I could sit here and write about the best 7th grader I have seen in recent times. I could sit and type about her special talent. I could tell you, she has the most complete game we have seen in recent years by a 7th grader. I could go on for days. But this is not what makes Sophia Rude special. What makes her special is her goodness, lack of ego and willingness to be humble, while all those around her are crowning and gassing her up.
When players are young and talented, they can count on a few things. People catering to them and them believing all the nice things said about them. You can also count on very few people giving them truth. In many cases you can also count on that talented player and their family searching for hype and fake ranking on a daily bias. That’s because talent attracts the snakes and then they cause kids to lose focus on what really matters most. It’s an ole story repeated year after year. The snakes are the ones who prevent a player from reaching their potential. They have one agenda, to win the trust and admiration of that talented player. The players who fall into this trap. Never reach their potential or height that so many predicted for them. When it ends the snakes move on a look for the next best thing, while the once next star disappears into the night. Sophia Rude won’t be one of the snakes victims. She is different and that’s what makes her special
I have never seen Sophia Rude make an excuse in all the years.. NOT ONCE, since I’ve known her. I have never seen Sophia take a play off or play in a selfish way. I have never seen her hunt for stats. What I have seen is a player who enjoys elevating her teammates. What I have seen is a kid that’s works hard every second she is in the gym. You see I have never seen Sophia Rude, act as if she bigger or better than her peers. That because she is humble and doesn’t need fake praise and ass kissing. She just loves to play the game. In all my years I never seen a kid ask me “can we play today” more than Sophia Rude. She just loves the game.
When you are hard on Sophia Rude, it makes you feel bad. Why? Because she is a good kid. She always been a good kid. When you criticize Sophia Rude, it’s almost unfair because she is constantly doing the right thing. But guess what? Sophia Rude always responds to teaching and yes negativity. That’s because she truly wants to be great. Her work ethic is unmatched. Her competitive nature is unmatched. That’s because she is fearless and has expectations and goals at an early age.
I tell Sophia Rude, she is no Justine Pissott once ranked as the 9th best player in the country. I tell her she is no Madison St. Rose. The most decorated player in New Jersey history. But the facts of the matter is this… Sophia Rude just may be better than both one day. She is that good, it’s not talk but rather a fact. She has something also both of those great players had. She is not hunting for hype and attention. You see Madison St Rose and Justine Pissott both let there game do the talking. No fake rankings, silly hype games or playing to the crowd. They were not surrounded by ass kissers and fake supporters trying to win them over. Both embraced hard coaching and more importantly were good people with level headed parents. Sophia Rude is exactly the same. She just happens to be in 7th grade and blessed by the basketball gods.
Somewhere along the way. Sophia Rude figured it out. Just because you’re almost 6 feet, with a deadly jumper and pull up game. Doesn’t make you special. Somewhere along the way, Sophia Rude figured out just because her basketball IQ game is rare as it gets for a young player doesn’t make you special. Somewhere along the way, Sophia Rude figured out just because she can play all 5 spots on a basketball court doesn’t make her special. See Sophia Rude long ago figured out just because she is a great player doesn’t make her special. What makes her special is her goodness and kindness towards her peers and respect for adults and people in authority. She is rare and a dying breed in sports.
I love Sophia Rude not because of her talents. I love her because she is a wonderful person. She smiles and jokes. She likes being in the gym. She likes being with her friends. Sophia Rude is already doing the “winning shit”. Not on the court, that’s the easy part. She is doing the “winning shit” off the court. She is doing the stuff that matters most. She is being a great person, who just happens to be the best 7th grade basketball player and future PLAYER OF THE YEAR to walk the streets of New Jersey…Trust me the snakes have a real challenge this time around because this kid SOPHIA RUDE is different and this is no knee slapper!!