Senior captain Angela Bisaro is a forward for the Hillsdale College women’s basketball team. From Brighton, Mich., Bisaro is an international business major with a concentration in French, and enjoys being on the basketball team more than anything else.
What are your plans after graduation?
I am hoping to take on a job in global marketing with a company that I have had an internship with throughout the school year and over the past summer. I unofficially have a job offer with them, so I am probably staying in the area. That would be nice because I could come back and watch games.
Do you plan to keep basketball in your life?
I would really love to. We have been talking with some of the volleyball seniors about doing intramural basketball. Also, some of my senior teammates are talking about joining a league in the summer and continuing to play. It’s been a part of my life for so long that I hope to keep it going.
What is your goal as a team for this season?
Obviously to make it to the tournament. That is our biggest goal. And just to recognize the potential we have to be so great. We truly could beat anyone. (Last) Thursday didn’t go as well as we would have liked, but I have so much confidence in this team. They are such a great group of girls, and are so hard working, and have so much talent. We really have the capacity to do great things.
What do you think your biggest strength is as a team?
Our biggest strength is how well we mesh as a team. I think it is very hard to have a successful season or to have fun with it when you are playing with people you don’t like, or people that you don’t work well with. We all have that competitive nature, but we also really care for each other. It helps us to be competitive within ourselves, because we want each other to be better and we want each other to succeed.
Do you have any pregame rituals?
We have our rituals like chants and stuff like that in our locker room. We just prepare really well for games. Make sure you understand who your opponent is and their tendencies. Just knowing that you are prepared to face them and play your game against them.
What do you do in your limited free time?
I have great housemates. They are my best friends. It is nice being around them so much. Hillsdale surrounds you with pretty awesome people. So I just like taking advantage of that with movie nights and all that good stuff.
How do you keep morale up with so many injuries?
It is not fun watching a lot of your teammates get injured, and it’s not easy on the team either. Obviously you want everyone involved and to be playing. But it is good to remind people that we are so privileged to be here, and to keep that perspective and use that as motivation to help those who can play take advantage of the times they have on the court. The girls we have are so great. It is really easy to pump them up. Everyone is usually in such a good mood and smiley and happy to be together. It is a privilege to be in that position and to have that duty.
What is your toughest competition from here on out?
It depends on when we get to the tournament and who we face. Truthfully, we really can stick with anyone. It is going to be about us not shooting ourselves in the foot and just playing our game and really believing that we can beat anyone, because it is definitely doable. It’s funny how our conference is doing, because with the different losses there is not one team that reigns supreme.
Do you have any advice for incoming freshmen?
I would say from my experience don’t be afraid to just play your game regardless of your grade. It’s a different game from high school, but just own that opportunity and take full advantage of it. Have fun with it. It goes by so fast, and everyone told me that. But now that it’s senior year, it’s hard to convey that message until you are in that situation. Just enjoy every second of it: the bus rides, the practices, and every little bit of it.
-Compiled by Monica Brandt
