Emily Fisher is searching for something she never thought would abandon her.
Her confidence.
So after two seasons at Maryland, the former Libertyville star has transferred to Nebraska.
“I started to lose my confidence, especially in my second year,” Fisher said. “It created a lot of issues in my playing ability. I knew I needed a change.”
A 6-foot guard/forward, Fisher was a four-year starter for Libertyville, was ranked No. 80 in the Class of 2023 by ESPN and averaged 2.6 points and 2.8 rebounds while playing in all 33 games during her freshman season at Maryland.
“I loved living at Maryland, and my career started off pretty well,” she said.
But Fisher’s confidence started to wane near the end of her freshman season, she said. After suffering a concussion in the middle of her sophomore season, she experienced more self-doubt, and she averaged 1.7 points and 1.4 rebounds in 19 games.
“I have never not been confident,” she said. “I’ve always been a very confident player growing up. Seeing how I was playing, everybody could tell something was wrong. I couldn’t figure it out. It was a mental game.”
Fisher’s father, Jeramy, who played football at Drake, said she didn’t talk about her struggles with her family last season.
“She kept it internalized,” Jeramy Fisher said. “She just never felt comfortable with her role. That ultimately comes to fit. You want to be comfortable and confident in your role.
“As an AAU player and high school player, she was extremely comfortable in her role. She lost that connection. For a kid that’s extremely confident, that’s saying a lot. She was disappointed with herself.”
Emily Fisher said she’s “70 to 80%” back to her old self. She credits a strong support system at Nebraska.
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“It was probably one of the biggest challenges I’ve had to deal with,” she said. “I’ve been through injuries and gotten through that. It compared to nothing else I’ve been through.
“Since I’ve gotten here, I’ve been hearing the coaches telling me to shoot, look to score and that my decision-making is the right decision. I don’t have to second-guess myself. I’m playing basketball more like I did in high school. I feel like I’m a very versatile player, but I want to be an offensive threat like I was in high school and AAU.”
Fisher’s younger sister, Lily, a 6-foot-1 junior point guard for Libertyville, is also a Division I prospect and has received recruiting advice from her.
“It’s very overwhelming, especially now with the changes,” Emily Fisher said, referring to the influx of money for name, image and likeness. “It’s way more overwhelming now than when I was recruited.
“The main advice I’ve given her is to get to know the players and coaches. It’s the coaches’ job to recruit, but when you go see the players and see their relationships with each other and their coaches, it tells you everything.”
Lily Fisher, who said she heeds that advice, looks at Emily as a role model.
“Everyone has their ups and downs, but seeing her always bounce back from those downs has been amazing, and that’s the reason she’s the person I look up to,” Lily Fisher said.
Emily Fisher said she’s still working on that.
“The mental stuff is very serious,” she said. “It’s become more of a thing. The coaches have really helped me here. They generally want me to succeed. They treat me like family. Nebraska is still far away from home. I have dinner with the coaches. It’s not just about basketball.
“I feel like going though the whole losing-my-confidence thing made me more in tune with my emotions. Growing up, I was not very emotional. I’m going to a therapist, and I’m able to control my emotions and am more aware of them.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.