When Fantasia Goodwin was first learning to play basketball, she always had a ball by her side. It followed her wherever she went. She even slept with the sphere. But the basketball meant more to Goodwin than just a way to hone her budding basketball skills.

Goodwin knew if she ever let go of that ball, she would have let slip through her hands the best chance she had to escape the dismal childhood in which she grew up.She had never played basketball until picking up a ball while attending The Graham School, a residential school for disadvantaged children in Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y., a suburb of New York City. She was 12 years old, and her first few shots missed. Some sailed over the entire backboard. But after a little practice Goodwin discovered she was a natural at the sport.

Goodwin had found the opportunity she needed to overcome the hardships in her life. At times it seemed like there was little hope for someone who had spent much of her preteen years moving in and out of foster homes. But basketball became her way to survive and mature. And from the social worker Lisa Linnen in her childhood to Syracuse women’s basketball head coach Quentin Hillsman who took a chance in recruiting her, she’s made it through.

She did more than merely persevere – Goodwin worked to become one of the most dominating players in Division III junior college history, while starring at Monroe (N.Y.) College. Her skills have translated into making her a top scorer on the Syracuse women’s basketball team. Now she hopes to do well enough at SU to give back to those who helped her progress to where she is today.

‘I sit back and think back a lot,’ Goodwin said. ‘Damn, I came a long way. And I’m proud of myself and I’m starting to see the bigger picture now.

‘You can do whatever you want to do. Don’t make no excuses. If you’ve been through something somebody’s always been through something worse.’

Tattooed on Goodwin’s left shoulder is a basketball with the statement ‘True to the Game’ printed inside the orb. She said the tattoo symbolizes her love for the game, and what basketball has meant to her through the years.

On her left ankle, another tattoo displays the words ‘Gone But Not Forgotten.’ Next to the phrase are two dates: the years of her mother’s birth and death. These tattoos intertwined passions in Goodwin’s life – her mother, Alice, and basketball.

Goodwin was raised by a single mother in New York City until Alice’s struggles with a drug addiction forced Goodwin to be placed in foster care at the age of 3.Goodwin saw her mother on-and-off during those years and bounced around foster homes in the metropolitan area. At age 12, she entered the therapeutic treatment center known as The Graham School. But once it finally seemed like Goodwin had found a stable environment, her world fell apart again as she learned her mother had passed away.

Goodwin exhibited behavioral problems while at Graham and her teachers worried she might spiral out of control if she did not find a positive outlet for coping with her mother’s death.

At this time, Graham vice president Gerry Leventhal organized a basketball program for children at the school. His timing could not have been more perfect for Goodwin, who chose to give the activity a try.

‘(Basketball) was like a drug,’ Goodwin said. ‘It was a remedy. ‘I just wanted to do something else besides think about (my mother’s death) all the time.’

She always had been an athletic child growing up and basketball seemed to be the ideal fit for her competitive drive. During her first basketball season, Graham’s squad took on other group homes and Goodwin helped carry the team to a league championship.

Her basketball skills developed, but off the court she had trouble adjusting to living in a structured environment. Goodwin admitted she still had attitude problems and her outspoken nature would lead her into fights with other kids.

It was a problem that could have ruined any shot she had at success, but Goodwin was fortunate enough to be surrounded by a supportive atmosphere at The Graham School. Goodwin recognized one of those people, Linnen, as the person who was most patient with her.

Goodwin described Linnen as a ‘mother figure’ who taught the teenager how to be ‘a young lady.’ Goodwin even returned to The Graham School in 2005 as a guest speaker, and she gave a speech about how grateful she was for the support she received at Graham. It was a moment that validated for Linnen what she does at Graham.

‘We hope that they follow through and do what needs to be done to excel at life,’ Linnen said. ‘And sometimes it doesn’t work and I was glad that she was a success story just based on where she had come and how she just blossomed. She didn’t give up.’

It wasn’t until her sophomore year at Martin Luther King High School, the high school on Graham’s campus, that Goodwin realized she had potential playing basketball. However, her SAT scores were not strong enough to be admitted into a Division I college.

