This summer was the first time Melissa Wolff fully participated in AAU competition. It paid off for her in a big way.
Melissa, a senior forward for Cabot High School, committed to the University of Arkansas in September. She also took visits to Arkansas State and North Texas and received a few offers from other in-state and Texas schools.
But many of those offers didn’t start coming in until July, after coaches saw her play in AAU games.
“In fifth and sixth grade, I played a little travel-team ball. And I’ve always played school ball. But this summer was the first time I really got out there,” she said. “I didn’t realize how important it was to get out there on the circuit. It was a good experience. I got to talk to a lot of good coaches during that time.”
After her early summer of playing AAU, she said she started receiving a lot of calls. She narrowed it down to her three favorites, visited each one and decided Fayetteville is the best fit for her.
“It was cool, but I’m glad to know where I’m going and not worrying about where I’m going anymore,” she said. “It takes a bit of stress off.
“Growing up in Arkansas, I always wanted to be a Hog. All of the coaches are really big on family. Family is important to me, and I could see myself fitting in there.”
Melissa learned some valuable lessons while playing AAU ball as well. She normally plays the small forward position for Cabot, but this summer, she had the opportunity to use her 6-foot-1 frame near the post as a power forward. She also had the opportunity to work on her defense and experience a quicker pace of play.
“It’s a different-paced game with the best players in the nation,” she said. “I could tell it had helped me a lot when I got back to school.
“I was playing against stronger and faster players. You have to be mentally ready. My defense improved. Just going against the faster players in practice, playing against them every day, helped.”
Carla Crowder, Melissa’s coach at Cabot, wouldn’t have been surprised to see her player step up as she did during the summer. She has seen Melissa’s strengths on the court for her team.
“Melissa can do just about anything,” Crowder said. “She is the most pleasant person you can coach. She is a really good rebounder. She’s a good penetrator and a very good outside shooter.
“Her body is very long. She gets lots of touches and tips on defense. She makes her teammates better because she’s very unselfish.”
Sometimes, Crowder said, you may miss how much Melissa does for her team if you aren’t paying attention.
“You look up, and all of a sudden she has 20 points. You don’t realize how smooth she is and how active she is. Her touches and tips and rebounding are the things I really like that she does,” Crowder said.
Melissa speaks highly of her coach as well.
“I really like [her]. She gets down to business, but she is also one of those people you know will be there if you need anything,” Melissa said.
Getting down to the business of winning a state championship is the next goal for Melissa. The team made it to the semifinals of the state tournament last year, losing to Fayetteville. The team lost in the first round the year before that.
“I would really like to have a ring before I graduate,” she said. “Other than that, I want to help prepare myself for college. I want to work harder and get better and enjoy my senior year.”
She’ll also be working hard in the classroom, where she said she holds a 4.0 grade-point average. She said she is taking two Advanced Placement classes this semester, which she hopes will propel her it over a 4.0. She realizes it won’t be easy, however.
“It will be a little tough, especially when season comes. I have to keep my priorities set. In the long run, I’m going to need school,” she said.
Her future plans include becoming a physical therapist. At the university, she plans to major in kinesiology and later go to a physical therapy school. Part of it is being an athlete. She would like to be able to help other athletes recover from their injuries, but what inspired her was spending time with a physical therapist through a school program.
“We have a medical program here, and I job-shadowed a physical therapist the last couple of years. It would give me a way to be hands-on and still be kinda connected to sports,” she said.