Seattle – Rebekah Gardner’s Strong Game Day Mindset
Liberty guard Rebekah Gardner really embraces the idea of being prepared whenever her name comes up. It’s like—she’s just ready.
For her, this involves practicing against the training squad and keeping up with game reports, even when she’s not slated to be on the court. Gardner believes that staying mentally engaged while watching from the bench—like visualizing her own plays and recognizing teammates’ mistakes—helps her grow.
It’s been a bit of a struggle, I guess, with her playing time and roles shifting throughout the season. But despite that, Gardner has shown she can help the team regain momentum when things aren’t going well.
In her first appearance during Tuesday’s game against the Golden State Valkyries, she stepped onto the court with just under five minutes left in the third quarter. Gardner quickly made an impact.
In just two minutes, she stole the ball twice and contributed to the team racking up 16 points while she was playing. It’s impressive how quickly she settled in.
Although the game ended in a 66-58 loss, coach John Kel Jones was full of praise for Gardner’s intense energy. “She was active on offense,” he commented, noting how she pushed hard on defense and executed the ball-screen strategies they had been practicing.
Gardner’s attitude of being “ready to stay” definitely paid off. The Liberty team might want to rely on her skills in the remaining three games and beyond.
As she prepares, Gardner has focused on two key areas—defense and rebounding—which she thinks are crucial for improving the team’s overall performance.
On a lighter note, Liberty players took an unusual off-day break on Wednesday. Leonie Fevich went shopping, Isabel Harrison enjoyed some time at the aquarium, and Cloud explored Seattle before hitting up a Lil Wayne concert with Brittney Sykes.
Everyone had their own way of recharging, allowing them to reconnect on Thursday with fresh energy. Cloud remarked that “mental reset days can create important habits.” It’s a way of coping, especially when you deeply care about the game.
