“I want to compete,” says Sam Couch. “I want to play basketball – it’s my dream.”

For most kids, talk about playing sports at the college level is just that, talk.

Often times, even the kids who possess the God-given talent to take it to the next level, still can’t put it all together to make it happen.

They don’t dream like Sam does.

Sam is a senior point guard and team captain for the Lady ‘Cats basketball team.

She transferred to Lake Highlands High School from Bishop Lynch during her sophomore year and quickly found a home on Coach Mulligan’s squad.

“Sam had an immediate impact after she arrived, and she's played every single role on our team you could imagine,” says Mulligan. “She is a true leader.”

As a junior last year Sam was named a team captain and started as point guard for the Lady ‘Cats, who won the District 9-5A title. However, for Sam, the excitement of making it to the playoffs was short lived.

During the third quarter of the bi-district playoff game against Garland, she blew out her knee and needed reconstructive surgery to repair her torn ACL.

“I was shocked when it happened and really taken aback by the whole thing,” says Sam.

Six months later, with all the hard work of rehab behind her, Sam was relieved and excited to get the green light from the doctor to go full speed again. Unfortunately, her dream to play basketball at the next level would once again be tested almost immediately.

During a scrimmage, just two days after getting that green light from the doctor, Sam reinjured the same knee. She returned to doctors fearing the worst and had her knee scoped but everything seemed to check out – no blown ACL this go around. Even still, Sam wasn’t 100%.

“I just wasn’t comfortable, it just didn’t feel right,” she explains. “I kept playing though, because it was my senior year, and I didn’t want to let the team down. I also knew that I still had a shot to play in college.”

While a bit uncomfortable, especially because of the knee brace she had to wear, Sam gave it her all and played in 9 games this year. She did well, all things considered.

But just as things started to look up, the unthinkable happened. In the second district game of the year against Skyline, Sam came down wrong on her reconstructed knee and, just like that, her season was over with another blown ACL.

A number of colleges were courting Sam to play basketball, but they backed off after her injuries. Fortunately for Sam, she had an ace in her hand - namely a class academic ranking of 36th and a long-time relationship with the Head Coach at Trinity University, Amie Bradley.

“Coach Bradley happened to coach my AAU team when I was 11 years old,” says Sam. “She was recruiting me before the injury and has stuck with me through thick and thin.”

Her academic status was good enough for her to have recently received an appointment to the Naval Academy last November, but Sam had a dream to play basketball and Trinity University punched her ticket.

“I’ll be attending Trinity on an academic scholarship, and I chose to go to Trinity over the Naval Academy because I’ll be given an opportunity to play basketball,” she says.

Just a couple weeks removed from her last surgery, Sam is gearing up for her next round of rehab, while still keeping busy helping Coach Mulligan out as much as possible. “She has become ‘Coach Couch’ for the team,” says Mulligan. “She’s definitely a big part of this squad.”

“I knew she would play again, and I had full confidence that she would find the perfect college for her academic and athletic aspirations,” concludes Mulligan.

“She pushes herself to be the best she can be in every aspect of her life.”

Congrats to Sam for living her dream and best of luck at Trinity next year!