By working hard as basketball players during practice and in games under the lights of Stopher Gym, Colonels freshman guard LeLan Smith and Lady Colonels sophomore guard Claire Berry disposed their walk-on moniker during the 2005 season and became full contributors on the court.In their first seasons on their squad’s benches, both Smith and Berry have seen substantial playing time as walk-ons. In 23 appearances, Smith averaged 9.3 minutes per game. In 20 games, Berry averaged 12.9 minutes per game for the Lady Colonels.

Although they are not currently scholarship players, both Smith and Berry said they feel like regular members of the team. They participate in every team function from suiting up for games to attending team meetings.

“There is no difference,” Smith said. “It is just like I am on scholarship. They (the coaches and fellow teammates) treat me just like I am one of them, and I feel as I am part of them.”

“Most of the girls on the team didn’t realize I was a walk-on,” Berry said. “As a matter of fact, some of the new players didn’t realize I was a walk-on until halfway through the season. They thought I was on scholarship.”

Head men’s basketball coach J. P. Piper said Smith, a native of Morgan City and graduate of Central Catholic High School, has been a pleasant surprise for the team. Smith averages 2.7 points per game and leads the team in field goal percentage at 55 percent and three-point percentage at 61 percent.

“I have been real pleased with LeLan,” Piper said. “He has been a real pleasant surprise for us. He works extremely hard, and when he gets in the game, he doesn’t play like a walk-on. He plays like he belongs out there, and he has made some big shots in games for us.”

Women’s basketball coach Mark Cook said Berry, a native of Sulphur and graduate of Sulphur High School, is a big contributor for the Lady Colonels. Berry averages 2.6 points per game and is third in three-point percentage at 38 percent.

“Claire has done a pretty good job for us,” Cook said. “Right now, she is averaging about 10 minutes per ballgame and that is a lot for a walk-on.”

According to both Smith and Berry, being a walk-on has forced them to prove themselves both as basketball players and college students to their coaches and teammates.

“Every time I get on the court, I feel I have something to prove to everybody,” Smith said. “I just want to be better than anybody on the court, and I want to prove that I can be.”

“I had to prove myself extra hard because they didn’t know what kind of player I was when I first came here,” Berry said. “I thought that being tougher on the other girls (on the court) I would be able to display myself. If I worked hard, I would be able to play. If I didn’t, I don’t play.”

Because of the depth it brings to their rosters, both Piper and Cook said they encourage walk-ons to tryout for their teams.

“We could have used more help this year, and I hope to have two or three walk-ons on next year’s squad,” Piper said. “We are always looking within the ranks at Nicholls for guys who can help us out.”

When it comes to finding a walk-on who will best fit his team, Cook said he wants a walk-on player who works hard in practice.

“You want people who are going to come out here and push each other at practice, and walk-ons traditionally do that,” Cook said. “As a coach, you pick the walk-on who is going to help you. You don’t want a walk-on who is worried about playing and why they aren’t getting enough playing time as the other players. They are going to have to come out here and work hard in practice, and as a coach, I’m going to put them in the game. And that lets everybody know, scholarship or no scholarship, that if you work hard in practice everyday, you get to get out on the floor during games.”

“I think life is tougher for a walk-on more than any other guy on the team,” Piper said. “LeLan is a pretty talented kid, and he is making the most of his talent. Life is tougher for him because he has to pay his own school. Sometimes walk-ons see themselves as maybe not as good as the other guys. We’ve talked to Leland a lot about the fact that you can’t view yourself that way. You have to believe you’re as good as anyone on the floor and play with that attitude.