Some little girls dream about being in a beauty pageants one day., Shalon Pillow has always dreamed about playing college basketball. Talk about your fairy-tale ending.
Pillow, the Enquirer's female Athlete of the Year, will be playing for three-time defending NCAA champion Tennessee.
"It's going to be a lot of work, but I can't wait to get down there," said Shalon, a standout basketball and volleyball player at Taylor High School.
"I've gotten to meet all the players, and that was one of the reasons I decided to go there," Pillow said.
"They acted like I was already a member of the team. They're really down-to-earth. They're not thinking about the last three championships. They're focusing on this year. They -- I mean we -- want to do the same this year."
Pillow will be playing with some of the country's top basketball players, including Chamique Holdsclaw, who gave up a chance to turn pro.
"People keep asking me how I feel," Pillow said. "Scared, excited, worried: I'm really feeling all those emotions mixed together."
At 6 foot 3 1/2 inches, Pillow holds school records for rebounding, scoring and blocks. But she knows things won't come easy at Tennessee.
"If I work hard enough, I'll be able to play," she said. "But I know I have to earn a spot. They didn't guarantee me any playing time."
Working hard has never been a problem for Pillow. She is constantly working on improving her game, seeking out the toughest competition. "I play with the guys during open gym," she said. "It helps me to play with people who are bigger and stronger than me."
And she often goes up against Taylor's assistant coaches -- names -- during practice.
"They beat up on me, but that makes me tougher," she said. "It helps me mentally.
Pillow also holds most of the school's volleyball records. And she probably could have been even better in that sport.
"A couple of years ago, we decided she was going to have to let volleyball and softball go in the summer and focus more on basketball," said her father, Dan, who is also Taylor's coach.
"I think if she had spent her summers concentrating on volleyball, she could have been a Division I volleyball player."
Shalon got her love for the game tagging along with her dad as he played in rec leagues. The two have forged a strong bond.
"I've been coaching her for so long, I found the line that allows us to keep up a great relationship as coach and player," Dan Pillow said.
"At age 11, she was already close to 6 feet. . . . I realized I was pushing her too hard. She was really just a little girl in a big body. So I backed off and that allowed our relationship to grow."
Shalon said she also had to make some adjustments.
"When I was young, I took everything he said personally, but then I realized he was acting as the coach, and not my dad."
She realizes it will be difficult now that he is no longer her coach.
"It will be hard for both of us, but he knows I'll be in good hands with Coach (Pat) Summitt."
"That's one of the reasons, I picked Tennessee. I wanted him to be able to see me play as many games as possible. If I had gone to school out east or to Georgia, that wouldn't have been possible." Shalon's mom also played basketball and volleyball and ran track like Shalon. Shalon appreciates that she is lucky to have so many opportunities as a female athlete.
"I think I have perfect timing coming out of high school right now," she said. "By the time I'm done with college, the WNBA and the ABL should be really stable. So if I want to try to play professionally, I'll have some opportunities."
She's also excited about the prospects of playing in front of a packed arena. At Tennessee, the women's games often outdraw the men's.
"I'm the type of player who feeds off a big crowd," she said. ". . . If you play in front of an empty gym, it's too much like practice."I got a taste for it when I played in the Nike All-America game. I didn't realize how much support women's basketball had until then. There were little kids asking for my autograph."
