Sierra Canyon’s Ashley Chevalier is Benihana
Ashley Chevalier? Is she just a dope shooting guard for a state chip Sierra Canyon squad?
More. Daughter of two loving parents that happen to be great coaches? More. Texas commit? Keep going. Prez of the Black Student Union, constantly dropping knowledge, constantly advocating?
You’re scratching the surface. Ashley is all that, yet so much more.
Me, E-Woods, I was honored to have her open up to me in our interview, learning what a special soul she is. She’s out to make the world a better place; you can’t ask for a MORE cool youngster that wants to spread joy than A-Chevalier. 100.
I asked Ashley when did she first start to love the game of basketball and she told me, “I felt resentment toward basketball at an early age, I didn’t immediately love the game growing up.
“My parents were always coaching so that didn’t allow me to have many play dates, sleepovers, normal kid stuff that I really hoped for at a young age.
“But in 5th grade I told my mom (Michelle), ‘I want to dedicate myself to hoop because it’s time to play ball. So playing for her BBG AAU team, I began to dedicate myself to the game.”
Ashley Chevalier, the fans that watch her, they’ll see her tumble to the ground for loose balls, display lock up D, grit teeth, grind out whatever it takes for the W. But what kind of spirit does she have off court?
A-Chevalier is a vibrant and thoughtful person, excited for life’s challenges. She likes to listen to Erykah Badu’s music; both Ashley and Badu have this individual style, full of flair. Listen carefully to both their voices, you hear an angelic quality, dripping with confidence and empathy.
A-Chevalier also appreciates Jill Scott’s music and Ashley carries herself with the same uplifting spirit and mad positive vibe. Seeing the pep in Ashley’s step is just like watching the Golden music video from J-Scott:
How many SoCal guards make it to play for an elite hoop program like at the University of Texas? Not many, but I’ll let Ashley explain how important that opportunity is to her, “Coach Jamie from Texas drew me in with her passion, this feeling that together, our energies could win a NCAA title together as a team.
“I’m going to work as hard as possible, determined to contribute. It’s my goal to start as a freshman but no worries if I don’t. I’m set to give whatever effort it takes to help spark success in any way I can.
“When I put up my hand to say ‘hook em’, that’s meaningful and it shows that you are proud to represent the Texas Longhorns. I’m proud to study and play for Sierra Canyon, I’ve always felt our team had enough talent to win a state championship. We were tired of not getting past Windward.
“I remember the first day of practice last summer, digging in deep with myself, believing that if we put our minds to it, our teammates, we could accomplish a state title. We did, and we will carry that focus and energy into this year, as we feel we can win in any situation.”
Sierra Canyon? The girls’ varsity Trailblazers team lost just one game last year. They truly were blazers, blazing win after win in a season for the ages. Pure cohesion, excellent coaching, conditioning, and determination.
If you watched them, you could tell they put in the time to play ball in a beautiful way; they seemed like a sisterhood, dedicated to excellence.
Me, E-Woods, I think The Canyon has a good chance to go undefeated this season. It’s like they’re trying to speak rapper Drake’s lyrics into existence, “Going back to back, going back to back.”
Every team SC played last year gave its A game. No, they gave their double AA game. I talked to dozens of players and coaches that said SC was that quintessential team they circled on their calendar. So many said that it was their goal to give SC the 30 ball fosho!
You might be wondering about the Benihana reference in the title, the yummy and entertaining Japanese restaurant?
Ashley plays ball like chefs at Benihana cook. Watch her pregame. A-Chevalier takes opposing teams to the round grill, marinates them in-game with drives to the rim, popping her jumpers, chopping up the comp.
She sets aflame all who step up to try to beat her crew, you hear the zzzzzssss of food burning on grill, the smell of ingredients being seared and smoked. Dab a lil behind the back dribble, some crossover where necessary.