She stayed in New York City and attended Monroe College, a Division III junior college in the Bronx. Her time at Monroe would be a test to see if she had what it takes to play basketball at a top college program. She aced the exam.

In her freshman season, Goodwin powered the Mustangs to its first ever NJCAA, Division III finals berth, averaging 27.8 points and 9.2 rebounds. The next season Monroe took the championship – without much resistance thanks in part to Goodwin’s 32 points in the Mustangs’ 100-70 victory over Mohawk Valley.

Monroe coach Seth Goodman believed Goodwin benefited from her upbringing because her struggles contributed to the toughness she displayed on the basketball court.

‘I think Fantasia is a very competitive person,’ Goodman said. ‘She’s a person who needs to win and I’m not sure how much her background fostered that. But I think she knew basketball was a way out.’

Still, Goodwin’s background always seemed to be a hindrance to her basketball future. Despite breaking numerous Division III junior college records at Monroe, college coaches hesitated to recruit her because of her questionable behavioral record.

Goodwin said she felt all the coaches seemed skeptical about her except one: Syracuse women’s basketball coach Quentin Hillsman. For giving her a chance, Goodwin selected Syracuse to continue her basketball career.

‘I don’t know how to repay him,’ Goodwin said of Hillsman. ‘I give it all at practice and all on the court. That’s all I can do.’ She and Hillsman related through the tough backgrounds in which they were raised. Hillsman said other coaches, including ones within the Big East conference, questioned the first year coach’s decision to recruit Goodwin. However, Hillsman knew all Goodwin needed was an opportunity.

‘To go through the environment that’s a little rough you can easily be drawn to negative forces,’ Hillsman said. ‘And I just knew what it meant to me to get to a place where the people were going to be positive and give you a chance and I felt if she had a chance than she could make it.’

Nevertheless, making the leap into the world of Division I sports at a large, private university can be an overwhelming experience. At first Goodwin resisted change.

The 6-foot forward had never lived in such a structured setting before, Hillsman said. New to Goodwin was an environment where she had ‘to be on time every day, answer to people every day,’ and continually act responsibly. Hillsman began arranging daily meetings with Goodwin to discuss her situation at Syracuse.

Occasionally during these meetings the two would butt heads on what Goodwin should be doing at SU. Each time this happened, Hillsman would bluntly pose to her a question for which she could never provide an answer.

‘If this doesn’t work out for you, what are you going to do?’ Hillsman asked Goodwin. These meetings were not about basketball, Hillsman said. They were about Goodwin realizing the opportunity Syracuse presented.

Everything at the school had already been paid for by her athletic scholarship. Tutors were available to assist Goodwin. And the mentors who helped raise her in New York City, Debbie Waters and Charles Mathis, had friends in Syracuse that Goodwin could go to for help. These acquaintances included Dr. Ruben Cowart, the medical director of the Syracuse Community Health Center, who every so often invites Goodwin over for dinner.

Goodwin realized Syracuse was her only option, and before long she had learned to adapt. The junior is now the Orange’s third-leading scorer and second-best rebounder, averaging 12.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

She talks often about giving back to all those who helped her along the way. She plans to become a social worker to assist kids who find themselves in the same situation that Goodwin was once in. This includes her three younger sisters who are still in foster care in Brooklyn.

Although her career at SU has just begun, already it seems Goodwin has begun to inspire others. When the team traveled to New York City for a game against St. John’s in November, it was a homecoming of grand proportions for Goodwin. Many of those who encouraged her throughout her youth were there, including Linnen and Goodman, who brought with him the entire Monroe women’s basketball team.

All of Goodwin’s fans congratulated her on how far she had come and begged her not to forget them. But Goodwin would never forget her upbringing. She exhibits gratitude for those who helped her end up where she is today, and she hopes other children will take a lesson from her own tale.

‘I want my story to be out there,’ Goodwin said. ‘It’ll be kids like me reading this and be like ‘Wow, that’s remarkable how she got through that.”

Published on January 23, 2007 at 12:00 pm