Photos Courtesy of Jason M. Bolin
Senior Layla Janis made the decision to transfer to Maȟpíya Lúta for her final season, and she quickly became an important part of the team. Known for her defensive intensity and relentless effort, Layla has brought energy, toughness, and leadership to the floor throughout the season. Although transferring schools during her senior year came with challenges, Layla approached the transition with determination and clear expectations for herself. “The transition was pretty challenging, but it was ready.” Layla said. “I felt like as long as I lived up to the goals and expectations I set for myself at the start, I could find my place on the team.”
She understood that the pace and intensity of the program would be different from what she was used to. Preparing for that challenge started before the season even began. “I knew the intensity was going to be way different and faster than what I knew, so I had a lot of expectations for myself to be a part of the team,” she said. “Coming to summer workouts and talking to Matt and other coaches about what I needed to improve on helped me out too.”
Layla’s biggest impact has come on the defensive end of the court. Her hustle, effort, and willingness to chase every loose ball have created problems for opposing teams all season. “My mindset pretty much stays the same for every game. I just tell myself to hustle for everything, try to get every loose ball or rebound, and keep going until I can’t anymore,” she explained.
While she describes herself as someone who focuses more on defense than offense, Layla takes pride in doing the little things that help the team succeed. “I ain’t the best on offense, but I know I can bring really good intensity for defense,” she said. “That’s what motivates me the most. If I play really good defense, then the offense will find itself along the way. I love being a hustle player and being recognized for it.”
Like many student-athletes, Layla has also had to learn how to balance the demands of school, practice, and homework. Adjusting to new academic expectations while competing at a high level required discipline and support. “Managing my time from school, practice, and homework has been a struggle mostly because I had to adjust to new and more work to do,” she said. “But my family encourages me a lot to do well in school.”
She has found ways to stay on top of her responsibilities by separating her focus between academics and athletics. “Focusing on my academics during the school days and focusing on athletics during practice time has helped out a lot,” she said. “The school itself offers study halls and other opportunities to get extra time to finish your work.”
For Layla, being part of the Maȟpíya Lúta program has meant far more than just playing basketball. In a short amount of time, the experience has helped her grow both as a player and as a person. “Being part of the Maȟpíya Lúta program has meant everything to me,” she said. “It has been a great experience. It helped me grow as a person and a player.”
As her senior season comes to a close, Layla says she is grateful she chose to finish her high school career with this team. “Being here made me realize that I wouldn’t want to spend my last year anywhere else or with a different group of girls,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot in this one year of being here, and I’m very grateful that I got the chance to play for this program because there is a lot you have to work for.”
Most of all, Layla appreciates how quickly the team and school community welcomed her. “I’m also very happy that everyone around me welcomed me in a good way and made me feel like I had a place here.”
Through her effort, defense, and team-first mentality, Layla Janis has made a lasting impact during her senior season at Maȟpíya Lúta.