NEED TO KNOW
- For two seasons, Jessica Whittington has watched her daughter Sadie give her all at every basketball game.
- Despite taking shot after shot, Sadie hasn’t yet scored.
- Whittington tells PEOPLE exclusively that what stands out most is her daughter’s joy in cheering on her teammates.
Over the past two basketball seasons, Jessica Whittington has watched her 10-year-old daughter, Sadie, give her all at every game. Despite taking shot after shot, the ball never quite landed.
But as Whittington reviewed footage she had captured across seven games, something else stood out: Sadie cheering wildly for her teammates every time they scored. Inspired by the moments, she compiled the clips into a video and shared it on TikTok.
“My kid hasn’t made a basket in two seasons but proud bc this is her when everyone else does,” the Alabama-based mom captioned the post.
The heartwarming video quickly went viral, reaching over 1.5 million views and 5,000 comments. Even professional players Paige Bueker and Sophie Cunningham reposted it to their accounts.
“Now that’s a winner,” one user commented.
“As a coach, this is my favorite kid,” another replied.
“Being able to be truly happy for others’ success is a trait you can’t teach. She’ll go so far in life (even if it’s not to the WNBA 😁),” someone else added.
Jessica Whittington
Though Sadie hasn’t made a basket yet, Whittington says her daughter’s joy and encouragement are far more meaningful than any points on the scoreboard.
“She’s genuinely happy and doesn’t realize she’s even doing this. It’s just what she does,” Whittington tells PEOPLE exclusively.
“She’s played with one of her best friends every year who is a heck of a basketball player. She is always ecstatic when her friends score,” she adds.
Watching the comments together, Sadie initially felt embarrassed by the caption noting she’s never made a basket. But as the praise poured in, she beamed.
“I don’t think kids realize how important of a trait it is to be supportive and clap for others when you’re not winning yourself,” Whittington says.
“She’s learning that sports isn’t just about winning or being the star of the show. She doesn’t have to be the best at anything, as long as she’s having fun and enriching the experience of others. She just continues to work hard until her day comes.”
Whittington hopes parents take note of what her daughter’s example shows.
“This is more meaningful and important than any wins or baskets,” she says. “Youth sports isn’t just about winning. It’s about learning very important lessons that shape the person you will become.”
She continues, “Clapping for others is something not everyone knows how to do, often because they feel so much pressure on themselves that they can’t even focus on celebrating others. Embrace your kids’ experiences, even if it’s not the perfect one, and teach your child to embrace it too.”
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