Meet the Player: Zoie Wilds

As a reporter for the UFLA, I’ve reported on players during my three years here on campus. Zoie has been here for all those three years, and many of you have likely seen her skateboarding across campus. I wanted to interview her before she entered the 2010 FBA Draft.

On the court she is agile and fast and an incredible asset to her team. Despite her stellar performance, she’s never earned a conference MVP. I asked her teammates about her, and they all had wonderful things to say, describing her with words like “fun”, “nice”, “exciting” and “happy”.

When I called her, I was surprised by her Jamaican accent. I could just barely understand her, and to capture the difficulty I found listening, I’ve tried to reproduce her accent in my writing.

First some background on this rising star, including what led her to become a basketball player. Zoie Wilds was raised in the sunny beaches of Venice beach. Her parents came from Jamaica in the 60's. She was a typical American girl born in 1989, enjoying the 90's and all her Southern California community had to offer. In middle school she enrolled in a gymnastics program, however she left for track and field in high school. She found basketball through her track and field teacher, who talked her into joining the team her sophomore year. It was the best thing that had ever happened for her; she graduated and was offered several scholarships to different universities across America. Wanting to stay close to home, she chose UFLA, no doubt partly since she had been involved with the school for nearly four years.

Zoie met me on campus near the skate park. It was a nice day and the location she picked was near an orchard that set a scenic frame for our meeting.

DAEMON: So Zoie, I am told you surf, skate, swim, do back flips, are an all around good athlete-- is there anything you don't do?

ZOIE: I don't sing, not even out partying.

D: So nearly four years dazzling your university team and not one conference MVP-- what is up with that?

Z: Dere better players, dere worse players, it not about one person, it about da team. I do what da team needs.

D: I am told you free play when you can. Where is your favorite court?

Z: Ma home court on Venice beach. Da men always be underestimatin da girls, so I go rollin up and showin dem who is da boss.

D: What made you give up gymnastics? I can see it helped you be more agile on the court, but why the sudden change?

Z: I wantin ta do it professionally, but when my parents an I looked in ta it dey be sayin I was already ta old ta do it dat way. I went ta track an field because I was heart broken, just as somthin ta do. When dey suggested basketball, I had no idea how fun it was or dat I could be good at it.

D: Last question. I see you here with your Redspot art skate board. Why do you have the trouble maker Myia on your board?

Z: She is da fun one. She also like da bardin. Ya, she da trouble maker, but she be da one you can count on ta be havin a good time.


Well, it was a wonderful interview. We talked more about some unrelated things. She did a few back flips and tumbles for me, which I found quite impressive. And now that you have met the player Zoie Wilds, you should know to watch out! She rides that skateboard across campus fast. Though she said she will wave back if you say hi.