Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/62711
at the WAC four to five times a week. "I'm having a lot of fun playing basketball again," she says. "For me, it's a big part of my social life, too." On leadership "Joining the WAC and playing for the team has been the most welcoming and amazing experience I've had in a while," says Syesha, the player-coach. Coming from her, that's saying a lot. Syesha played her college ball at Oregon State and grew up Youth gather during a basketball camp led by Syesha Thomas in Nigeria. around the sport. Her dad, James Thomas, was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks and played overseas, including in Italy, where Syesha was born. James Thomas later played extensively in Argentina and started a basketball academy there. Syesha's younger sister and brother both play for Argentinian national teams. About a year before her trip to Nigeria, Syesha founded Hoopaddict. The nonprofit uses basketball as a catalyst to improve the lives of youth from diverse backgrounds. She also sits on the board of African Basketball Online, a U.S.-based nonprofit that uses the sport to support underprivileged and at-risk African youth. Team coach and player Syesha Thomas breaks during practice. SARAH MCDEVITT WORKS AS A PROGRAM MANAGER AT MICROSOFT • Played at NeW york UNIVERSITY AFTER ATTENDING HOLY NAMES ACADEMY ON SEATTLE'S caPitol hill • JoiNed Wac team laSt SPriNg • loveS BEING ACTIVE OUTDOORS • PaSSioNate about TEACHING AND EDUCATION. LUV RATTLER PLAYED FOR KENTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL, TWO YEARS FOR BELLEVUE COLLEGE, A YEAR FOR CAMERON UNIVERSITY IN OKLAHOMA, AND A YEAR AT CENTRAL WASHINGTON uNiverSity • Still atteNdS ceNtral WaShiNgtoN • JoiNed WAC TEAM THIS PAST NOVEMBER. KRYSTAL ROBINSON PLAYED AT WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY AFTER KENTRIDGE HIGH School • JoiNed Wac team iN aPril 2011 • ASSISTANT STORE MANAGER AT UNIVERSITY VILLAGE StarbuckS • coacheS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL. 24 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | APRIL 2012 SYESHA THOMAS TEAM'S COACH AND PLAYER • Played at oregoN State • borN iN italy • FOUNDED HOOPADDICT, A NONPROFIT THAT WORKS WITH YOUTH FROM DIVERSE backgrouNdS • daughter OF JAMES THOMAS, DRAFTED BY THE ATLANTA HAWKS. SYESHA THOMAS AMANDA UMBERGER, CWU