Leader Behind the Scenes
2/24/2022 10:21:00 AM | The People
Sometimes the most important members of a group are those who operate under the radar.
Leading by example and giving sound advice to those directly involved with adversity, senior forward Savitha Jayaraman epitomizes this type of key team member for Ohio State. Despite not having played in the 2019-20 season due to injury, she beams when discussing the growth of the women’s basketball team, which has featured six freshmen throughout the year.
“These young girls are playing big time minutes in a Division 1 game, and that’s hard to just jump into, so the burden that they’ve kind of had to take on and being able to adjust to this so quickly is something that I’m really proud of,” Jayaraman said. “Yeah, we have our ups and downs, but they’re also freshmen and they’re learning just like how I was.”
Jayaraman embraces her opportunity to communicate this fondness to her younger teammates, encouraging them to also embrace the experience they’re gaining.
“When I found out about [the injury], I wanted to still contribute to the team even though I couldn’t do it on the floor during games or in practice,” she explained, “so I’ve been working with [Director of Operations Beth Howe] and kind of doing the administrative side of this, and it’s given me a greater appreciation for having health and being able to play for sure.
“I think that’s something I’ve tried to speak to the team about – take advantage of every second because games go so quickly here. Even though it’s their first year, those go by quickly – don’t let one slip away because you’ll be me in a few years.”
Such a vital role is certainly fitting for the only player on the team whose athletic career will conclude this semester. As Jayaraman prepares for graduation, she takes pride in what has been a successful career at the university – one that she actually began as just a regular student.
"When I found out about [the injury], I wanted to still contribute to the team even though I couldn’t do it on the floor"
Walking on the team her sophomore year when it needed additional size to round out its rotation, Jayaraman recognized the exciting chance to transform her college career and extend her time on the basketball court. Having missed the competitive aspect of the sport, she took advantage of the opportunity and earned a full scholarship four months into the process.
“Initially, I was just trying to get a feel for the land and just keep my head above water going from high school to this,” she recalled. “Eventually, I said ‘I want to be a leader at some point, but I need to kind understand how things work here and really get a feel for what my role is,’ and I think I’ve been able to come into that – especially this year, where I’ve really been able to become a leader and have a voice. It’s been cool because I’ve been in so many different roles and I’ve been on so many different teams within my three years, so I’ve learned so much from each of those.”
