“Win the day.”
This mantra has guided the Barhoum family for as long as Sara can remember. While goals are important, focusing on winning each day helps Sara stay motivated and continuously improve.
And she’s done just that: from winning a state championship to playing with Jason Kidd Select, and ultimately committing to Oregon, this is just the beginning.
Sara first picked up a basketball at the age of four, joining a little hoopers team. With her parents, siblings, and cousins also passionate about the sport, she felt like she grew up with the game. The gym has served as a sanctuary where her joy for watching and playing has deepened.
While the whole family loves the game, it’s moments with her Dad that Sara recalls the most. She shared,
My dad has always been a big part of my journey. He's always pushed me to be great and be the best version of myself…he’s held me to a certain standard and kept me on track.”
In sixth grade, Sara’s dad, John, was looking for more ways that she could develop her game. He came across Dr. Dish and ordered their first shooting machine.
Sara got reps up with the Dish on the daily. John recalls the impact stating,
A kid like Sara is in the gym 2-3 hours a day. If you have a rebounder with her you’re talking two to three hundred makes in an hour. On the Dish, it’s more like six to seven hundred makes, times 7 days a week, times 30 days a month, times 365 days a year, over the course of 5-6 years she’s gotten hundreds of thousand more shots up on the Dish than she would’ve without it. She’s considered one of the best shooters in the country and without the Dish she wouldn't have gotten there.”
Having a shooting machine also allowed John to shift his role in Sara’s training and development. With the shooting machine taking care of the rebounds and stats, John got to focus on coaching her through the mechanics of her shot. He shared,
There are countless benefits but the sheer number of reps that we got out of it versus without it is the difference between Sara playing at a D2 or a low D1 versus going anywhere in the country.”
The efficiency of training with Dr. Dish prompted the Barhoum family to upgrade from their Dr. Dish All-Star to the All-Star+ model. Their positive experience also motivated them to donate a machine to the high school program. Sara shared,
It's super nice having it always available because people can get their reps up whenever they want. We can shoot before games, after games, practices, and a lot of my teammates get up reps during their lunches or on their free period."
During the off-season, Sara leverages her training time to develop new skills, maintain shot consistency, and hold herself accountable.
The gym feels like a second home and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Sara jumps at every opportunity to play basketball, whether it's before practice, between games, or after practice. A typical training day looks like:
Sara's 2 Hour Off-Season Workout Routine
Sara also focuses on shooting 1,000 shots each day during the off-season, aiming to make as many as possible out of 100,000 attempts by the end of the summer. Training with Dr. Dish is essential for setting, tracking, and monitoring her progress toward shooting goals.
The early mornings, late nights, and countless reps have all been part of a journey that has led Sara to her current success and is paving the way for her future.
Sara has played with some of the same girls since 6th grade and her role on the team has always been to bring the energy she shared,
I love to work hard. I hold my teammates to a certain standard and I try to hold everyone accountable including myself and just bring the energy up. I love a loud gym so I just like to bring all energy."
This energy and drive led the team to win a state championship her Sophomore year. Their junior year they came up short in third place, and it only fueled their determination to return senior year and claim the championship. Sara expressed,
We were definitely supposed to win it last year, but things just didn't go our way. It motivated all of us, and we're ready to come back next year and win it.
Sara is looking forward to a final year with her high school teammates at Clackamas, but on the horizon is her freshman year at the University of Oregon. Growing up, Sara attended many games at the University of Oregon and dreamed of one day playing basketball there. When asked about her commitment and how her style of play will fit in, she shared,
The coaching staff is just amazing. I love the campus and the culture. It's definitely a plus that they're super close to home and the style of play is super fast. They like to score the ball and defensively they like to get after it too. I think I'll fit in well there because I like to run the floor and get after it on defense."
Looking ahead, Sara offers advice to younger hoopers looking to play in college,
Keep pursuing your dreams and find ways to put in work all the time. Always strive to be the best version of yourself."
It all goes back to the family mantra, "win the day."
As Sara prepares for her senior season, Dr. Dish looks forward to following her journey closely, supporting her continued growth on and off the court.
