Fields fights adversity, learns to thrive in college

January 27th 2:29 pm | Van Williams    

When she is on the basketball court, Kotzebue's Christina Fields feels the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Being just the second woman from her hometown to play college basketball and the oldest of Chip and Cindy's three children, Fields puts a lot of pressure on herself to succeed and set a good example.

"I play for my parents, my sister, my little brother," she said. "I play for Kotzebue."

Fields is in her first season at Highline Community College, a two-year NWAACC school in Washington. The transition initially was a difficult adjustment that nearly proved too much for her to handle.

"Beginning of the season I had a hard time going to school with people I didn't know," she said.

It was tough for her to deal with Lower 48 attitudes and she didn't like it. She thought about quitting.

"But then I thought about playing for my family and Kotzebue," she said. "It kept me in there."

Now it's all good.

Fields is having a blast playing basketball and meeting new people, thriving in the same environment that nearly broke her. She toughed up and fought through the adversity, building confidence with each passing day and coming out on the other side a better, stronger person.

"I'm way more relaxed now," she said.

Of course, it helps having a taste of home at her side.

Her boyfriend, Adam Sage of Point Hope, just transferred from Grays Harbor College to Highline.

And one of her teammates is Nicole Smith of Barrow. They have become better friends.

"We're pretty shy together, but we act like we're from the same state now," Fields said with a laugh.

On the court, Fields is starting to come out of her shell as well.

The 5-foot-10 forward is averaging 3.5 points and 1.6 rebounds in her first 14 games. She leads the team in shooting percentage [.530] from the field.

Her numbers have been even better over the last two weeks. She has collected season-high totals in rebounds [5] and blocked shots [2], and had scoring games of 8 and 7 points [just shy of her season high, 9].

"I haven't had my best game, but I'm getting in the groove again," Fields said.

The more she produces, the more she plays. She logged 21 minutes the other night.

"My coach is about hustle," she said. "You can make up for your mistakes by hustling and outrunning your defender. If you do something small but big in her eyes, she'll keep you in. Rebounding is a big thing with her."

She admitted that she needs to hustle more on the glass.

"I did get best rebounder at Edgecumbe and then going back to Kotzebue my senior year I kind of slacked on rebounding and it's even worse now," she said. "There are bigger girls — I'm not as thick or as tall. I can push them out but they are stronger than in high school."

Fields participates in weight training with the team twice a week, and it's helped her add muscle. But what she lacks in strength she makes up for in quickness. She is faster than most post players and she utilizes that advantage.

On offense she will beat a bigger defender with an up-and-under move. On defense she will steal the ball with quick hands or draw a charge with swift feet.

"I don't have a hard time playing defense," Fields said. "Some of the girls come to me for defensive tips."

Van Williams can be reached at sports@reportalaska.com.

 

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