Editor’s note: This story is the ninth in a weekly series profiling “Hidden Stars” across campus. A “Hidden Star” is someone who doesn’t normally get recognized but who excels in club sports, intramurals or other recreational activities. The series will run on every Tuesday throughout the semester. If you’d like to nominate someone to be featured as a “Hidden Star,” e-mail that person’s name, phone number, e-mail address and a brief paragraph about why he or she should be recognized to [email protected].

As the ISU women’s basketball team prepares for the upcoming season, the nameless scout team puts in the same long hours.

This year’s scout team consists of six men and two women, including junior Britt Nelson, who was a member last year as well.

“The scout team’s job is just as important as the actual team’s,” ISU women’s assistant basketball coach Latoja Harris said. “They are responsible for getting the team together.”

At each practice, the scout team is relied on to stimulate the competition.

Practices are optional for scout team members; however, Nelson attends each one.

“I choose to go every day, because I love it,” she said.

The practices are very structured and the scout team is not given much time to pick up on plays and perform them well, Harris said. “[Nelson] knows the system and what I expect,” Harris said. “She brings discipline to the program.”

Being a member on the scout team is a huge time commitment for Nelson, but there are a few perks.

Team shoes, priority scheduling and occasional tickets are a few of the bonuses, Harris said.

“I would do it without all that stuff,” Nelson said. “I really don’t need any motivation to work with this team.”

However, working with the coaches and the team has been the greatest advantage, she said.

Over the past two years, Nelson has formed strong working relationships with the team, and said that they are a great group of people to interact with.

“They don’t have to give me the time of day,” she said. “The fact that they do means a lot.”

Nelson, however, gives most of the credit to Harris.

“She makes me be a better person before worrying about being a better player,” Nelson said.

“She’s the reason I’m on the scout team.”

Similarly, Harris has a great deal of admiration for Nelson.

“She’s just as athletic as some of the girls,” Harris said. “She has a great attitude, and that’s what I like.”

Nelson said most people don’t understand why she participates on the scout team, but she can honestly say it’s her passion for basketball that drives her.

“Being at Iowa State has made me rediscover my love for the game,” she said. “I feel very lucky to be able to participate on the scout team.”

Nelson, who was initially recruited to play basketball at various smaller schools, chose Iowa State for academic reasons.

Gaining a position on the ISU women’s basketball team would be great, she said, but she enjoys being part of the scout team just as well.

“There may not be 14,000 fans in the stands when I play, but I still love it,” she said.