Although forward Rochelle Parent is seldom the Blue Devils' most prominent fixture in the box score, her coaches and teammates are always quick to point out her importance.
Gail Goestenkors says the senior captain's quiet play is precisely what makes her indispensable. When Goestenkors first saw Parent play the summer before her senior year of high school, the foremost thing that struck her about Parent's play was that she took a charge in each of the three tournament games that Duke's coach observed.
"That's not something you see a lot in high school ball, especially not summer ball," Goestenkors said. "I really noticed her willingness to sacrifice for her team."
The stat sheets do not do justice to what Parent adds to the Blue Devils, as she averages only 5.5 points per game. However, Parent's unselfish nature has been critical to Duke's success this season. In many of Duke's biggest games of the year, Parent has stepped up by drawing a crucial charge or making a key defensive stop.
"I don't really have much regard for my body when it comes to basketball," Parent said. "I just do it for the team."
Parent demonstrated this with her defensive play in Monday night's game at Georgia Tech.
Duke entered the game looking to get back on track after losing only its second game of the year. Facing the Yellow Jackets, who came within three points of an upset in Cameron Jan. 11, Parent's number one task was to contain Georgia Tech forward Jaime Kruppa. This assignment promised to be no short order, as Kruppa played all 40 minutes and lit up the Blue Devils for 28 points in the teams' first meeting.
However, Parent certainly responded
"She plays like a soldier every time she steps on the court," freshman Iciss Tillis said. "She brings a lot of heart and determination to the team."
Although Parent scored only two points on the night against Georgia Tech, Goestenkors has characterized her as an offensive catalyst for the Blue Devils.
"We feed off of her," Goestenkors said. "When she leads us on defense, it opens up the rest of the game. She doesn't score a lot of points, but she really ignites our team."
Last month against N.C. State, Duke's defensive stopper stepped up in a different way, leading the team with 13 points, her season high. In that game, scoring was desperately needed because the Blue Devils' leading scorer, Alana Beard, missed the second half with a thumb injury.
Just as in Monday's victory over Georgia Tech, Parent recognized the role she needed to play against N.C. State and she fulfilled it, something that the entire team definitely appreciates.
"She's unselfish and giving," said point guard Georgia Schweitzer, Parent's roommate. "She's just the kind of person you want to have as your friend."
Everyone on the team cites "intangibles" as one of the main things Parent contributes. Not surprisingly, Parent counts grabbing a loose ball as her favorite play to make.
"I love getting a loose ball," she said. "I see it as a piece of gold that somebody just dropped, and I'm on it."
Parent has been with the Blue Devils for close to four years now and has seen the program's rise to national prominence, progressing from a first- or second-round tournament team in the several years preceding her Duke career to a team that has won 103 games to date under her watch. In her three years, the team has gone 10-3 in tournament play, reaching two Regional Finals and a Final Four.
As a senior on a team that counts a lot of youth among its members, Parent's experience has been vital to the development of the younger players.
"She has always showed leadership and patience with me," Tillis said. "She's always talking to you, always encouraging you. She's just really fun to work with."
Perhaps Parent's most important leadership quality is her consistency. Although Parent is not a player who will average 25 points a game, her teammates all know what she will bring to the table each night.
"Ro has been one of our most steady performers all year long," said Goestenkors. "Whenever we have close games, we know she'll bring calmness and determination to the team. It's not one game in particular that she's helped us, but it's been consistency throughout the season."
Another of Duke's key leaders this year has been co-captain Schweitzer, who competed in the same athletic division as Parent during high school. Despite going head-to-head as high school seniors in the Ohio state track meet, Schweitzer and Parent did not really become acquainted until they arrived at Duke in the fall of 1997. Both say they did not meet because they had their sights set on other goals at the time.
Now that the two seniors are together as Blue Devils, they have the same goal in sight-a Final Four in St. Louis. Under such steady leadership, one has to like the team's chances.
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