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When Aaniyah Williams-Perez walked into her first athletic interest meeting at Chicago Bulls College Prep, she almost turned around.

It was the fall of her freshman year. She remembers standing near the back of the room, arms folded, unsure if she belonged there. She had spent much of middle school focused on academics and close friendships, but high school felt bigger. She wasn’t sure where she fit.

“I didn’t really see myself as an athlete,” Aaniyah said. “I thought sports were for other people—the really outgoing, super confident kids.”

At the time, she was navigating the normal pressures of starting high school: new teachers, new classmates, and the quiet fear of not standing out in any particular way. A friend encouraged her to try out. She hesitated for days before finally deciding she didn’t want to spend high school wondering “what if.”

Her first practice felt overwhelming. The drills moved fast. The returning players already seemed comfortable, and she was worried she was a step behind.

“I remember thinking, ‘Maybe I’m not cut out for this,’” She said.

But that same practice, her coach pulled her aside—not to critique her performance, but to ask how she was feeling. It was a small moment. But it stuck.

“He told me it was okay to be nervous,” Aaniyah said. “He said everyone starts somewhere, and what matters is showing up again tomorrow.”

That was the first time she felt like she truly belonged.

Four years later, she no longer stands in the back of the room. She leads warm-ups. She encourages younger players when they look unsure. And she knows exactly what the program has given her: confidence, consistency, and someone who never stopped believing in her.

“Four years ago, I didn’t think I’d have anyone to support me,” Aaniyah said. “Now I have a coach I look up to—someone who guided me, believed in me, and helped me grow.”

Her coach remembers those early practices well.

“Aaniyah was quiet at first,” Coach Isai Torres said. “But she listened. She absorbed everything. Over time, she started holding herself to a higher standard. Then she started holding her teammates to that same standard—in a positive way.”

That growth didn’t happen overnight. During her sophomore year, Aaniyah hit a stretch where balancing school, practices, and family responsibilities felt overwhelming. After a tough game where she felt she had let her team down, she stayed behind in the gym.?

Instead of focusing on the missed plays, her coach asked what she thought went well and what she wanted to improve. Together, they created a plan: extra reps after practice, clearer communication on the court, and time-management strategies to keep her academics strong.?

“He didn’t make me feel like I failed,” Aaniyah said. “He made me feel like I could fix it.”?

That mindset shifted everything. The discipline she built in athletics began to show up in her classes. She became more vocal in group projects. She asked for help sooner instead of sitting in frustration.

“Watching her step into leadership has been incredible,” Torres said.

For Mekhi Slaughter, joining athletics was about proving something to himself.

As a freshman, Mekhi had natural ability but struggled with consistency. He admits there were days when frustration would get the best of him, especially after mistakes during games.

“I used to focus on what I did wrong and let it mess up the rest of my performance,” Mekhi said.

He remembers one particular game during his sophomore year. After turning the ball over multiple times, he shut down emotionally. On the bench, he replayed the mistakes in his head.

Instead of benching him indefinitely, his coach sat beside him and asked a simple question. “What’s the next best play you can make?”

“My coach doesn’t just tell me what went wrong,” Mekhi said. “He tells me how to fix it. That helps me focus on solutions instead of problems.”

They broke the game into smaller goals: stronger defensive positioning, clearer communication, smarter passes. When Mekhi returned to the court, he wasn’t trying to be perfect—he was trying to improve the next possession.

That shift changed how he approaches challenges beyond basketball.

“When the whole team has a strong connection with our coach, we communicate better, stay focused, and play together instead of as individuals,” Mekhi said. “We’re more locked in.”

Basketball and cross country coach George Beecham has seen how much Mekhi has grown.

“Early on, frustration would sit with him. Now, he resets faster. He leads conversations. He encourages others when they’re in that same spot,” He said.

Basketball coach Jacob Goldstein echoes that growth.

“Mekhi wants to be coached,” He said. “That’s not always easy for young athletes. He’s learned that accountability isn’t criticism, it’s investment.”

For Mekhi, one of the most meaningful moments came off the court. During a stressful academic stretch, he approached his coach, unsure how to balance everything. Instead of simply reminding him to “manage his time better,” his coach sat down and mapped out his week’s practice schedule, study blocks, and rest.

“That showed me he cared about me as a person, not just an athlete,” Mekhi says.

Years from now, Aaniyah and Mekhi may forget specific plays or final scores, but they won’t forget the adults who showed up consistently, challenged them to grow, and believed in their potential.?

“A great coach doesn’t just make you a better player,” Mekhi said. “They help you become a better person.”