(Left) Becky Duffy, Adv. 109, attempts to score a point during an intense game. (Right) Duffy shows off her mustang pride. Images courtesy of Becky Duffy.

Becky Duffy, Adv. 109, woke up one day, got dressed, and jumped in the car to drive to school with AJ Tran, Adv. 201, and Lizzie Tran, Adv. 303. As she stepped out of the car and into the school parking lot, she knew that her day would consist of going to school, practicing two hours of basketball, rushing home to complete homework, and getting in some sleep.

It seems that a continuation of these typical weekdays in the life of Becky Duffy has paid off. Throughout her time at Northside College Prep, she has received numerous athletic awards, including the Mustang Award and All Tournament Player Award, the former of which is awarded for sportsmanship and leadership both in and out of the field, while the latter honors players who excel on the court as chosen by opposing team coaches. More recently, Duffy was awarded the Asian Youth Award.

“It’s an honor to gain both of these awards,” Duffy said, “and I think I was given the Asian [Youth] Award because I’m not only recognized as a leader in sports, but in service projects as well that go along with athletics, in school and outside of school.

Duffy received the Asian Youth Award at the 27^th Annual Asian Lunar New Year Celebration, which was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on January 23 and sponsored by the American Asian Coalition of Chicago. Journalist and broadcast personalities from WGN News Reporter Judy Wang to keynote speaker Euna Lee, who was detained in North Korea with Laura Ling in 2009, were in attendance.

The Coalition represents 16 cultures of the Asian community and the celebrations they sponsor are attended by Asian consular corps, government officials, business leaders, corporate managers, political candidates, and those who believe and are a part of the national movement of Asian Pacific Americans according to the event’s Facebook page.

This award was given to Duffy on behalf of the Asian American Coalition of Chicago. The committee chooses candidates on their ability to maintain their moral values in today’s society while maintaining outstanding academic achievement and citizenship records. Duffy admitted that she was surprised to have won the award, but since she was named as the recipient, she believes the award has given her more than a title.

“I’ve learned that little things do make a difference in the long run,” Duffy said. “Whether in school or out of school, [I've learned that] it is how you represent yourself that makes all the difference.”

Duffy is the youngest of sisters in her family and grew up watching her sisters play basketball from the sidelines. Hoping to follow in their footsteps, Duffy developed an interest in sports and played softball, soccer, basketball, and volleyball. At Northside, Duffy is a member of the varsity women’s volleyball team and the captain of the varsity women’s basketball team.

In addition to keeping up with basketball, Duffy is currently deciding which colleges she wants to apply to and subsequently play for. Her life is not only limited to sports, however, as Duffy hopes to one day attain a Masters degree in psychology.

“I just found out that I really liked to observe people and what they do,” Duffy said, “why they do things, how they do them, and why they react the way they do. I just find it [psychology] so interesting.”

On the weekends, Duffy has two hours of practice and plays basketball at Sunday open gyms. She also spends her time hanging out with her friends Martha Glodz and Jazmin Carranza, both students at Lane Tech. This time away from academics has not made managing time harder, but it has made her life better since she can do something she is passionate about.

“I think the love of the game for basketball and the fear of not being successful keeps me going everyday,” Duffy said. “Any chance of finishing homework I get, I try to take advantage of as much as possible, and sitting at a table all day staring at paper gets me pretty tired and sometimes stressed out. That’s where basketball comes in; it’s my way to relax, refocus, and have fun.”