Regan was your typical rez girl. She grew up in a broken home, her parents were drug addicts and alcoholics. Regan was tall, brown skin that glowed in the sun and long black hair that was very thick. She was the oldest of 3 siblings. She took care of her 3 siblings and herself since her parents didn’t care for them, she cooked and cleaned for them. She had it rough but she had a very special talent she could play basketball like no other. It was the beginning of August which meant school was about to start. She loved school because it was her escape from her parents and a bit of time away from her siblings. She was a straight “A” student because she wanted to get good grades for two reasons, to get into a great college so she could get a great job to support her younger siblings and also she wanted to play ball at school which meant she had to have the grades for it.

The school year was going good for Regan she was a month away from basketball season. She was getting excited for ball season, she has been saving all her money from the summer to get new basketball shoes, and she had $150. She had the money stashed away so she wouldn’t be tempted to spend it or her parents finding it to spend it on their drugs and alcohol. It was about 2 weeks away before the first practice so she decided to go get her shoes. She asked her friend Lena for a ride to the mall, Lena told her she could give her a ride because Lena to had to get basketball shoes. The girls decided that Lena would pick up Regan at her house around 5:30 pm. Regan went home to go cook for her siblings and get ready to go the mall. She went to go get her money out of her stash and she realized that her money was gone. She couldn’t believe that someone took it from her. She cried and went and asked everyone if they took it. Her parents laughed and told her she needs to stop worrying and that the money went to a good cause and thanked her for buying them more booze. She couldn’t believe her own parents took her money.

5:30 came around and Regan ran outside to Lena’s car and told her that she couldn’t go because her brother got sick. Regan didn’t want to Lena the real reason why she couldn’t go. Lena knew she was lying because she could tell that Regan has been crying, her eyes were red and watery and she was sniffling around. Lena said,” Reg I know when you’re lying and also I can tell you’ve been crying, what is really going on?”
Regan told her that her parents took her money to buy more booze and she has no money to get new shoes which meant that she wouldn’t get to play basketball since she out grew her old basketball shoes. Lena told her that she will buy her new basketball shoes because it was the girls last year playing ball and also Lena wanted her best friend to be there with her. Reagan didn’t want to use Lena’s money but Lena threatened her so Reagan agreed. They went to the mall and got matching shoes. Regan was so blessed to have Lena as her friend and knew she can always count on her for anything.

Ball season was finally here. As usual Reagan and Lena was the hype of the season. It was senior night and the last home game Regan will ever get to play as a lady warrior, she was sad but she didn’t let her feelings get to her she played her heart out that game. She wanted everyone to remember her as the best lady warrior. She looked up at the crowd and it was usually the same rez folks there but she realized there was different people there she didn’t recognize them. She shrugged then kept playing. At the end of the game her Coach Mrs. Big River said,” Regan some people are here to see you.”

Reagan looked at the people and it was the people she didn’t recognize. They were scouts from colleges looking at her. They told her that they would be watching her during the tournaments. It came tournaments came Reagan saw the scouts and she knew she had to ignore that they were there so she could concentrate on the game. She played all her might during the tournaments, it paid off because the Lady Warriors was undefeated the whole season they had got first in the tournament.

Graduation came and Regan was going to announce where she was going at graduation. Regan was the class president she gave her speech and she then announced where she was going. She decided to go Kansas University. Everyone cheered for her, she had tears going down her face because the people at all her games were her supporters since her parents wasn’t there for her. At the end of the graduation Lena told her that she was too going to KU. The girls hugged for the longest time. Regan than knew everything was going to be okay.

Regan got home from the graduation and saw there was an ambulance and police at her house. She ran to the house to figure out that her dad had passed away from an overdose. Regan was sad about it but she didn’t let it affect her because he wasn’t there for her and her siblings. At the funeral Regan didn’t cry because she knew that it was his fault for his death and she didn’t know how to feel about it. After the funeral was over Regan’s mom told her she was going to rehab to straighten out her life and make sure she was a mom. Regan was proud of her mom for making the choice to get help. So over the summer Regan took care of the kids then her mom came back from rehab and became the mom that she wanted to be. It was time for Regan to leave for college her mom drove her from South Dakota all the way to Kansas. Regan and her family hugged and cried.

It was Reagan’s last year at college at KU. Her life was where she wanted it to be at, she was a starter for KU. She was again making straight A’s and making the Dean’s honor all 4 years while at KU. Regan was going to be going to the WNBA after college she wanted to go and make money for the one thing she loves. She went from a struggle teenager with alcoholic and druggie parents to be a future WNBA player. She then realized that her story can change other young teenagers that are going through what she went through. She was going to rez to rez to talk to the youth about keeping believing and never give up. She never did and look where it took her. She had succeeded in life.