Darling setting example with work ethic

The first time Bruce Howard saw Helen Darling pick up a basketball, Darling was a sixth grader in his middle school gym class. Having given his students the last 15 minutes of class to shoot around that day, Howard said he remembers watching in surprise as the young Darling picked up a ball and nailed a 3-pointer.

Howard figured he had found something special that day, but the more he worked with Darling, the more he realized just what he'd found. Not only was Darling blessed with great athletic talent, but she was also given an incredible passion to win.

That passion drives Darling and has propelled her to where she is now -- starting point guard for the Penn State women's basketball team.

"Regardless of basketball or whatever, she just wants to win," Howard said. "That's why she works so darn hard."

Darling seems to be one of those players who hates to lose more than she loves to win. A high school All-American at Brookhaven (Ohio) High School, Darling's teams challenged for the state title during each of her four years there. By the time she arrived at Penn State last year, Darling had learned to expect victory.

This attitude made her freshman season -- a difficult time of transition for most players anyway -- even harder. The Lady Lions' 12 losses last season were more than Brookhaven lost in Darling's four years combined.

Darling, who started last year as a freshman, admitted losing was a difficult thing to swallow.

"I wasn't used to losing. I don't like to lose," she said. "So it was a big adjustment period for me and the team. I'm over it now, but it was hard."

Instead of accepting her team's mediocrity, however, Darling did what she had done throughout her career -- she worked. Unhappy with her high number of fouls as a freshman, which she said was a result of not being in good enough shape, Darling pushed herself to another level in the off season.

Not only did Darling show up for camp in better shape than the year before, but she began the season with more confidence. This was gained through experience as a member of both the Jones Cup and the U.S. World University Games teams last summer and through what she learned as a freshman last season.

"She was so busy this summer and that totally helped her game," teammate Chrissy Falcone said. "That's a difference you can tell. After watching her last year and seeing her this year, you can just see a difference in her confidence."

Working all year is nothing new for Darling. Since middle school, when she would participate in Nike camps, she has spent her summers on the court and in the gym. However, Darling said she doesn't get jealous of other girls her age who have more free time to enjoy themselves, because she gets a scholarship for her troubles.

However, like most dedicated athletes, she admitted suffering from occasional burnout, especially in the summer. Usually during August, Darling forces herself not to pick up a basketball for a couple of weeks. She said it's great for a while, but after about a week she has to force herself not to pick up a ball.

By the time she gets back on the court, she said, she's fully motivated again.

Darling's intensity and dedication have impressed many people, including her teammates. Freshman Lisa Shepherd said Darling serves as an example of how to work.

"She's a great player. I kind of look up to her to practice her work ethic and how aggressive she is," Shepherd said. "I admire her for how dedicated she is to the game."

Howard believes Darling is a rarity, an athlete he'll never forget having coached.

"She's really special," he said. "A kid like Helen Darling only comes around about every 25 years."

And to think it might never have been if she had missed that shot in Howard's gym class.