Vanna Cure, Former Division I Valdosta State University Basketball Player, Athens Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee and Clarke Central High School Class of 2004 alumna stands in the CCHS Competition Gym with a CCHS basketball jersey on May 24. Cure, having played basketball for CCHS and at a DI Level, was inducted into the Athens Athletic Hall of Fame on June 2004. “I just hope (me being an inductee) inspires people. I guess that is an indirect benefit for me,” Cure said “Growing up, basketball was always so special. So, this is just the cherry on top for me, a final close.” Photo by Kye Streetman
Athens Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee and CCHS Class of 2004 alumna Vanna Cure discusses her experience playing D1 basketball at Valdosta State University and balancing academics and athletics.
Sports Staffer Jack Rumfelt: Could you tell me about the beginning of your basketball career, and how your passion started?
Former DI College Basketball Player, Athens Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee and Clarke Central High School Graduate Vanna Cure: I started when I was about seven or eight years old. One day, I just picked up a ball and started playing. I lived really close to a gym in the East Athens Community Center, and so I would just go every day and fell in love with playing basketball. Something that’s different from back when I played versus you all now, is I was one of only two girls on my team growing up, I played with a team full of boys, and so it was just me, and that toughened me up a bit.
JR: Put me in your shoes when you were in college at Valdosta State University. What was your day-to-day like?
VC: College athletics looks good on TV, the games and the glory and people winning, but there’s a lot that goes into it in the background. You really have to be dedicated to the sport number one, but also dedicated to books, especially back when I played. (Name, Image, and Likeness) wasn’t a thing. Sports weren’t driven by money. It was strictly athletics. You were playing for a scholarship. So, (on) a typical day you get up and work out (at) 6-7 o’clock in the morning with your team, either weights or on the gym or on the court. From there, you go to class until about 1 p.m. And after that, either study hall or you had practice. There’s just very little time in the day for anything social, and you’re on a strict regimen (with) sports, weightlifting (and) class, so you really have to have self discipline to play college basketball. And athletics aside, I think you have to have self discipline to succeed in college.
Vanna Cure, a former DI College Basketball Player, Athens Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee and Clarke Central High School Graduate stands in the CCHS Competition Gym on May 24. Like in college, Cure maintained a high GPA and played basketball at CCHS, which helped her pave the way for later success. “I realized from a young age that basketball could be a catalyst for a very good life for me, and it actually has ended up being that,” Cure said. “I always saw the bigger picture of education and even got my master’s degree after I graduated undergrad, so it was just always a means to an end (thing) for me.” Photo by Kye Streetman
JR: What advice would you give students balancing both athletics and academics?
VC: Self discipline, but also making time to rest and readjust. It can be overwhelming if you’re not intentional about balancing it, finding time for yourself, getting rest, keeping focus on your nutrition, (and) making sure you’re doing things to keep your body regulated. If not, you will go crazy just with the sheer amount of responsibilities that you have as a student-athlete. And then secondly, something that I always tell my nephew is to not be afraid. Ask for help, especially academically. (Help is) there for you, especially as a student-athlete. There’s so many resources there, but just asking for help and just taking care of yourself, prioritizing rest, nutrition, your own health and you’ll be okay.
JR: How did you prepare yourself to play college-level basketball in high school?
VC: I was almost addicted to basketball in high school. I have a niece that plays now, and one of the things that I tell her is, “Get as many reps as you can outside of practice with CCHS, outside of practice with your school. Play basketball until you drop.” That was one thing for me growing up, I stayed in the gym. I was always in the gym shooting around if there was an opportunity to play against some boys, I was doing it. I just love the game so much, and I just practice so much on my own that it just comes naturally to you when you’re on the court. And so there’s just something about that work ethic, that internal drive to where you just love the game and you want to play all the time that will serve anyone well.
Vanna Cure, Former Division I Valdosta State University Basketball Player, Athens Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee and Clarke Central High School Class of 2004 alumna, holds a basketball in the CCHS Competition Gym on May 24. Photo by Kye Streetman
Sports Editor Kye Streetman: Can you describe the shift from playing basketball at CCHS to playing at the collegiate level?
VC: It’s a mindset shift for sure. You go from being the star player on your high school team to all of a sudden, you’re surrounded by stars, so you have to find your way in, do what you know how to do, but also fit into a system. You are the star in whatever bubble that you exist in, and suddenly you go out into the world, and you’re amongst stars across the galaxy. So, you have to find your place in the world, and so that was how college basketball (was). You have to find your place, but also walk in your star power. Also, know what you can do well and walk in that. I think that’s the biggest shift, is just learning how to walk in your star power, but doing it amongst other stars.
