Sasha Rudd (right) defends Ainsley Mallet of VC. Rudd is from Kaplan and attends LCA in Lafayette.
Kaplan native finds new family, friends at LCA
LAFAYETTE - Sasha Rudd, as a freshman at Kaplan High, was looking for a new place to attend high school and improve her basketball skills.
She thought about Vermilion Catholic High School but came to the conclusion it was not a good fit.
Then she looked north at Lafayette Christian Academy, on the northside of Lafayette, near I-10.
She toured the campus and fell in love with the faculty and students. She found her new home.
Today, two years later, Rudd is a starter on one of the best basketball teams in Acadiana and in Class A.
“I love it here,” said Rudd after LCA beat VC 56-39 in a District 7A game. Rudd scored four points in the victory. “I did not expect to grow as much as I have, and I did not expect to fit in so quickly.”
She said enjoys the faculty who have made her feel like part of the LCA family. “It is a whole different environment. We are one big family. I did not expect to like it as much as I do.”
Rudd not only had to adapt to being around new people at a new school, she also had to figure out if she was good enough to play with a group of talented girls. All it took was her sophomore season to figure out she was good enough.
“At first I was intimidated (around her teammates) because I did not know if I was as good as them,” she said. “Then we began practicing, and I realized I can play with them.”
While Rudd is not the leading scorer on the team, she knows what her role is, she said. She is not shy to say she is a “team player” and will do what it takes to win a game.
“My goal is to help the team win in order to get that (state championship) ring,” she said. “Right now we are still working hard.”