SHONI SCHIMMEL I understand that this blog is about teaching and students and there is a special feeling in my heart for all the former students I have had along the way. Today, I want to deviate just a bit. My, son, my wife and I have been U of L women's basketball season ticket holders going into our 8th year. Even though I actually seldom meet the young ladies that play on the team, I do, in a way, feel much the same about them as I do my former pupils and I also see many of my past charges at the games. Last night, July 19th, I watched one of the Cards grads set the court on fire in the WNBA All-Star game in Phoenix, Arizona. She put on an awesome display of basketball wizardry. Shoni Schimmel, a native American from Oregon and former reservation resident, put on a show that will not long be forgotten in a game that is often forgettable. Not only will this game be remembered, 125-124 in overtime, but Shoni will become legendary in the collective memory of the fans. Shoni scored 29 points, a record for an all-star game, including 7 three-pointers, had 8 assists, some due to amazing no-look passes, with some behind the back and behind the head executions. She also managed to get 5 rebounds. She was voted the games Most Valuable Player and was exceptionally gracious, staying and taking photos with her wonderful family, opponents, and fans for a very long time. What I like most about Shoni and her younger sister, Jude, a U of L senior in the approaching season, is that they have become icons among the native Americans, especially among those who feel trapped on Reservations across America. Both the Schimmel sister work tirelessly for the cause of the native-american population. Jude has done enough that a national magazine has named her one of the ten most remarkable college women in America. Her 3.8 something GPA didn't hurt either. Because of Shoni's fame, she has been the one most renowned and both the sisters take on that tiring roll with decorum and humility. I applaud them and I, too, look to them for inspiration as I do for many to my former students who have shown strength and resilience in difficult and tiring situation. I think we may be leaving this world in better hands than we ever anticipated. Here's to the youth.