Playing equally well in both volleyball and basketball, the 6-foot 1-inch 17-year-old Wampler said she prefers basketball and never looked at schools with volleyball programs.

Last year, in the 2006-07 basketball season, the Lady Eagles had a 9-1-0 record with an overall record of 22-5-0. Wampler had 180 2-point field goals made; nine 3-point field goals made; 189 FGM (total number of 2-point field goals made and 3-point field goals made – not points); 160 free-throws attempted with a 71 percent free-throw success rate; and 113 free-throws made. She had 500 points for the season.

This year, so far, Wampler has 13 2-point field goals; three 3-point field goals; 16 FTMs; 13 free-throws attempted and 10 of those made for a 77 percent free-throw average. She has 45 points in the first four games in which the West Valley girls’ team has won three of their four games.

Wampler said she works out year round with her dad and has family support at her games. Her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends coming to cheer her on.

Girls’ basketball coach Gary Memeo said, “Tabytha is a delight to have on our team and it is great she is going with a ‘full-ride’ scholarship.”

Wampler plans to study Orthopaedics (sports medicine) as she plays basketball for New Mexico.

When asked why she picked New Mexico State she said she visited the campus and “the feeling there was wonderful. I guess it was God making the choice for me.”