Basketball Player Highlight with Brooklyn Hankwitz
Brooklyn Hankwitz is a sophomore at Linn-Benton Community College playing as a forward for the Women’s Basketball team. Averaging 14.2 points and 6 rebounds per game, she is a keystone player for the Roadrunners.
Hankwitz has played basketball from an early age, and was introduced to the sport by her father.
From Astoria, Oregon, Hankwitz enjoys hiking and plans to continue playing basketball after her career at LB. She wants to study business to build a solid career and believes that the key to a good performance on the court is leaving everything at the gym door.
When did you start playing basketball?
Started probably like third grade, maybe a little before that.
Who got you interested?
My dad; he was my coach when I was growing up throughout high school. I started like through a school program for little kids and then ever since then I just continued to keep playing and played tournament ball as well as school ball. AAU like traveling basketball outside of school, too.
What was your best game?
I'd say probably like the beginning of the season; before we started the league we had a tournament, and I liked scoring double doubles every time. I think working as a team helped really well with our team chemistry during that tournament, and just getting the ball inside and working.
What are your plans after your playing career at Linn-Benton?
I'm planning to transfer to another school to continue playing basketball and I'm going to study business. I’ve got some other schools lined up, not sure what school yet. I've talked to Montana, I've talked to the Colorado coach and a California coach, but I haven't figured it out yet. I just plan to study to give me a job, any job, pretty much in the skills towards a good career.
How have you evolved as a player over this season?
When did you start playing basketball?
Started probably like third grade, maybe a little before that.
Who got you interested?
My dad; he was my coach when I was growing up throughout high school. I started like through a school program for little kids and then ever since then I just continued to keep playing and played tournament ball as well as school ball. AAU like traveling basketball outside of school, too.
What was your best game?
I'd say probably like the beginning of the season; before we started the league we had a tournament, and I liked scoring double doubles every time. I think working as a team helped really well with our team chemistry during that tournament, and just getting the ball inside and working.
What are your plans after your playing career at Linn-Benton?
I'm planning to transfer to another school to continue playing basketball and I'm going to study business. I’ve got some other schools lined up, not sure what school yet. I've talked to Montana, I've talked to the Colorado coach and a California coach, but I haven't figured it out yet. I just plan to study to give me a job, any job, pretty much in the skills towards a good career.
I think I've evolved a lot with my team this year; they've helped me a lot more than in the past years and working as a team helps everyone and individual parts of your game. I’ve specifically focused on working on my shot; I shot a lot more last year than I have this year but we're working on it.
Who was your toughest opponent?
Well Lane and Clackamas; they're just both really good teams and have a lot of depth; they can shoot the ball really well so that was a struggle for us to stop the shooters.
What was the most useful criticism you’ve received?
To just slow down and look before you dribble.
What is the weakest part of your skill set?
I need to work on ball handling a lot more and shooting and work on it just getting in the gym on the move shots and just dribbling the ball whenever I can.
How do you prepare before games?
I personally like to listen to music before I go play or while I'm warming up and have headphones in so I'm in the zone and not listening to outside noises. It really helps me and thinking positively about the game and not thinking about what could happen or what is going to happen just not thinking about it pretty much.
What is your emotional role on the team?
I would say I'm a team leader but not as much in a vocal way more in an action way. Just leading with my game and scoring.
What other sports do you watch?
College football and baseball sometimes
What do you do in your off time?
I spent a lot of time with my friends and like being outdoors and doing stuff in my hometown. We have this mountain called Saddle Mountain and it's probably the hardest hike I've been on, but it was really fun and challenging.
How do you mentally prepare for games?
I would say like I've always had the mindset to leave it at the door when you come into the gym like you're not thinking about other things; that you're here to focus on basketball as your main priority, but it is definitely tough sometimes. When you have bad days coming to practice you just have to put it aside and you just have to try and not think about it.
Is there any advice that you would like to give to younger basketball players or other college athletes?
I would just say whatever you put your mind to you can accomplish and you just have to keep working out and working at it, and even if you fail you just have to keep working and it'll get easier.
How do you balance academic and athletic life?
Well for me ever since I've been at LB I've had most of my classes online so it's been a lot easier to schedule classes and stuff around basketball, but usually I'll just save my homework for night times and just like focus and rest during the day before practice and then get it all done at night because I feel like I work better at night than I do in the daytime for some reason. It's just a grind but it definitely gets easier, and when you've done it for so many years it's just a common thing.
At a Glance:
Brooklyn Hankwitz
Occupation: Student Athlete at Linn-Benton Community College
Hometown: Astoria, Oregon
Education: Linn-Benton Community College
Years at LBCC: 3
Major: Business
Other Interests: Hiking, preparing for games, building skills for a successful career in business.
Linn-Benton Women's Basketball Team Website:
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