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Training is Hard. Regret is Harder.
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Joyce Ekworomadu
DIRECTOR, BASKETBALL OPERATIONS
Joyce attended Texas State University where she averaged 18.9 points a game, was Southland Conference Player of The Year, led the team to the school’s first ever Conference Championship, became the 5th player in Texas state history to record over 1500 points and 600 rebounds, became the 1st player in the Southland Conference to sign a WNBA contract and graduated with a BBA in Marketing. Post college, she played in the WNBA, Poland, Italy, the National Nigerian Basketball Team and is the 12th female of the World Famous Harlem Globetrotters. She has traveled to over 40 countries playing the game of basketball. As the Director of Basketball Operations and Account Manager at Ballogy, she blends her extensive experience in basketball with a deep commitment to operating and constructing player development curriculum. With a focus on strategic planning and execution, she contributes to the continuous enhancement of Ballogy’s training programs and user experience. In her role as an Account Manager, she cultivates lasting relationships with clients, ensuring their success by tailoring solutions to their unique needs. Joyce is dedicated to shaping the future of basketball through innovative technology and collaborative leadership at Ballogy.
There’s a reason most people don’t put in extra work—because it’s hard. I’ve been there. After a long day, your body’s begging to rest, your mind’s drained, and nobody would blame you for calling it. But I’ve played in the WNBA—and how I got there wasn’t by just showing up to games or saying I wanted to play at the highest level.
I’ve coached middle schoolers who started with zero fundamentals and turned them into real hoopers. I’ve spent 15+ years at grassroots tournaments watching talent waste away because they thought they could just flip a switch when the lights came on.
Let me tell you from experience: Not training has a cost. And that cost shows up when the game starts and you’re not ready.
You feel it when your shot’s off. When your lungs are burning in the third quarter. When the coach calls your number and you hesitate instead of stepping up.
That moment? That’s when every skipped rep catches up to you.
The Offseason Is Where It Happens
Everyone wants to go D1, go pro, earn a scholarship, or just shine at their next tournament. But the truth is: games are won in the offseason. Not during warmups. Not under the lights. But in the quiet hours no one sees. I tell my players this all the time: The offseason is the only time you control everything.
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How many shots you get up
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How much stronger you get
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How much film you watch
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How locked in you are mentally
Once the season starts? It’s too late to wish you were ready.
Kobe Didn’t Wait
Let me remind you about one of the greatest to ever do it—Kobe Bryant. People talk about his game, his confidence, his killer instinct. But what always sticks with me? His work ethic. There’s a story about a teammate showing up early for Team USA workouts—thinking they were getting a jump—only to find Kobe already there, dripping sweat. He’d been working for hours. Kobe didn’t hope for greatness. He built it. When no one was watching.
He once said, “I didn’t want to be a guy that had potential. I wanted to be great.” That hit me—and it still does.
Final Thought
So yeah—it’s hard. It’s hard to wake up early. It’s hard to keep pushing when you’re sore, when you’re tired, when your friends are hanging out and you’re in the gym alone. But skipping the hard work? That’s how you end up with regret. Wishing you had one more season. One more practice. One more shot. You don’t get that back. If you’re reading this and you’re serious about your goals—show me in the offseason. Because I’ll always bet on the player who trains when nobody’s watching.