Suburban Life Athlete of the Week: Julia Benjamin, Glenbard West, basketball, junior

Name: Julia Benjamin

School: Glenbard West, junior

Sport: Basketball

Why she was selected: Benjamin scored 17 points for the Hilltoppers in a 62-42 win over New Trier at the Grow the Game Showcase.

Benjamin was selected the Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Joshua Welge.

Welge: Your team is, I believe, 18-3 right now. Has the season met or exceeded your expectations? To what do you attribute your team’s great success?

Benjamin: This season, my team and I have beyond exceeded our expectations we had at the beginning of the season. We knew we had some of the best chemistry a team could have. However, we couldn’t see the full potential on the skills side of the game. The strongest attribute I possess for my team is my shooting ability, as well as my energy, being able to pick up my teammates when they are struggling and keep us all together as a team when things begin to go wrong.

Welge: The Grow the Game event last week, what has it meant to be a part of it the last few years?

Benjamin: It means so much to me representing female athletes, specifically women’s basketball players. It really means so much more than I could ever describe through words. Women’s basketball has been growing so much and this is yet another piece to add to this amazing journey of women’s basketball.

Welge: What are your goals for the rest of the season?

Benjamin: The main goals we talk about as a team and program at the beginning of every season is to win 20 games and win a regional championship. I know we can achieve both this season. Looking beyond that, I believe this team has what it takes to go even further than just that regional championship. We want that conference title and I believe we can do it. I can’t wait to see what my team and I can do the rest of this season.

Welge: If you were not playing basketball, what sport do you think you’d play? Have you played other sports?

Benjamin: I would be playing baseball. I played soccer and baseball both for 11 years. I enjoyed all of it all the time. No matter how busy the spring season got, I loved every minute of it and I never wanted to quit any sport. One of the hardest decisions I had to make was choosing to begin to play AAU basketball over baseball or soccer my freshman year, that I could not decide so I continued to play both soccer and basketball during my freshman year spring season.

Welge: Do you have a favorite sports team or athlete?

Benjamin: I have always loved watching the Cubs and the Bulls, no matter how bad they both have become, watching and cheering on these two Chicago teams will be one thing I will never fail to do.

Welge: Do you know yet what you want to study in college?

Benjamin: I want to study something within the medical field. I have always wanted to be a surgeon. However, unfortunately, school has never been my strong suit. So the debate between achieving a nursing degree or beginning pre-med at the beginning of college has been a challenging battle to decide as it remains undecided for me.

Welge: Do you have a favorite TV show or movie?

Benjamin: Favorite movie has always been “Jaws,” go-to movie when I’m sick for sure. Favorite TV show is “Greys Anatomy.” Never fails to entertain me.

Welge: Do you have a favorite food or meal?

Benjamin: Spaghetti and garlic bread.