Court Vision: How Faith Carson’s IQ Sets Her Apart

2.5 Minute Read

By Andrea Aruino

Faith Carson began playing basketball at her local Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) in the third grade which was her first introduction to the sport. Despite having little background in basketball, Carson’s curiosity and love for the game was enough motivation to keep learning. Carson’s parents made sure they were able to help her get the practice and training required to pursue the gamel. 

Carson’s mother, Maria, was recommended to the UPBasketball facility for private training, a resource that would greatly benefit Carson as she progressed in her basketball journey. For someone who had just started, she was well versed in the rules and functions of the game. Coming to UPBasketball improved her game by building on top of existing knowledge with more of a focus on fundamentals and skills. Before coming into the gym, Carson was not as aggressive as she is today and accurate in her ability to shoot. All of her strong suits now were developed by coming into the gym at least twice a week. 

She joins the shooting sessions regularly each week to hone in on different assets of her game. While she enjoys being able to play with other peers, she likes to focus her time and energy into private training with Coach Veronica Barrott, which has improved her ability to play far more than just ball-handling and shooting. In private training, the two work on how to attack the basket and move around defenders. Before being confident enough to apply her practice into the game, Coach V was eager to build on that first. She does this through giving Carson motivational books and encouraging her in every step of the way, and even attends some of her games during the season. 

“With Coach V in private training, she helps me advance my IQ by making me do drills where I have to go with a certain rule depending on where her hips or her foot is facing. She also helps me be more confident when I play in games,” Carson said. 

Her dedication in the gym has paid off, earning her a spot on the AAU Bulldawgs team where she competes with fifth graders as well as a grade up alongside sixth graders. She is currently averaging 5.3 PPG and 2 RPG. Being challenged is nothing new for Carson. She recalls workouts that posed struggles she was not used to such as creating space in a shot or being aggressive when approaching the basket. Although challenging at the moment, it has set her up for success when playing opponents who play tough defense. This skill builds her strength in basketball IQ, something that Carson and Coach V focus on when tapping into the quick mental skills required to make reads and set plays. 

“At her age, her basketball IQ and understanding of the game is by far one of her strong suits. She understands the game on a deeper level than most girls her age. I would also add her competitiveness. She always wants to play her best and never take a play off. She understands what adjustments need to be made and applies it to the next game,” Coach V said.

As a fifth grader, Carson’s focuses include being a better leader as well as being a better scorer for the Bulldawgs. Just this past weekend, she ranked number 11 amongst sixth graders in shooting, something she has been working on more this season. Her love for the game has already taken her this far and she has yet to reach her full potential. With her schedule ramping up, she still remains focused on making sure she gets her time in the gym as much as possible. What began with limited knowledge of the game has transformed into the ability to drain shots from anywhere on the floor, something that will only grow as Carson continues to put the work in.