Name: Jenna Liljeberg
School: King Philip
Grade: Senior
Position: Guard
Height: 5'7
Favorite Subject: Anatomy and English
What You Need To Know:
How did you get started and who introduced you to the sport?
I started basketball in about 1st grade. My dad was a huge basketball player in high school and I was always into playing the sport.
What is a common misconception people have about girls and sports?
Many people think girl sports allow little contact and lack physicality. This has always annoyed me because in all three sports I play there is just as much contact as boy's sports, even if the rules try to permit it.
What's more rewarding: beating a rival or bettering yourself?
It is definitely rewarding to beat a rival, but improving as a team and achieving something you never thought your team could do is the best feeling in sports. My game is all about intensity and being aggressive. I know that I'm not the most skilled basketball player, but I always try to push myself and my team mates to never let up. I am definitely more of a defensive player because I thrive off the aggression.
What is the ratio of hours you spend practicing compared to schoolwork and how important is it to remember you're a student-athlete?
Keeping up your grades is really important. My coach checks to make sure we are keeping are grades up because school comes first. Playing basketball definitely limits my homework time, because I have practice for about 2 hours every day after school plus games, but it also helps to balance out my time management. Remembering that I'm a student athlete makes me keep my grades up so I can be successful in college.
What are your goals for after high school?
After high school, I am attending Sacred Heart University for lacrosse and I hope that I really like it there and have a successful career and do well in school.
What is your favorite basketball memory?
Beating Milford by a buzzer beating shot our first game this season was the best feeling I have felt in basketball in a long time. It gave our team a lot of hope for the season, and we definitely needed that win to start off the season. It was the most intense end to a game I have ever played in basketball.
What are your pregame/postgame rituals?
Pregame I usually listen to my iPod and sleep on the bus to try to get in my zone of focusing on the game. Our team usually gets pumped up together in the locker room too. Post game I always evaluate my individual and team play, depending on if we win or lose my reactions are different.