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BACK IN<br />
THE GAME:<br />
How Deiona Rogers<br />
followed her passion<br />
back to the hardwood<br />
by Avery Jennings<br />
Growing up on the north<br />
side of Grand Rapids, Deiona<br />
Rogers, never learned to<br />
play basketball “like a girl.”<br />
“We lived in the projects, so there<br />
weren’t that many things to do,” said<br />
Rogers, sophomore point guard for<br />
Grand Rapids Community College.<br />
“And all the guys were always<br />
playing basketball, so I just went out<br />
there to see if I could do it … People<br />
tell me I play like a guy all the time.”<br />
Rogers said playing street basketball<br />
with the guys in her neighborhood<br />
helped her become a better<br />
player.<br />
“It’s easier to play against girls<br />
now that I’ve played with guys all<br />
my life,” Rogers said. “I’m tougher.”<br />
Rogers has loved the game of<br />
basketball ever since she was little,<br />
but because of her family situation<br />
growing up, it was not always easy<br />
to play.<br />
“We were really family oriented<br />
growing up,” Rogers said. “Until my<br />
John Rothwell | Photo Editor<br />
mom and dad split up … I mean, we<br />
still have pieces of our family, but<br />
we’re not as close anymore.”<br />
Deiona was caught in the middle<br />
of two important figures in her<br />
life, as her parents were giving her<br />
different messages of how to live<br />
her life.<br />
“When my mom and dad were<br />
together, I would listen to my dad<br />
more because he was a good father<br />
figure and has always been there<br />
for me. When they split up, I went<br />
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