JR: What are some qualities that you would say college athlete recruiters look for the most, besides actual game skills?
VC: Coachability. Number one, coaches don’t have time to teach you or to encourage you to love the game that you’re playing. You have to have a passion for the game. That has to exude from you when you’re trying to play on the next level. You’ve got to be coachable. You have got to be humble enough to know that you don’t know it all, and to know that there’s still a lot to learn, and to allow your game to evolve. The college level is very different from the high school level in terms of the way that the game is played. You have to be flexible enough, humble enough to be coached. Outside of talent, that’s probably the biggest thing, is the ability to be coached and to be able to accept when things are not going well. Just being able to humble yourself enough to know that that’s what you’re walking into is the top thing.
“Just believe in yourself, almost be crazy with the amount of belief that you have in yourself.”
JR: What was your original reaction when you found out you’re going to be an Athens Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee?
VC: I was shocked, because I think so much has happened in my life since I was an athlete. Basketball is a chapter of my life that I love so deeply, so, outside of shock, I was just honored. While I did have a good career, towards the end of my career, some things didn’t quite go the way that I wanted them to, but to receive this honor, it was validating. It just feels good to be recognized. It just feels good to look back and be recognized. And I say all the time, as a player, I was never one to play for the (honor) and want the glory. I just love playing the game, and so to be recognized for my talents, it means a lot.
JR: What was your process of working your way up to this accomplishment?
VC: I got an email one day, three years ago, I think it was 2023 from Coach Ward (Jon Ward), who’s the athletic director at Clarke Central, saying, “You’ve been nominated for the Athens Athletic Hall of Fame.” And the email just came out of nowhere. I didn’t know the Hall of Fame existed at the time, and I was just asked to submit a lot of stats, which was hard for me (because) I graduated 15-20 years ago. So, you send in all your stats, and you wait from there to see if you’re going to get inducted. So, 2023 went by, I wasn’t inducted. 2024 went by, I wasn’t inducted. (Ward) reached back out in 2025 and (said) “Hey, we may get you in this class.” I had to resubmit stats. Wasn’t inducted in 2025 and then, in December of 2025 he reached back out and said, “Hey, we’re going to get you in the 2026 class. Can you confirm the stats that you’ve sent?” That was the process. The induction ceremony was (on June 8th), there’s a luncheon before that, and from there, just acceptance.
Vanna Cure, former Division I Valdosta State University basketball player, Athens Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee and Clarke Central High School Class of 2004 alumna, poses for a “Most Athletic” photo in the CCHS Competition Gym in 2004. Before going to play college basketball, Cure played on the varsity team at CCHS, where she contributed to multiple championship teams.“I was almost addicted to basketball in high school,” Cure said, “I just love the game so much, and I just practice so much on my own that it just kind of comes naturally to you when you’re on the court.” Photo fair use of the Gladius Yearbook
JR: How do you think being an Athens Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee will benefit you in the future?
VC: I just hope it inspires people. I guess that is an indirect benefit for me. I love to be in a position where I feel like I’m inspiring people, and especially coming from where I come from. I grew up in the housing projects in Athens over in Nellie B. on the East Side. I don’t come from the type of family where this type of thing is expected. Going to college is just not the first option when a lot of folks in my family graduate. Hopefully, I can inspire some people. I was always just growing up a little girl that just loved basketball. So, to look back and see how basketball has changed my life is just incredible. I just hope it’s an inspiration for people, and I think for me personally, this serves as a final close to a chapter that just was so special to me. Growing up, basketball was always so special. And so this is just the cherry on top for me, a final close, a final bow for me when it comes to basketball.
JR: If you give one final piece of advice to the youth wanting to do what you did, accomplish the things you accomplished, what would it be?
VC: Just believe in yourself, almost be crazy with the amount of belief that you have in yourself. That’s number one. But (number) two, you have to prepare now for a future that you can’t even see. That’s why I said there was a shift in my basketball career early on, where I started to see basketball as a means to an end. I can go far with this academically. I can use basketball to pay for college, to set myself up for a great life, whether it’s basketball, whether it’s chess club, whether it’s band, whatever you’re doing, start to prepare yourself for a future that you can’t quite see yet, and just believe in yourself. Work as hard as you can, be open and be coachable, and the rest will take care of itself. So much of the success that I have had, not only in basketball, but just in life, in my career, is by doing things the right way. (So, it’s) just treating people well and just trying to be very good at every single thing that you do, not going into something halfway, not trying to take shortcuts, doing things going as hard as you can with whatever you’re doing. I know that was more than one thing but that’s just been a combination of the things that I’ve lived by over the last couple years.
