Mataya Gayle, freshman point guard for the University of Pennsylvania, is used to battling on the court and it’s something she developed by being the eldest of 10 siblings, writes Matthew Frank for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

As a result of those experiences, Penn women’s basketball coach Mike McLaughlin often tries to get Gayle to think of home as a way to motivate her.

The tactic works, as Gayle is the team’s second-leading scorer at 15.1 points per game.

Being the eldest of 10 siblings is something she’d never want to change. 

“I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” said Gayle. “They’re the most important thing in the world to me. It’s such a blessing coming from such a big family … to me, it’s amazing.”

Being ascended to the starting point guard role as a freshman was a challenge for Gayle.

“She started off, at times, a little hesitant,” said McLaughlin. “She was a little bit reluctant to take command, understandably. These kids have been here two, three, four years, and she’s going to be the primary ballhandler right out of the gate. It’s not an easy task.”

Gayle has since taken on the challenge and developed into a go-to scorer for the Penn Quakers. 

Read more about Mataya Gayle’s journey as Penn’s starting point guard at The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

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