She expertly uses the knife to cut and chop where needed, she tosses some cutlery up in the air for a bit of flare in her southpaw style, that hesi finish. Yup, she and her crew mos def are fixing to saute and flavor up the upcoming season, and serving all customers who ask for the biz and any who step on court vs. her team.
Wherever Ashley plays she brings her Benihana game. She likes to connect with her AAU teammate and good friend Jayda “Lil Chef” Curry. They appreciate each other and played together for their West Coast Elite AAU team this past summer. They love to hang out off court as well.
The oven is preheated for 500 degrees in 2020, you want to see how Benihana gets down, then go out and see Ashley and you’ll be knowing like me. Click the link if you dare, watch a proper chef do their thing.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iUAyYVWpOvY
How much does E-Woods appreciate Ashley Chevalier and her teammate, Duke commit Vanessa De Jesus? Appreciate them like few others on earth like I do my girl Noelle Quinn, who was balling as a WNBA player and coaching Bishop Montgomery girls varsity last year.
Crazy, right? Noelle would FaceTime her Seattle Storm teammates while conducting practice at Bishop Montgomery, have them chime in advice to inform her varsity players.
Me, I’m a teacher besides a writer, so my ultimate compliment would be to have these 2 awesome young women, Ashley and Vanessa, FaceTime my class to offer advice on how to play hoop. I showed my students a lil bit of Vanessa and Ashley’s game last year, they were very impressed.
I noticed on Ashley’s Twitter page, she had a tweet where she appreciated a teacher who had a nerf rim above the class door. One kid was practicing their dunk to the rim, while another kid was practicing the art of the block at the rim. Freaking off the charts amazing.
Seeing her tribute on Twitter was dope, because it became personal to me. You see, that’s how we get down in E-Woods Elementary School class, we do that kind of fun thing all the time. See the vid, 24/7 Live Culture Black girl magic at its finest:
https://mobile.twitter.com/247lc/status/1127718453392003072?lang=en
What else makes Ashley so great? She’s proud to have been the Vice President and current President of the Black Student Union at Sierra Canyon, “I’m always proud to get others excited, helping to organize pep rallies at school.
“Also, I love to read a lot, biographies, historical fiction. It’s a big mission of mine to share the black experience, to try to educate and promote diverse stories for others to be exposed to about the black culture, my culture. That’s a big passion for me.”
I also noticed another of Ashley’s tweets, dropping knowledge as she was highlighting how Little Caesars founder and former Detroit Tigers and Red Wings owner Mike llitch quietly paid Rosa Parks' rent for years when she got laid off fighting for Civil Rights.
Ashley? She’s just super caring, a renaissance woman. She has next level thoughtfulness. You want a good example of how Ashley touches others’ lives, how they deeply appreciate her?
There’s a very talented up and coming 8th grader, Serenity “Reni” Johnson who happens to go to Sierra Canyon’s rival school, Windward. But Ashley reminded me that her and Reni are tight, and that people transcend barriers like being from a rival school when friendship is involved.
Here’s Reni’s dope quote on what Ashley means to basketball, what Ashley as a friend means to her, “Ashley definitely is a big role model to me. She lets all of Cali know that you don’t need to have height or people pumping your head up to know that you are good.”
Exactly Reni. Ashley fears no one, she goes hard with that wicked left hand drive to the basket, killer jumper she uses to spark her team to success. She does it with class, just like her dope parents instilled in her long ago.
Ashley’s voice beams with pride, as she talks of how her dad nurtured her in many ways growing up, his high IQ to help her be all she can be in ball. And you can tell Ashley treats each day like it’s Mother’s Day for her mom Michelle.
She posted this on her twitter to celebrate Mother’s Day, “To my #1 fan, coach, teacher, cheerleader, chauffeur, chef, nurse, super hero. You make it all possible. THANKS MOM.”
Ashley, she is many things, a good baller, good friend, good teammate, student, good daughter, good advocate. She’s just that player you have to go out and support because quintessentially she’s just really GOOD people. 100.
