Some kids just want it more. Some kids chase dreams a little harder than other kids. Some kids refuse to surrender. But more than all of that, some kids make all the right moves. They combine hard work with good decisions and sacrifice. Theses are the kids that open doors and make dreams come true. ANGELINA BANAS is one of those kids and it’s the reason she will spend the next 4 years at NJIT making more dreams come true.
Everyone likes a good story, but only if a good story has a happy ending. I met ANGELINA BANAS 3 years ago. She showed up at Core Skills for a workout. She was sent to Core Skills by Tracey Sabino of the Shoreshots. Angelina did not make a good first impression that day. These days, I tease her about “hrowing up” during our first workout together. She laughs and says “that never happened I just got light headed”. One thing that was not a laughing matter that day was this. I told Tracey Sabino to kiss Angelina Banas goodbye. I told her no way she was returning. First of all she had to travel over an hour to get to my workouts and I was sure she rather not see me again. But never judge a book by its cover. Because not only did Angelina Banas return, she wrote the book on hard work and great decisions.
When Angelina Banas decided to transfer to Notre Dame high school her junior year. It was no surprise to me. I knew she deeply wanted to become a better basketball player. She wanted to prove that she could play with the best. She knew she needed elite coaching. So she went to play for James Martinos one of the best high school coaches in the New Jersey. A coach known for developing players. He has sent players to every level of basketball. Most recently he took a raw Erika Porter and turned her into a star. She is currently at Baylor University. But Angelina was no Erika Porter. She needed coaching quickly and that is exactly what she got playing at Notre Dame high school. It was a tough decision to make but based on todays result….one of her best.
Most kids complain when put on a so called “B” Team during the AAU season. They head to the hills trying to find a so called “A” team. That’s because they cannot see the big picture. They don’t understand it always about coaching, getting better and making the most of your opportunity. Coach Mary Beth Chambers has coached a number a superstar teams and so called “B” teams. She has coached more D1 players perhaps more than any other D1 coach in the area. She has also coached a number of players on those so called “B” teams and turned them into D1 players. Jenna Paul of Colgate and Bre Delanney (Stonehill) are her most recent examples. You see Mary Beth Chamber is a teacher and Angelina Banas is of the best student a coach can ask for. She is a brilliant student in the classroom as well. I guess that helps when trying to make a Dream come true..
© LAURA BRUEN, PHOTOGRAPHER
When kids come to NBS they are challenged. It’s a proven ground. But ANGELINA BANAS, had to get up at 5am in the morning to attend NBS, Her mother Dana had to take the almost 90 min drive one way on the weekend. You see Angelina Banas wanted it bad, real bad. It why she would arrive an hour early at NBS and they when the session was over, stick around to shoot after. It got to the point where I just said Angelina lock up when you are done. You see Angelina has a drive like no other kid. She just wants to outwork everyone. She knew from day one, her only ticket to a dream was working hard, being a great student and making good decisions….she has made it look easy in doing so.
Angelina Banas is not just a good student. She is one of the best students on planet earth. It’s why when it came down to her biggest decision of all; choosing a college, it took what may have seemed like a lifetime to most. She always had a dream to play D1 but some of the best schools in the country were calling her name. In the end Angelina Banas got the best of all worlds. She got a free education and a chance to play D1 basketball. You see Angelina is smart as I told you and she knew she could have it all and thats exactly what she got….IT ALL!
TRACEY SABINO is a rock star in the AAU world now. Angelina took a risk and made the decision to join the Shoreshots organization. It was the best decision she ever made. She now is the poster child for doing everything the right way. The long drives to train, the long road trips for AAU games, the decision to switch high schools. This is a kid who simply wanted it more than anyone could possibly have dreamed of wanting anything so bad. There is not one sacrifice she was not willing to make. She had to know many did not believe in her dream or that she couldn’t make her dream come true. She could have given up a long time ago. She could have took a walk on easy street. Instead she has given every kid the blueprint, who maybe isn’t a star, a household name or a media darling. She has now showed forgotten kids the way. Her mom Dana and father Robert have been her biggest supporters and now all there hard work of wiping aways tears and doubt have been rewarded….
BECAUSE ANGELINA BANAS LAST DECISION HAS BEEN THE SWEETEST OF ALL……NJIT BABY!!!
