Isla McCabe’s Journey From Beginner to Starter
3 Minute read
By Andrea Aruino
Isla McCabe went from not playing basketball until the end of middle school, to becoming a starter for her high school Junior Varsity (JV) team, leading the pack to a 15-4 regular season. McCabe first began playing basketball at her small private school while also spending time playing one-on-one with her dad at local parks. As she continued playing, she realized this was the sport she wanted to commit more time towards. From then on her progression in basketball developed exponentially leading her to spend the summer before freshman year of high school in the UPBasketball gym which was her first introduction to fundamentals training.
After a summer of consistent training, she tried out for Burlingame High School’s JV team not knowing if she would receive a spot. After two weeks of tryouts, she earned her spot on the roster. Doubts still lingered as this was her first time playing organized sports and she received little to no playing time in the team’s first scrimmage.
The jump from middle school basketball to high school competition immediately exposed gaps in her game. While playing she quickly realized how much more skilled the other players were. Instead of letting that discourage her, McCabe leaned into the learning process. From stationary ball handling drills in her backyard to long shooting sessions with her dad, she focused on building her fundamentals from the ground up.
“I didn’t know how to dribble at all or have any proper form,” McCabe said. “So I just practiced harder, asked questions during practice, and basically relearned everything that I was doing wrong. I just wanted to keep getting better.”
Training at UPB became a major part of that development. Working with former UPB Coach Hannah Johnson and now Coach Ben Ruelas, they have helped her not only improve technically, but also grow mentally as a player. Coach Ben discusses the controllables with her, a perspective that became especially valuable during her freshman season at Burlingame as she was adjusting to the pace. That patience gave her confidence to continue improving, especially when mistakes started to feel frustrating. Over time, skills that once felt impossible became second nature.
“We started by focusing on the basic skills such as layups, ball handling, and shooting, with a big emphasis on improving her shot. Once she built a strong foundation and was progressing well, we advanced to more game like. Now, she’s much more confident when catching the ball because she feels like she has multiple options to make a play,” Coach Ben Ruelas said.
As the season progressed, so did the team’s chemistry and success. What started as an intimidating environment quickly became one of the most enjoyable experiences of her life. Alongside a group of supportive teammates, Burlingame finished with an impressive 15-4 record and an undefeated league season.
For McCabe, one of the proudest moments was not just making the team, but earning a very meaningful starting position.
“It was kind of surprising. At first I didn’t even know if I was going to make the team, so becoming a starter was something I never expected. But I just kept going to every practice, working hard, and eventually everything started to click,” McCabe said.
Now preparing for her sophomore offseason, McCabe continues training almost every day with hopes of making the varsity roster next season. Her focus remains on strengthening her fundamentals, especially ball handling and shooting consistency.
From entering high school unsure if she would even make a team to becoming a starter on an undefeated JV squad, McCabe’s basketball journey has been defined by persistence, humility, and consistency. And while she still considers herself early in the process, she has already proven how far dedication can take you.
