Junior Scholanda Hoston has put together an impressive resume in her last two years at LSU. Starting all 35 games last season, Hoston finished fourth on the team in scoring and in 3-pointers, as well as scoring in double-digits in 14 games.
Hoston has proved vital in contributing to LSU’s 25-1 overall record, ranking first on the team with 2.5 steals and 3-point field goals made at 1.3 per game. And she’s done it with the support of not only her teammates but also her husband and two-year-old child.
“I’ve just been doing the same things at home and with basketball,” Scholanda said. “It’s just another year.”
Following Hoston’s freshman year, the 5-foot-10-inch guard from Miami, Fla., took the following season off to give birth to her daughter, Aishida, after marrying Frederick Hoston on June 15, 2002.
And while Hoston has maintained strong academics while supporting her family, it has not always been easy.
“Even if you take basketball out of it, motherhood gives you all sorts of emotions,” Scholanda said. “You’re scared that you’re not going to be a good parent, or you’re ready and nervous and excited — it’s all those things.”
After Hoston discovered she would soon be giving birth to a child, she had a decision to make. Yet according to coach Pokey Chatman, the decision to maintain a family at home while also playing basketball was not a hard one for Hoston.
“She went about it with her family first,” Chatman said. “But she realized it was an opportunity to earn a quality education and compete in athletics. How better of a way to take care of her family?”
Following Hoston’s decision to have the baby and maintain her life at LSU, Hoston had to get back into shape to compete in the Southeastern Conference.
“I made that commitment to my family and to my coaches to get back to where I was,” Hoston said. “To get back to being the player that they recruited here.”
Chatman, who was an assistant at the time of Hoston’s pregnancy under head coach Sue Gunter, said she never doubted Hoston’s drive.
“When she took the year off to have the baby and get married, coach Gunter and I both agreed that if any particular player had the resolve to get through this, it’s Scholanda,” Chatman said. “She kept herself in shape and worked out on her own. She has so much pride about herself that if you ever came around the program, you wouldn’t realize she has a child.”
Having a husband that played both high school football and basketball has helped, especially when it comes to the one-on-one workouts.
“I know that she can’t beat me,” her husband, Frederick said. “But we’ll have 3-point shootouts. She’ll beat me sometimes, and I’ll beat her sometimes.”
Now, nearing the conclusion of her second season in participating in athletics as well as supporting her family, Hoston has been even more efficient on and off the court.
According to Chatman, having a strong family life outside of her life at LSU in no way slows Hoston down.
“She’s never going to miss an appointment, be late to anything or ask for any special privileges,” Chatman said. “She just handles her business, and when she gets on the court she has great focus and an all-out effort.”
For Hoston, the increased pressure on the court has been no different than before.
“We’re having a much more successful season,” Hoston said. “But that really has no bearing on that aspect of my life. I make sure basketball gets 100 percent and my home life gets 100 percent when I’m there.”
Aishida, who turned 2 on Jan. 29, typically spends her days at a local day care.
And while it may not be easy to always be with her, Frederick always manages to attend the home games with Aishida.
“She’s there every time,” Hoston said. “She used to fall asleep or pay attention to other things, but now she seems to understand.”
Frederick, who attends as many home games as possible with Aishida, said he does what he can to help.
“With her class schedule and travel schedule, I have to do a lot of the ‘mommy’ things,” Frederick said. “As far as diaper changing and cooking and making sure the baby is okay.”
Frederick has also picked up a knack for fashion in dressing the 2-year-old.
“I’ve actually gotten pretty good at dressing a little girl,” Frederick said. “There’s a lot of stuff she would normally have to do, but I don’t like to play male and female roles. I try to just do some of the things she doesn’t have time to do.”
In addition, having a mother that could be competing for a national championship in the following weeks could prove beneficial in Aishida’s future basketball career.
“I think [Aishida may get into basketball],” Hoston said. “Every ball is her ball, so I think she may just fall into it.”
According to Frederick, it does not matter what Aishida takes part in, just as long as it’s something active.
“She’s going to play something,” Frederick said. “She won’t be sitting inside talking about it being hot outside. She’s going to play some kind of ball.”