Leary and Stepney Have Formed Sisterly Bond
December 11, 2014 01:22 PM | General
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Playing the game they love for more than a decade together, it was inevitable when Crystal Leary and Linda Stepney were to continue their inseparable bond. That decision led the Norfolk, Virginia, natives to West Virginia University. The duo gelled together from the first they met – teammates, classmates and a friendship that continues to grow.
“We know each other so well that we are just goofy together all the time. We do everything together,” Leary said. “We live together. We cook together. We watch TV together, and we watch a lot of basketball together.”
Of course, basketball is what they have always known. Stepney and Leary have played together since they were 11 years old. They both competed under the same AAU organization, Stepney played for Northern Express AAU Elite, while Leary played for Boo Williams AAU Elite.
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| Linda Stepney and Crystal Leary have been inseparable for nearly a decade. |
At the high school level, Leary played her first two seasons at Granby High until she transferred to Lake Taylor. At Lake Taylor, Stepney and Leary created the dynamic duo on and off the court. In 2010, the tandem won the Virginia 3A state title. They both reached the 1,000-point milestones in their careers, and were ranked among the top-100 girls basketball players in the country.
Stepney knew she wanted to play at a major university, and West Virginia was a place that she could call home. However, the bond that Stepney and Leary created was inseparable, and Stepney intended to continue their bond at the next level.
“Linda brought it to my attention. I didn’t even know coach Carey was recruiting both of us,” Leary said.
And it worked out. They both donned the Old Gold and Blue as Mountaineers. Their off the court personalities are quite than most would surmise. Leary seems more softspoken, while Linda is more outgoing. Or so it seems.
“Coach Carey thinks we are the total opposite. He thinks she (Leary) is really quiet, and I am the really loud one. That’s just how he sees it sometimes,” Stepney said.
Nevertheless, coach Carey was aware of their bond, and he viewed it as an advantage. He knew they would continue to push one another and challenge each other day in and day out.
“He knows if the other one is down then he can come talk to me, so I can talk to her and vice versa,” Leary said.
The bond that Stepney and Leary have is special.
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| Stepney and Leary have won championships at high school and now the collegiate level. |
“It is special because everybody doesn’t get the opportunity to play with their best friend and go to the same university, and play with them for over a decade,” Stepney said. “It is a blessing and a moment that I will always remember.”
“What makes it even better is that we achieved a ring in high school, and we turned around and captured a ring in college which is even more unique,” Leary said.
With their collegiate basketball days winding down, Stepney and Leary look to continue their legacy and friendship. Who knows where they will end up after WVU, but the possibility of playing professional basketball overseas is definitely an option they are both looking forward to.
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