February 16, 2004

     In the world of Connecticut high school basketball, her name has sometimes slipped through the cracks. She has never had the chance to play for a state championship at Central Connecticut State University and has rarely received credit for being among the top high school players in the state.
     Those who know Wallingford's Claire Sullivan or have seen her play, however, allow her talent, her successes and her passion for the game do all the necessary talking.
     For four years, Sullivan has been the starting point guard for the Choate-Wallingford girls' basketball team. In spite of an occasional thought about what could have been, Sullivan said she has no regrets.
     "I do think about it come tournament time," said Sullivan, who is 5 feet 8. "When I go to Central and watch my AAU teammates and see all that excitement and intensity, I definitely would have loved that. But what I've gained being at a prep school is so much more important than any atmosphere that I would have experienced." During her career, Choate has improved from its three-win season in 1999-2000 to a 15-2 record and a top spot in the prep school standings. She has scored 1,221 points, grabbed 304 rebounds and dished out 388 assists in 84 games.
     "I would not take a single thing away from other kids on the team, but she's the engine that drives our team," Choate coach Jim Davidson said. "She has an incredible commitment to be the best player she can be. She's the kid who will be in the gym working on her foul shots, will want to have the team run more, run faster. She brings confidence to the floor. I've never seen anyone with more confidence."
     Her leadership has extended far beyond scoring baskets and calling out plays. But she admits that it hasn't always been easy.
     "It's definitely hard sometimes just because I care so much about it that I sometimes don't understand why other kids don't feel the same way," Sullivan said. "But it's part of learning how to be a better leader, how to be a better teammate. That's one thing that I have really grown to understand." And that understanding has not gone unnoticed. According to Davidson, Sullivan's teammates are inspired just by watching her.
     "She's hard on herself, she's demanding on her teammates, but she's figured out a balance as to how to express her desire and to be able to bring other kids along who aren't necessarily as talented or as committed," Davidson said.
     "They benefit greatly from having her on the team. You can just tell it means so much to them. The other teammates talk about her love and passion every time she steps on the floor. She's the type of kid that makes you want to play better."
     That love has only grown since she began playing in second grade. She made it a point to become a student of the game, and Davidson has seen her grow in countless aspects throughout her career at Choate.
     According to Sullivan, she has some work to do this summer on her jump shot so that it will hold up to the college game. In fact, upon graduating in May, Sullivan has accepted a full scholarship to play Division I basketball at Lehigh. Not only was the lure that she will play for a promising team in the Patriot League, but Lehigh is a school where she can fulfill her dream of someday going on to law school.
     "For her, education plays an important part of it," Davidson said. "There were a lot of schools that were very hot on her trail, but she realized that going to them she would not get the education that she was hoping for."
     In January, Sullivan was named School Athlete of the Month. She was a unanimous selection for this year's captain and is a member of the 1,000-point club. She will graduate holding the assist record and record for most games won as a starter. Also part of Christie and Steve Madancy's team that won its seventh AAU title in a row, Sullivan has gotten the best of both worlds.
     "It's been a good blend for her," Davidson said. "She's just perfect to have on a team. We've been lucky to have her."