by For many WNBA players, getting a chance to go home and play in front of family and friends is another special opportunity that being a member of the league bring to the table and for Atlanta’s Shoni Schimmel the current west coast road trip will be her opportunity to head home to see family and friends.
Schimmel grew up in Mission, Oregon, on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. “There was a basketball hoop right outside my house and literally I was out there all the time. It was one of those adjustable hoops. I was dunking on it just having fun playing two-on-two, me and my cousin vs. my sister [Jude] and my other cousin,” said Schimmel. Basketball has always been a family sport for the Schimmels. Shoni and Jude were teammates and Shoni’s parents were her AAU coaches.
Because Schimmel plays in Atlanta, a lot of her family does not get the opportunity to travel to watch her play. “My sister Jude was out here for a little bit. She was here for a couple games when we had a stretch of games in June. Also a couple of my cousins made it out to games here.” Things will change once she gets out to the west coast.
During the Atlanta Dream’s six-game road trip, Schimmel will get to see a lot of her family during the west coast voyage.
“My whole family will be in Seattle.” Not only will her family get to see her play in the “Emerald City” but her mom, dad and sister are planning a special trip to see her also. “I think my mom, dad and sister are making a trip to either Phoenix or the LA game, I’m not really sure which one but they are going to be there. For them to make it to an extra game, it’s going to be special for me.”
Any time Schimmel returns home to the west coast, there is a tremendous outpouring of support for her and the Atlanta Dream.
“It’s a bunch of support out there especially in Seattle. There’s a lot of people coming out there because it’s the closest to home I have. Los Angles has a lot of fans out there, Phoenix is always big too. So this west coast trip, I’m looking forward to because it’s going to be fun.”
The Atlanta Dream recently traveled to Louisville to compete in the Atlanta Dream Classic. Dream stars’ Angel McCoughtry and Shoni Schimmel competed collegiately for the University of Louisville. The return to Louisville was unique but not as personal to Schimmel as this western road trip.
“It’s always special to return where you’re from and to college where you’ve played four years. It’s always great seeing the fans from Louisville, but going back to the west coast, it’s almost spoiling because you get to see your family and that’s something I’m looking forward to. It’s just being about able to see my brothers and sisters, my grandparents, my mom and dad.”
While on the west coast, Schimmel plans to spend as much time with family and friends as this two week trip will allow.
“My plan is to spend as much time with them as possible. For them to be there and support me it’s something I look forward to. Spending time and having a break to eat or sit there with them or maybe take them to the Nike Outlet is something special – just to go out there and spend time with them.”
The Atlanta Dream current road trip will include games against the Phoenix Mercury (July 14), Los Angeles Sparks (July 16), Seattle Storm July (18) and the Chicago Sky (July 21).
The Atlanta Dream will return to Philips Arena on August 2 to take on Brittney Griner and the Phoenix Mercury at 3:00 p.m., ET.
