PUEBLO, Colo. — If sports teach us anything about life, it's to expect the unexpected.
"I didn't know what we were going to do, we weren't really sure what the next steps were," Colorado State University-Pueblo forward Alisha Little said.
Alisha and her husband Malcolm were expecting their daughter Genesis in the Spring of 2023, a dream for their young family, but a dilemma for a star player on the CSU Pueblo women's basketball team.
"I was afraid of disappointing a lot of people, obviously because my career was going so well," Alisha said. "But, after a lot of prayer and after talking to a lot of people that were close to me, we decided that it was definitely something we'd be able to handle."
Juggling a full-time nursing student load, a basketball travel schedule, and adjusting to a newborn at home, is all a bit easier when your husband becomes the point guard of the household. Malcolm started an online MBA program to spend more time with his daughter and take on some of the parenting duties.
"I played basketball my whole life and I feel like routine is the one thing that stuck, routine and discipline, so I feel like that's how I came up with all of the sleeping techniques and how she eats, plays, and all that," Malcolm said.
Routine is crucial for both a baby and a baller. Alisha felt out of sorts after giving birth to her first born.
"Just trying to get my athleticism back, I felt like I was so uncoordinated. I felt heavier, obviously, I didn't move as well," she said. "It was just so hard."
But finding a bit of rhythm with her head coach Tommie Johnson brought her back to her old self. Alisha now leads the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) in scoring and rebounding, and leads the entire Division II in both blocked shots and double-doubles.
"He just kept telling me focus on the process," she said. "We worked out a lot this summer and he helped me change my perspective on the whole journey of coming back."
When she returned, she was welcomed by a full squad of Aunties and a home away from home for Genesis.
"[The teammates] are so encouraging, it's kind of crazy. They like to say stuff like 'superwoman,' and it's really flattering but I really don't think they understand how big of an impact they've had on this whole journey of me coming back," Alisha said. "They've been super supportive and just having a team like them just makes things so much easier."
The coaching staff and teammates created a separate locker for Genesis and welcome her to every practice. Johnson said he wants to create a family atmosphere where everyone feels welcome.
Alisha, who originally is from Aurora and graduated from Grandview High School in 2019, is making lasting memories for her growing family in their new home of Pueblo.
"I want to make sure I create memories with her right now, even though she won't remember this time, I will. So I want to make sure I spend as much time as I can with her right now while she's still super young."
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