Q&A with Crestview multi-sport athlete Lauren Cox
CRESTVIEW, Fla. — A Q&A with Lauren Cox who is a basketball and flag football player at Crestview High School.
Name: Lauren Cox
Age: 17
School: Crestview High School
Grade: 12th
Sports: Basketball and Flag Football
Teams: Crestview Lady Bulldogs Basketball and Flag Football, Mad Dawgs
Years in current sports: Basketball – 12 years / Flag Football – 6 years
What are your personal goals within your sport/athletic dreams?
Lauren Cox: My goal within my current sports is to win a district title and hopefully a region or state championship in both basketball and flag football.
What is your biggest challenge in your sport, and what do you do to manage this challenge?
Cox: My biggest challenge in my sports is being able to leave my personal life and struggles off the court as well as the field. I manage it by using that time on the court and field to distract myself from the things I have going on. For me it’s like an escape, it allows me to do what I love without having to worry about anything else.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Cox: The best advice I was ever given was two simple words, “No fear”. My coach of three years, Coach Steve Williams, once told me to play with no fear, to just go out there and play the game. He told me not to fear injury, loss, or defeat, and no matter what happens it will all work out.
What do you love about your sport?
Cox: The thing I love most about basketball is the competition. I love how the game can completely change in a matter of seconds. But even more than that I love how both basketball and flag football give me a sense of family and friendship that are unique and unlike any other relationships in life. I also love how when I’m on the court or the field, nothing else seems to matter.
Do you have a pregame ritual you follow?
Cox: I don’t have a specific pregame ritual, but before every basketball game our team says the Lord’s Prayer together to remind us who’s really in control. Before every flag football game, I always get food and I usually drink a Monster pregame.
If you could compare yourself with any animal, which would it be, and why?
Cox: I would probably compare myself to a shark because when it comes to the people I love, I’m very loyal and can sometimes be aggressive if something tries to harm them. I also feel like sharks are feared and respected for their greatness.
What do you like to do outside of your sport?
Cox: Outside of my sport I like to play the drums, watch the sunset, go shopping, hang out with my friends, watch Criminal Minds, and most of all I love to sleep.
What has being a member of a team taught you?
Cox: Being part of a team has taught me how to work with other people and trust that their decisions are in the best interest of the group. As hard as it can be at times, you must trust your teammates or else the dynamic and chemistry of the team will be off. The same thing applies in the real world, because when it comes to a job setting or things like that you must trust the people around you and know how to work with them.
What is the best piece of advice you received from a coach or mentor?
Cox: Coach Kaunda Thompson, one of my basketball coaches, once told me to believe in myself as much as she believes in me. Those words really stuck with me because Coach K has never doubted me. She’s always believed in me no matter the circumstances. She taught me to have confidence within myself and to lead the team the way I know how.
Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.
Cox: Last year during a flag football game, I remember I got so mad at my receivers because they kept dropping my passes. When I saw the way it changed the morale of the team, I realized that as a leader I must encourage my teammates and address mistakes in a more positive and respectful way.
If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life what would it be?
Cox: If I could eat one food for the rest of my life it would be Ihop pancakes, it doesn’t matter the time of day, I could eat their pancakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Cox: Sports are more mental than they are physical. You could be one of the best athletes your school has ever seen, but if you dwell on your mistakes you’ll never get anywhere. It’s not about the last play, it’s about the next one. Keep your head up and learn from past mistakes. Never settle for mediocrity, strive to be great.
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