Patience Choi is a member of the Arcadia High School (AHS) Girls JV Basketball team and has been an avid player since childhood. Currently a high school junior, Choi is a diligent and hard worker; she enjoys challenging herself both academically and physically and reaps an outstanding work ethic as a result. She also runs the Student Library Advisory Committee (SLAC) and swims outside of school.

Choi has been playing basketball since around second or third grade at her parents’ urging. Despite this, she expressed that she still enjoys the sport and continues to play because of the sense of unity and competition it brings to her life.

“The general atmosphere is relatively lively with some awkwardly silent periods, until it comes to actual practice or conditioning—then it gets a little more tense. Everyone works hard to push themselves to and past their limits and we all strive together as a team to keep each other accountable and on pace,” Choi said. “Right now, we have a relatively new coaching staff; however, everyone is getting into a rhythm and is as close as ever.”

Almost daily sixth-period basketball practices mean that the girls have ample opportunity to get to know each other both on and off the court. When basketball season arrives, they’ll be spending even more time playing as a team, cultivating a sense of camaraderie and friendship in the process. Having played with several of these girls since elementary school, Choi’s close bonds with her fellow players encourage friendly competition and improved performance in their games.

“Patience is one of the most hard-working individuals I have ever met in my life. Even when we’re all dripping sweat and exhausted on the track, she never fails to push her limits and have a positive, uplifting spirit,” said junior Clarissa Gil, a fellow Girls JV Basketball team member.

Until basketball season, Choi notes that her after school schedule comprises homework, sports, and recreational time.

“I go home, finish all the homework due the next day, work on some homework due later, study, and somewhere in between all of that go swimming or play basketball,” she said.

Choi is also the head of the Student Library Advisory Committee (SLAC), which she described as “a new interest club with the librarian Ms. Will as an advisor,” whose goal is to nurture the library environment according to student demand, draw new people in, and organize and promote library activities.”

Like many athletes, Choi exhibits an unwavering determination to challenge and edify herself to the best of her ability, no matter how difficult the task is. In other words, she practices—well, patience. And perseverance. When she commits to something, she resolves to complete it, no matter how long or boring it may be, describing her academic and athletic responsibilities as “simply doing something to the best of your ability given the time constraints.” Many of us students could learn a thing or two from her about allowing ourselves to embrace learning as a valuable endeavor rather than a burden with a deadline.

As for hobbies and interests, Choi stated that she enjoys “speed-reading manga, solving relatively simple coding problems, and taking courses in order to solve harder coding problems,” showing that her desire to learn and comprehend to the best of her ability pervades even her free time.

With a determined approach to academics and sports alike, Choi continually exemplifies an unbridled determination to learn and succeed, in the process inspiring her teammates to apply themselves more fully to their pursuits. Choi is an invaluable member of the AHS Girls JV Basketball team, as well as an excellent student and friend.

Photo by Caroline Li