Women's Basketball | September 14, 2016
PHILADELPHIA – Former La Salle women's basketball player
Ebony Wells was named a 2016-17 Victory Scholar at a ceremony in New York City last month, and the Grovetown, Ga. native is already working with youth groups in Ireland.
"I'm beyond excited about the program because it encompasses everything I love," explained Wells. "I get to work with people from many different backgrounds and share my experiences and love for the game with them while continuing my education."
The Victory Scholar Program is run by the Sport Changes Life Foundation, and aims to get the 23 participants "actively involved within the community, growing participation and acting as mentors for young people they work with."
Following a brief training program in Belfast to gain coaching certification in Ireland, Wells has been busy working with a wide variety of local youth groups.
"I'm working with a bunch of different groups, or loads of different groups as they say in Ireland", laughed Wells. "Last weekend I worked at the Titans Basketball Club Academy with kids aged 5-13 on different skills and today I did a practice for a 15 and under girls' team. It could be someone else tomorrow."
When not serving as a coach and mentor to the local youth, Wells will pursue a Master of Science in Human Resource Management at National University of Ireland Galway. She'll play for the varsity team at NUIG and NUIG's club team, the Mystics.
"Ireland is beautiful! I love the people and the city, everyone has been really helpful thus far," added Wells. "Everyone has a genuine interest in what I'm doing and where I'm from. Even in class my professors call on me for an international perspective on things."
Wells appeared in 61 games and made 37 starts in two seasons at La Salle, and averaged 4.1 points and 2.5 rebounds per game during her career. She graduated as a finance major and earned an MBA as a fifth-year senior last season.
Wells is hoping to enjoy a life-changing year in Ireland, and to use it as preparation for a possible career in coaching.
"I have often thought of a career in coaching simply because I couldn't imagine a life without impacting people in some way," Wells said. "I want to be sure that the work I'm doing, in whatever capacity, will help people."
