Not Shy About Competition

Everyone’s motivations are different. Some of us are motivated by academics, others are motivated by the love of the sport and the rush of the game. In the case of Shyann Franklin, a two-sport athlete at Golden Valley High School, her motivation is a little different. Her motivation comes from two recent losses in her family that affected her mentality and has been the reason for her to continue playing and to push harder.

“Every time I want to quit, I think of them and how they had to go through so much in their life in such a short period of time and now I play for them,” Franklin said.

The people she plays for are her cousins Marquez Trammel and Shanika Delouth.

Marquez Trammel was 21-years-old at the time of his death. He was misidentified and shot in front of his house ultimately resulting in his death. Shanika Delouth was only 39-years-old when she died due to complications a few weeks after she had given birth.

Franklin uses these losses as a daily motivation and strives to achieve and surpass every goal that she sets for herself. She uses this as a daily reminder to be the best version of herself in that day.

“They showed me tomorrow really is not promised to anyone and I can’t take anything for granted,” she said.

She cherishes and appreciates all the lessons that she has learned from them and tries to incorporate them in her daily life.

“I am thankful God allowed me to know and love them and everything I do will be for them,” Franklin said.

Franklin’s motivation affects her team in a positive way; they all see how much time and effort she puts into her craft as the starting center for the basketball team and an all state shot putter for the track team. Her infectious work ethic causes her teammates to want to work just as hard.

“Having her on the court makes all of us work harder because we see how hard she works,” teammate Cassandra Ortiz said. “There are many  benefits of having such a hardworking and dedicated teammate alongside of her on the court.”

Franklin enjoys being the example for others and knows that her energy is contagious to the other players. 

“It helps in a way that it keeps us going. It’s contagious when we see her trying it makes us want to try harder too and we don’t give up on ourselves,” Ortiz said.

Franklin uses the losses in her life as an inspiration to improve her game and to encourage her teammates so that they can strive to be the best as well.

“Knowing these people had their lives cut short makes me appreciate what I have,” Franklin said.

The love and support of her teammates has been an anchor for Franklin during such a difficult time in her life. The bond between the girls has led to a tight relationship in which they can all depend on each other and form a second family.

“I love these girls.  They’ve been so supportive of me during this difficult time,” she said.

That support has translated into a better relationship on the court.

“We have good chemistry and we bond really well. My team and I have a bond that is unbreakable. I try to have a relationship outside of basketball with each of my teammates and that allows us to know we have each others back,” Franklin said.

This bond is clearly seen on the court as their chemistry radiates through the team as well as the crowd. The support from the stands makes a big impact on how well the girls perform.

“The support of the stands is beneficial, if the crowd is hyped then we play at a higher intensity and it makes the moment seem surreal,” Franklin said.  

Two surreal experiences that proved tragic in her life have proven to be the key motivators to her success on the court as well as in the shot put ring. Starting freshman year, Franklin showed tremendous talent on the field and on the court. At League finals, she had a final score of 44 feet in shot put. This was the best out of any freshman in the country.

Franklin would like to improve her score this season in order to continue to get her name out into the public. Her goal is to reach 44.2 feet and surpass her previous score. 

With a strong motivation and a passion for both basketball and track, there is no reason Franklin shouldn’t be able to shine above and bring attraction and success to her name. She averages a double-double, 13 points, and 13 rebounds per game. Against St. Bernard, Franklin dominated with a total of 24 points and 21 rebounds.

As she completes her junior year on the hardwood and moves into the shot put ring, Franklin continues to use her life motivations to accomplish more and more both in competition and away from competition. With a work ethic that has no boundaries, the sky is the limit for this Golden Valley dual sport star.