University of North Texas Athletics
A Little Sister's Dream
7/16/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DENTON - When Charlene Shepherd arrived to her first Mean Green women's basketball practice of the 2018 summer, there was no hesitation. There was no doubt. There was no silence.
Despite it being the first time she'd ever worn a North Texas jersey, the freshman appeared to have been a season veteran. Wide-eyed, sure, but comfortable enough to assert herself to motivate and encourage teammates through positive energy.
"Being a good teammate shouldn't be hard no matter if you're a freshman or senior," Shepherd explained. "It's important to have someone on your team who can make you smile."
A Killeen, Texas, native, Shepherd follows the WNBA intensely and idolized women's basketball players growing up, none more than former Tennessee Volunteer and current Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker.
But she also admired a women's basketball player who played closer to home.
Her older sister.
When Shepherd was young, she watched carefully as her sister competed and progressed as a hooper. Shepherd was so enthralled with playing basketball and being around her sister, she was her sister's high school team's ball and water girl.
When her sister graduated from high school and went on to play at Ranger Community College in Ranger, Texas, Shepherd put it in her mind that she herself was going to someday play in college.
"I wanted to be just like her," Shepherd said. "Seeing her do well gave me confidence that I could do it too."
The daughter of parents who served in the military before she was born, Shepherd grew up in what she described as a loving and straight-forward household. Her mom, a former basketball player, signed her daughter up to play in the community when she was roughly eight years old. A few years later, Shepherd was traveling and playing competitively on AAU teams.
Going to every game and supporting her every step of the way was her family.
"I sadly wasn't very good when I first started playing," Shepherd said with a laugh. "But my mom and family were always there.
Loud and proud. My mom was that mom," Shepherd added.
As the years went on Shepherd progressively got better and taller.
Shepherd, who now at 18 years old stands at an athletic 6-foot-2, claims to have been just 5-foot-2 as a 13-year-old, but when she got to high school she sprouted.
While attending Shoemaker High School, Shepherd split time between basketball and volleyball and raked in the awards.
A four-year letterwinner in volleyball, she was named all-district four times.
But basketball remained her sport.
During her time on the Shoemaker girls basketball team, she'd be name first-team all-district three times and would guide her team to the state playoffs multiple times and through a difficult senior season.
"Our team was going through a transition and even though it was a tough year my family always reminded me to stay positive and be a good teammate," Shepherd said. "I know I needed to encourage and be a leader both on the court and with my voice."
Shepherd's hard work, perseverance and leadership paid off, though, as her dream of following in her sister's footsteps as a college basketball player came true.
So when the time came to slip on the Mean Green practice jersey, there was no indecision.
"I don't know what's next but working hard and being a good teammate has gotten me this far," Shepherd said. "I know if I continue to be positive it'll only take me further."
