Girls basketball: 13 is a lucky number for New Hope-Solebury's Emily Wilson

Growing up, Emily Wilson never had to look far when she was in the mood for a game of pick-up basketball.

She didn’t even have to leave her own home to round up enough players for her team, an opposing team, and even a few spots on the bench.

These days, the junior is a little too busy playing for her New Hope-Solebury and Rebels Academy AAU teams to play pickup.

But with 13 siblings and eight nieces and nephews, the Lions’ point guard has the biggest cheering section around.

The Wilson siblings range in age from 8 to 32 years old, with Emily the fourth youngest. And while Taylor Swift may be well-known for her love of the number 13, Wilson has 13 reasons why it's her lucky number as well.

Wilson considers herself very lucky to have grown up in such a large family, and it's helped Wilson develop a level of maturity beyond her years. It’s also helped her secure an important position on the Lions’ basketball team.

Wilson leads New Hope-Solebury as team captain and starting point guard

A three-year starter, Wilson is a team captain who plays point guard, a position that comes with lots of responsibility.

“It’s not easy to play (point guard) for me,” said head coach Steve Polinsky. “I demand a lot and she takes on the responsibilities head-on. (The past three years), Emily has been vital to our success. She is selfless and one of the best captains I’ve been around.”

Wilson started playing basketball in first grade, following in the footsteps of most of her older siblings. By the time she started high school, Wilson was battle-tested after many matchups against her older brothers and sisters. And as older siblings tend to do, they made Wilson work for everything on the court.

“They definitely didn’t take it easy on me,” said Wilson, who also plays varsity softball. “I looked up to my older siblings so much and I loved being able to share this with them.”

Even now, Wilson doesn’t need to look far when she wants to practice shooting. Her grown siblings all live within a few blocks of each other, and older brother Johnny Wilson is an assistant coach for the NH-S boys team.

“Having the responsibility of dealing with many people with different personalities has helped me learn various styles of communication,” Wilson said. “I’ve also learned to stay on top of things and prioritize, which is necessary in a large family with lots of things going on.”

Wilson has carried those life lessons over to the basketball court and her duties as a captain.

“I make sure we’re ready to play, and to keep us close and connected as a team,” Wilson said. “On the court, I’m always looking for another play, and keeping the energy and effort levels high.”

Wilson considers her teammates to be a second – albeit, much smaller – family. The Lions, who play in Class 3A, are the smallest team in the Suburban One League. That means that Wilson and her teammates are often matching up against much bigger schools.

“Everyone has a big role on this team,” Wilson said of the Lions (8-7), who won the District One 3A title last season. “Each play is important, and everything matters more when you’re a much smaller team.”

Wilson has been doing plenty of what matters for New Hope. In addition to creating scoring opportunities for her teammates, she is second in scoring, with 11 games of 10 or more points, including three recent games with 20 or more points.

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While Wilson is hoping to continue her basketball career in college, her main priority is finding a school that suits her academic needs.

“Being surrounded by kids my whole life has inspired me to become a teacher,” said Wilson, who is the go-to babysitter in her neighborhood.

Wilson’s nurturing isn’t limited to her baby-sitting charges though.

“I love planning bonding sessions for the team,” said Wilson. “We hang out all off-season. With so many freshmen this year, it’s so cool to see how everyone is developing and improving.”

Wilson is also a dedicated member of her church youth group, and says her faith plays a big role in her everyday life. She is involved in numerous community service projects with the youth group, such as collecting and distributing food in underserved areas of Philadelphia.

In her rare moments of free time, Wilson enjoys baking, cooking and crocheting. She’s found at least one of those hobbies has an unexpected payoff.

“Crocheting has turned out to be a great source of homemade gifts that don’t cost much money,” Wilson said. “I made so many hats for Christmas that I lost count.”

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This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Girls Basketball: New Hope-Solebury Emily Wilson a real leader