Not planning on playing college basketball, Colony standout wants to win now

PALMER — As one of the best high school girls basketball players in the state, Faith Farris of Colony is repeatedly asked about her plans to play college basketball. Coaches, fans, pretty much everyone asks the same question.

“I get that all the time, especially as it’s getting close to the end of the season, everybody is like, ‘Where are you planning to play in college?’” Farris said. “I tell them, ‘Oh, I don’t think I’m going to’ and everyone is always so surprised.”

She’s good enough to play in college so it’s easy to assume she would. Most kids would.

But she’s not like most kids.

The 18-year-old is as versatile as she is successful — an all-state player, honor-roll student, part-time model and wanna-be doctor.

“She’s a smart gal and she’s going to do some amazing things in her life,” Colony coach Jeff Bowker said.

The biggest reason why Farris isn’t going to play basketball in college is because she plans to work in the medical field and recognizes the academic commitment it’ll take to become a doctor.

“I’ve talked with a lot of basketball players that play in college and they said it’s more of a job when you get to college, and it’s so much more of your time,” she said. “So since I’ll be focusing on school, maybe it’s not the best choice for me putting so much time into something else. I think I’ve known this for a long time.

“And last summer I started getting into modeling, too, so that’s also something I don’t know if I would have the time to do if I played basketball.”

Until then, though, her focus is helping Colony get back to the ASAA Class 4A state tournament. The Knights finished second last season and third her sophomore and freshman seasons.

“This year has had more meaning to me,” Farris said. “It’s my last year. There is a sense of urgency and a sense of want for that state title.”

The 5-foot-8 guard is the centerpiece for fourth-ranked Colony [14-5]. She averages 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals per game.

“I think she’s one of the three, four best players in the state,” Bowker said. “She’s fearless going to the basket and by the same token she is one of the best perimeter shooters out there.

“She’s long, so she can get steals and create havoc defensively. Offensively, she can shoot the ball against bigger girls. She’s a real strong competitor.”

Bowker pointed to a recent game against Lathrop when Farris broke a tie with a rare 4-point play after sinking a 3-pointer while being fouled and then the subsequent free throw.

“So often times you deal with trying to get people to take shots and she’s willing to take the shot, and she’s willing to find a teammate if she needs to,” Bowker said. “For us, she needs to make big plays and she’s not afraid of that role of having to make a big play.”

Bowker believes this start player’s success on the court is a result of confidence and hard work. She puts in more time than most players and her.

“She’ll go to practice and then she’ll go to the AT&T Center and take 300, 400 shots. She’ll go shoot for an hour and a half after practice,” he said. “She’ll do that four or five days a week. She doesn’t take weekends off. We don’t practice on Sundays, but she’ll be over there getting up her shots and she’s really committed to doing that. She’s done it her whole career.”

Bowker considers Farris a role model for other students at Colony because she puts sacrifice before success, we before me.

“It’s getting harder and harder finding kids willing to make that commitment,” the coach said. “I’ve got some freshmen and I tell them to watch Faith. The young kids in our area want to be like Faith. Well, I tell them, look at the work it takes.”

In some ways, the sweat and sacrifice have taken a toll on Farris. It might help explain why she is so eager to focus on other parts of life when she gets to college.

Until then, though, she is determined to help Colony maximize its season. She plays every game like it was her last because, well, the end is coming and time is running out.

“Basketball has been my entire life since third grade, so thinking how I’m not going to have that competition and I’m not going to go to the gym after practice and shoot around, it’s strange,” Farris said. “These last few weeks I’ll definitely be giving all that I’ve got.”

Van Williams is a freelance writer in Anchorage and a correspondent for the Alaska Activities School Association.