Meet Caelyn Brabson

(posted 06-16-10)

At DGB.com, we have singled out for attention players who turned in fantastic defensive efforts (Milana Gilbert), players who scored a whole mess of points (Telisha Turner), and players who put together performances that helped win State Titles (Naiesha Brown).  But it isn’t often that we turn the spotlight on a girl simply for pure hustle and effort.  And yet, it is for those very things that Caelyn Brabson earned this honor.

 

Caelyn was picked up on the DGB.com radar back in 2008 when we covered a Delaware PAL Wildcats game – her then AAU team.  Even then we could see that she played with a lot of heart.  Flash to 2010.  We happened to see her, by accident it seemed, as her game preceded a Wilmington Tiger 10U game during the weekend of June 12th/13th at West Chester.  (Tom coaches the 10U and Jim was “just hangin’ out”.)  Conditions were horrendous in the gymnasium due to excessive heat.  It was around 90 degrees outside and it sure felt every bit as hot in the gym.  These are the kind of conditions that most 12U players would either complain about, or at the very least would cause them to “phone in” their own effort and more or less sleepwalk through it.  But there was something different about the Brabson girl.  Here she was, reaching deep down within her heart and playing the game all out.  She was pushing her hustle meter into the red.  Fighting for loose balls, bringing the ball up hard, slashing through multiple defenders.  You name it, she was doing it.  But more than that, it was how she was doing it.  Like her life depended on it.  She had to feel the heat in that stuffy gym just like everybody else.  But, when the game clock was rolling, she somehow blocked out the discomfort and played the game as it should be played:  To the fullest.

 

And so, it was decided on the spot on that scorcher of a June afternoon that DGB.com had to do a little more for Caelyn than simply mentioning her briefly in a weekend tournament wrap-up piece.  To do any less wouldn’t be fair to Caelyn.  So, we hope you enjoy her profile!

Caelyn as a Wildcat back in 2008.

Height:  5’ 2”

Class:  Will start 8th grade in the fall

School:  Newark Charter

Positions Played:  Point & Shooting Guard

Basketball Heroes:  Elena Delle Donne & Kayla Miller

Other Sports:  Track & Cross Country

A sweat-soaked Caelyn playing for the Tigers 12U at West Chester, June, 2010.

Exclusive DGB.com Interview

When did you begin playing basketball?

I began playing at about age 7.  I was in second grade.

What made you interested in playing?

When I was 7, I told my mom that I wanted to try a sport, and I chose basketball.  And ever since I started playing, I fell in love with it.

How do you see your future in the sport?

I wanna play in high school and college, but I’m not sure about playing in the WNBA yet.

Aside from AAU, do you do other basketball stuff in the off-season?

Last year, I did the St. Mark’s camp and worked with John Kulesza.

I don’t see very many girls apply themselves as all-out as you.  Where does that come from?

I just like to play the game, and, especially if we’re losing, then I need to help the team out.  Get us back in the game.

Well, thanks Caelyn!  I’m sure if you keep up your on-court intensity, others will notice and you’ll be interviewed in bigger, more important places than DGB.com.

Running point.

Just how she could smile in that 90 degree plus gym was beyond me.