Flash Feature - Malika Willoughby
12/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Kent State Athletics Communications
Malika Willoughby is no stranger when it comes to facing adversity. All her life, when her back was up against the wall, she has always found a way to overcome any obstacle.
Whether it is playing through an illness on game day, competing against the guys on the playgrounds of Chicago or helping her mother care for her disabled younger sibling, Willoughby always comes through.
The sophomore transfer spent a majority of her childhood growing up on the Windy Citys south side. It was there at age 9 Willoughby started to take in the game of basketball. After moving to the Milwaukee area at age 13, Willoughby excelled at nearby Washington High School and earned herself a basketball scholarship to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She played for the Panthers for one year before transferring to Kent State in 2002.
After sitting out last season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules, Willoughby wasted no time showing the Kent State faithful what she was made of, going for 18 points and five assists in the season-opening win against Rice.
Through five games this season, Willoughby is averaging better than 10 points a game and leads her team with 26 assists and 15 steals.
Willoughbys mother, Rebecca Harp, is not surprised to see her oldest daughter excelling at the collegiate level. Though undersized by most Division I-A standards, Willoughby makes up for it with her tremendous quickness, evident by her seven steals at Youngstown State.
I always knew she was destined for success, Harp said. She has always loved the game of basketball. When she played as a kid, the guys would pick her to be on their team before some of (the other guys). She has never backed down from a challenge and has always displayed that leadership quality both on and off the court.
Willoughby did not even start playing the point guard position until her senior year of high school. Though she admits she had troubled adjusting at first, she now loves the challenge of leading her teammates on the floor.
If my teammates see me playing hard, they are going to play hard, Willoughby said. If I take it easy, so will they. I always try to encourage my teammates as much as I can. If you make a mistake, its okay. You have to forget about it and move on.
Willoughby displayed an extraordinary amount of leadership and courage in a loss at Wisconsin-Green Bay earlier this month. Though she only notched two points and four assists, she fought through a severe case of the flu in front of her family and friends, playing 37 minutes and giving 110 percent even though the energy in her tank was seemingly empty from the start.
I thought I was literally going to pass out on the floor, Willoughby said. I dont think Ive ever felt that bad during a game. I knew I wasnt anywhere near 100 percent, but my teammates needed me out there. Its going to take a lot more than the flu to keep me from playing.
I was obviously disappointed because all my family and friends were there. That was the first time they have seen me play in a long time.
Willoughby admits growing up the south side of Chicago was tough at times. She witnessed it all from gangs to drugs and even saw one of her classmates shot and killed outside her school when she was in junior high.
That was just a tough neighborhood, Willoughby said. You couldnt just go out and play with your friends anytime you wanted. We had to spend a majority of our time in or close to the house. There were all kinds of gangs around and a lot of times you couldnt even walk down the street. It just wasnt safe.
The rough neighborhood provoked Harp to move her family to Milwaukee when Malika was 13. The move also provided better resources for Harp to better care for her disabled child, Nashawn, who, at birth, was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, a group of disorders characterized by loss of movement or other nerve functions. The disorders are caused by injuries to the brain that occur during fetal development or near the time of birth.
Helping to care for her sister became part of a daily responsibility for Willoughby. Sometimes Willoughby would wake up at 5 a.m. to help attend to Nashawn before school. When Harp had to work longer hours, Willoughbys high school coach would grant Willoughby permission to go home in the middle of practice so she could attend to her disabled sister then return to practice.
She started to learn a lot about being responsible at a younger age than most kids do, Harp said. Malika was a good girl. She always did what the family needed her to do and always stayed out of trouble.
I always taught her to be respectful to others and they will respect you back. She has good morals and I tell her and all my kids to spend a lot of time with God. I tell them that I may not always be here, but God will.
Harp is the wind beneath Willoughbys wings. When asked if there was one person growing up that she looked up to or admired the most, Willoughby said without hesitation, my mother, definitely.
My mother is my pride and joy, Willoughby said. She is always there for me no matter what. If I am ever doing badly in school or on the court, shes there for me. I can always count on her. She is my best friend.
