By Bria Smith
Rockcastle County is a small community on the outskirts of Kentucky with a
population of 17,006 people. It is also the place where the University of Louisville
own women’s basketball star forward Sara Hammond was born and raised.
This past basketball season the Lady Cards had an amazing year finishing as
national championship runner-ups after losing in the championship game to UConn.
Hammond was one of the big contributors in their tremendous NCAA tournament
run that helped the team get to that successful point.
But, how does this small-town girl cope with all of this new-found attention that
comes along with those accomplishments?
“Coming from such a small community makes me humbled and thankful,” says
Hammond. “Not many people coming from such a small place gets these type of
opportunities.”
Hammond, now a junior on the team, is not only a star basketball player to her
community back in Rockcastle but also became an inspiration to kids that are in the
same position that she was raised in.
“I think it’s a great position to be in because it gives hope to those that feel as if
they’ll never make it out of a small town or small place. It makes them feel like their
dreams are still alive because someone before them ahead of their time did it.”
One thing that Hammond made clear, even though she fell in love with Louisville
and it’s where she plays and built so many new great relationships, Rockcastle
was the place that molded her into being the person that she is today and that she
wouldn’t change where she came from for anything.
“Being from a small community I’ve learned that you have to be appreciative and
grateful for what you have and where you come from. Ill forever be grateful for all
the love and support that everyone from back home has always showed me.”
