It is hard to miss Jade McNorton on the basketball court. The 6-foot-3-inch center from Boise, Idaho. is the tallest player on the Pepperdine women’s basketball team and is notorious for blocking shots and making free throws. McNorton is an integral part of the Waves’ defense, but it hasn’t come easy.
Her freshman year was spent watching her teammates from the bench as she tried to recover from a stress fracture in her foot.
“The injury happened over time from playing,” said McNorton, who has been playing almost all her life.
Stress fractures are common among athletes, but with the injury occurring in her foot, McNorton was unable to play her freshman year. Instead of her injury holding her back, McNorton saw it as an obstacle to overcome and faced the situation with optimism with the help and support of her parents, teammates and coach.
“All my teammates were supportive while I was out and my coach let me travel everywhere with the team,” McNorton said. “My parents kept me encouraged by reminding me that I worked hard to get to this point and my time would come.”
McNorton names her parents as her “biggest inspirations.” Both of her parents played basketball in college and passed their legacy down to McNorton, who recalls watching them play in rec games.
“I started playing basketball when I was really, really little,” McNorton said. “They [my parents] put me in it and I just never stopped playing.”
McNorton was a four-year varsity star at Centennial High School in her hometown of Boise, Idaho, and a junior national All-American. Despite all of her success in the sport, she still found it difficult to have to watch her teammates from the sidelines.
“It was hard not playing because I felt separated from the team and like I couldn’t contribute,” McNorton said.
McNorton still traveled with her team to cheer them on and never second-guessed her choice to play basketball.
“I never wanted to quit,” McNorton said. “It made me more eager to get out there and play.”
To make up for lost time and prepare for this upcoming season McNorton sacrificed her summer by staying on campus and working with the team trainer. McNorton also focused on building strength in the weight room during the preseason.
“We practice every day for three-plus hours a day,” McNorton said. “I really try to focus on being strong and working on defense and rebounding.”
McNorton’s family holds a special place in her heart. The youngest child in her family, McNorton enjoys spending time with her niece and nephews when she’s not playing basketball or in the weight room.
“I’m very passionate about my family,” McNorton said. “I have a niece and two nephews I’m obsessed with and I’m always bragging and showing people pictures of them.”
Keeping a balance between her family and basketball is something that McNorton has excelled in. Before every game she gets ready with her team but always takes time to call or text her mom before she heads out on the court.
“[My mom] is everything I want to be in life,” McNorton said. “I always joke that we are exactly alike — she’s just the better version.”
Despite her injury, which held her back for a year, and all of the pressures associated with being a student athlete, McNorton has a life view that helps her balance such a difficult schedule.
“I just try not to take anything too seriously and be thankful for everything I have and the people in my life that are there for me,” McNorton said.
