Brick by Brick — The Sideline Post
Kayla Padilla
From the Ivy League, back home in Maryland, to the WNBA draft, Abby has experienced it all. In “Brick by Brick”, an ode to a line from one of her favorite movies, Terps and Tigers star Abby Meyers talks about the tumultuous journeys of highs and lows that came with her collegiate basketball experien
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The Sideline Post
One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from a 2003 film, Seabiscuit.

“Brick by brick, my fellow citizens, brick by brick.”

The main character, Red Pollard, a jockey, says this to his injured horse, Seabiscuit, who eventually recovers from a fractured ankle to become the all-time money winner and horse of the year in 1938. Seabiscuit was an underdog that no one paid any attention to because of his smaller size and limp. Red Pollard was too big to be a jockey and many people turned him down because he was a hothead. In short, they were an unlikely duo to ever succeed. However, Rome was not built in a day. Through hard work, trust, dedication to their craft, and perseverance, they became champions.

Kobe Bryant suffered what many would assume a career-ending Achilles injury in 2013. He was quoted years later saying how he approached the injury “one step at a time” in order to get back to full health. He fully anticipated coming back and continuing his professional career. In an interview with Sean Croxton, he describes coming back from his injury like that of climbing Mount Everest. No one is going to hike the infamous mountain or find the motivation to come back from injury if they simply look at the end point. They have to put one step in front of the other – brick by brick – until they eventually reach the peak.

So, why do I mention a random horse movie and Kobe Bryant’s “one step at a time” interview? Because I believe everyone can relate to their overarching meanings, whether you are someone dedicated to your sport, craft, hobby, etc. My collegiate basketball experience can be compared to the most nauseating roller-coaster with its spontaneous twists and turns. We expect the perfect outcome, journey, and fairytale story, where the pieces naturally fall into place for us. If I could say anything to my young, naive, talented 17-year-old self before entering the world of college basketball, it would be, “expect the unexpected, and there is no such thing as a perfect four years.”

In 2017, I committed to play for the Princeton Women’s Basketball team, fully expecting to have a gradual, success-filled four years of school and basketball. I wanted to be the Rookie of the Year, score 1000+ points, and even get Player of the Year. I only saw the future good, the accolades, the recognition… the top of the mountain. Little did I know that I would have to face a lot of adversity and change in my life before seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

I endured unforeseen injuries that sidelined me from season games, took me out of the starting lineups, and forced me to come to terms with what patience really meant as an athlete. As a result of school complications, I took a year off from school and basketball after freshman year (almost like a gap year) to work in Chicago and trek for 87 days in South America. Coming back to my sophomore year in 2019, I was unable to really assert myself into the starting lineup because of unexpected injuries and a depleted confidence. Plus, COVID-19 cut the season short. My junior year at Princeton was virtual because the Ivy League canceled all sports seasons. It took three full years after my freshman year to really experience a full normal year again – my senior year. At this point, my collegiate basketball career was still young, and I was a small, inexperienced fish in a big pond.

Senior year was a monumental, life-changing year for me because I was able to take on a confident leadership role. My basketball play began to flourish and the talent surrounding me only elevated my game. I finally found a healthy streak and took it upon myself to get in the gym whenever I had a free moment. Becoming Player of the Year in the Ivy league, an All-American, and committing to play my final collegiate basketball season at the University of Maryland, my goals I had in 2017 started to get crossed off five years later in 2022.

My final year of basketball at Maryland came with its fair share of struggles at first: becoming friends with an entirely new and different group of girls, learning a whole new basketball system, gaining trust and respect from younger players, and asserting myself into a leadership position. New challenges, though, allowed for new opportunities. My team made it to the Elite Eight in the NCAA championship, losing to South Carolina by eleven points, and I would be drafted in the first round of the 2023 WNBA draft at 11 by the Dallas Wings.

“…every challenge is a testament to how tough and willing you are to succeed.”

I am skimming through my collegiate experience, but I wanted to show how it took many years of hardship, setbacks, and unexpected bumps in the road for just two successful years. What I thought was going to be a gradual four years at Princeton turned into a six-year experience, two different colleges, and being drafted into the WNBA. HOW? WHAT?

Brick by brick, my fellow citizens. To my younger self just now entering Princeton, I say this, “every challenge is a testament to how tough and willing you are to succeed. The road to achievement will not be paved for you, nor will it be an easy straight path for you to walk on. The road to achievement is long, with many hills and unexpected bumps along the way. You need to learn how to walk on this path, because it is the one you are destined to finish.”

Wherever life takes you, make sure to stay in the present moment and put one foot in front of the other. No one really knows what the future holds for us, but somehow, someway, there will be a beautiful rainbow waiting at the end for you.