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02/09/2022 11:00 PMFrom 6th to 8th grade, Ava Halovatch was playing AAU basketball, a member of the North Haven middle school team, and also competing in the town’s recreational and travel leagues. With a ton of experience under her belt, Ava felt ready for the high school level and has become a varsity starter for the Nighthawks as only a sophomore.
Ava was always one of the tallest girls in her class while growing up, and people started asking her if she wanted to play basketball. Ava’s grandfather Joe had played the sport, so she decided to give it a shot. As she gained more reps while competing for numerous teams, Ava knew that basketball was going to be a big part of her future.
“I’ve always been a taller girl. My grandfather played when he was in high school and college. I wanted to play, too,” says Ava. “Originally, I just played for the fun of it and to be with my friends. But then in 4th grade, I tried out for the travel team. I figured out that I could be good. I met a lot of people who helped me and a lot of friends. I wanted to be in that environment more.”
Ava joined North Haven’s rec league in 1st grade and played there for the next eight years. When she was in 4th grade, Ava joined the town’s travel team. She was also competing for her middle school squad and with the Savin Rock Ballerz on the AAU circuit.
An avid student, Ava found that balancing her schoolwork with basketball was challenging at times. However, Ava says that this juggling act helped mold her into the student-athlete she wanted to be.
“It was difficult, especially because I feel so strongly about my schoolwork. It was hard balancing succeeding in school and playing middle school, travel, and rec. It was a lot all at once,” Ava says. “But it really helped me develop as a player and a student. It taught me a lot of important skills, like balancing my time. Those skills really helped me going into high school.”
Ava played for North Haven’s JV team in her freshman year, while also seeing a few varsity minutes. It was a slow start for Ava at first, but she feels that her experience as a freshman helped her get out of her shell.
Now a sophomore, Ava is a starter for the Nighthawks. During the past week of play, Ava averaged 13 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.5 steals over North Haven’s two contests. As she’s been improving her skills, Ava appreciates how her Nighthawks’ teammates are helping her gain confidence on the varsity court.
“It’s amazing. Our team is such a nice group of girls, and the coaches are really helpful. Going from a JV to a varsity environment, everybody helped me,” says Ava. “They made it an easy transition. It was a little bit intimidating, but they were really helpful in helping me become the best varsity player I can.”
Heading into her sophomore season, Ava did everything she could to prepare for the varsity stage. She started working out more, seeing trainers, and completely changed her diet in order to get ready. No matter what she’s had to do, Ava’s dedication to performing her best is unwavering.
“I’ve gone through a couple of ruts in my basketball career. It got tough for me. The main thing that has helped me push through and work hard is how much I love this sport,” Ava says. “I love being with a group that are helpful, kind, and work well together on and off the court. There’s games where I have a smile on my face and I really like playing. When I’m struggling, I remind myself of that and remind myself why I’m still doing this.”
If she isn’t scoring on the floor, Ava likes to single out the opposition’s best player on focus on helping out her team defensively. Standing 5 feet, 10 inches, Ava uses her height to her advantage at the forward position. However, while she’s used to patrolling the paint, Ava is looking to keep developing her skills and progress into a more well-rounded player on offense as she continues through the North Haven program.
“I’ve always been a taller girl, so it’s always been my position. I’ve been a big post down low who guards the bigger girl or does big-man moves,” says Ava. “Just recently I have been working on developing my shot. I’ve been getting a lot more opportunities to take shots. I’m trying to expand my gameplay and see which areas I can improve in.”
After finding her passion in basketball, Ava has been doing everything in her power to become a force on the court. Every time she sets foot on the floor, Ava feels proud to be stepping out there alongside her fellow Nighthawks.
“It’s amazing to me. Every day I get into practice, and I enjoy being there. There’s such a good group of girls,” Ava says. “When I walk out onto the court for varsity, I’m really happy and grateful to be there. It means so much to me to be on court. It’s important to me to represent North Haven.”