Meet Jasmine LeBlanc

RUSTON -- Breaux Bridge is located in St. Martin Parish and the city of just under 8,000 according to the 2011 census sits on I-10 between Lafayette and Baton Rouge.

It's known as the Crawfish Capital of the World.

It is also home to Jasmine LeBlanc, a freshman guard on the Louisiana Tech Lady Techster basketball team.

LeBlanc wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Although her journey to Louisiana Tech isn't an overly-complicated one, her life has seen its share of struggles.

She was recruited by a number of schools and chose Tyler Summitt and the Lady Techsters over Southern Miss, Stephen F. Austin, UL-Lafayette and a host of others.

Although not exactly a who's who of power programs in women's basketball, LeBlanc has the potential to turn into a steal; maybe sooner than later.

Through a few weeks of summer workouts, LeBlanc has already caught the eye of the Louisiana Tech coaching staff. She is 5-foot-10 and strong. She is physical. She is competitive.

"Jasmine could be an impact on the court in almost every way, rebounding, defensively and scoring," Summitt said. "She is an athletic young lady and uses that to help her on the court. She can post up, shoot the mid-range jumper and the three-pointer. I think she could be a great defender and rebounder for us."

Basically, Summitt thinks LeBlanc has the potential to be one of the building blocks and staples of the Lady Techster program for the next four years.

Jasmine LeBlanc's story is more than just basketball despite the fact her life has revolved around the game as long as she can remember.

Her story is about growing up with six other siblings in a one parent household. It required her mother Janet to work multiple jobs in order to keep food on the table and the bills paid.

"I have two brothers, four sisters and I am the baby," Jasmine said. "My mom was a single parent. She was by herself. It was hard for her. She worked at the hospital and nursing home. She worked at a restaurant downtown. She would leave one job and go to another. I barely saw her until the next morning."

Janet LeBlanc is the proud mother of seven. She has five daughters in Nickea, Shaina, Kadija, Aliyah and Jasmine. She has two sons, Deshannon and Jabari.

"It was hard, very hard," said Janet, recalling all the long hours in multiple jobs while taking care of her family. "What kept me going were my kids. I kept faith in myself. I am their backbone, their mother and their father. I have to do what I have to do. I knew that one day it would not be that way but to make sure they got what they needed, I had to do what I had to do. I have to work and keep things going in the house. There were times when I wanted to go places but couldn't. I just kept pushing.

"The hard part was when they would leave for school in the morning. They would be asleep that night when I got home. I depended on the older ones to make sure they got baths and ready for bed. When I was off, I would iron their clothes for the week. Their clothes would be ready and all they had to do was brush their teeth and get ready for school. I just hope Jasmine does not have to go through what I went through growing up in life."

Jasmine and all of her siblings saw how hard their mother worked. That sacrifice was definitely not lost on the baby of the family.

"My mom makes me push harder and keep going," Jasmine said. "I am doing it for her, to make her happy."

That's music to Janet's ears.

"It makes me feel good," Janet said. "It lets me know that she understood where I was coming from. That was something she had to see for herself. I keep pushing her. I said the main thing I want to see is her finish high school, graduate and go to college to better herself."

Earning a college scholarship is quite the accomplishment for the young lady who led Breaux Bridge High School to one of its best years in recent memory.

In fact, it is a first.

"I was the first one (of my siblings) to get a scholarship and go to college," Jasmine said. "I am trying to make the best of it and make her happy. I am going to major in kinesiology. I want to coach."

Her newest coach knows what it has taken in both the classroom and on the court for one of his newest players to make it to this point in her life.

"Jasmine takes pride in the hard work that it has taken for her to achieve her goals," Summitt said. "She constantly worked herself out and did whatever it took academically to get a college scholarship."

That hard work led the quiet, soft-spoken, yet fiercely competitive ball player to Ruston last fall on her official visit. The visit went well. Jasmine was sold that Louisiana Tech was where she wanted to continue her basketball career while pursuing a degree.

"The players were really helpful when I came," she said. "I loved my visit. I liked the environment and just fell in love with Tech. The coaches were another part of it. They were great and showed me around. I just liked them and there was something about the entire experience."

Janet, who came on the visit with her daughter, also knew it was a good fit.

"She told me she liked it and would feel more comfortable because Tech was more like a family," Janet said. "She said she liked it, and that everyone got along. She called me just recently and told me how much she likes it already."

LeBlanc is one of four true freshmen on the roster. All four are getting to experience what college basketball workouts are all about.

"It is different," Jasmine said. "This is bringing the best out in me. I feel like I have to keep working harder. It is competitive but I am going to get through. We work harder (than in high school). The players actually push you to help you get through it. Everything is just completely different and more competitive."

Competition is not something that scares Jasmine LeBlanc. Even in her free time, she can be usually found working to get better.

"When I am not playing basketball, I am usually working out," she said. "A lot of times I will just go lift or put up some shots. I just want to be the best and keep working. There is always something to do so I get up and do it."

That sounds a lot like Janet's mentality. Like mother, like daughter.