When Amber Filkins gets to Catholic University in Washington D.C. this fall, it’s likely that she still won’t be 100 percent sure of what she wants to study, but she does know one thing—she wants it to relate to helping others in need.

“I think that’s what I've been put here to do, is to help others," said the Wareham High School senior. "All the people that have been helping me—I want to do something like that.”

The help Filkins mentioned refers to some of the assistance she’s gotten surrounding a difficult upbringing.

Filkins said she'd spent most of her life living with her father, but for the past few years, hadn't been able to support her.   This left her to looking to several families and mentors to aid her in finding a suitable place to live, to help her get through high school, and to guide her toward excelling on the basketball court, where she tallied over 1,000 points as a guard for the Wareham Vikings girls basketball team.

“I’ve never really had parents around,” said Filkins, who has bounced around a bit between other families’ homes over the past few years.

Though she’s been through some tough times outside of school and basketball, she’s made the most of her time at Wareham High.  She scored more than 1,000 points in her career, and this past season, she was the school’s first ever recipient of the Dave Cowens Achievement Award, which is given to one boy and one girl basketball player in the area who exemplifies leadership both on and off the hardwood.

Maggie Rossi, an assistant coach for the Wareham girls basketball team, said that it wasn’t until this past year that Filkins really began to show that she wanted to be a team leader. Rossi said that in the past, she hadn’t stepped into a leadership role with the team, but recalled a particular game this season against one of the top teams in the state where Filkins put the team on her back and led them to victory.

“In the past, she might of have gotten on herself, but this year, she turned it around,” said Rossi. “She came into the huddle and told her teammates, ‘we got this, we got this.’ That’s something she never would have said last year.”

Rossi said she’s seen that leadership and determination from Filkins off the court as well.

“She really is an awesome kid, and she works so hard at everything,” said Rossi, noting that at one point, she was working three jobs to support herself, all while attending school and playing basketball.

Rossi said she's seen her in action at the Gleason Family YMCA, where Filkins often works with middle school students, and that she's played a big sister role for a lot of those students.

“She’s a great worker and awesome friend. She really is a super-caring person, and she’s so easy to talk to, which is pretty refreshing to see. For someone kind of coming from not a lot, she’s so appreciative and thankful. She’s always looking out for others over herself. It’s great to see.”

Filkins said she decided on Catholic University for several different reasons.  Head coach, Dave Brogioli, who suggested the Division III school to her in part because his sister went there and played on the basketball team.

“He thought I would be able to play there and that the school and campus would be a really good fit for me,” said Filkins, adding that her coach recommended she get away from the area for a few years because it could have a positive impact on her life. “He thought that going away would be better in my situation.”

When Filkins visited the school back in November, she spent the night with one of her future teammates and immediately fell in love with the school.

“The coaches and my teammates were really nice,” said Filkins, who said she’s leaning towards studying psychology, sports management or elementary education. “I can see myself fitting right in with the team as a player and a person. I think I can get a really good education there as well.

Though she’s going to miss home, Filkins said she’s looking forward to getting down to the D.C. area as soon as possible.

“Obviously its going to be hard being away from home and all the people that have been there for me,” said Filkins.

Filkins said that Brogioli and his wife Tricia, his brother Kevin Brogioli and his wife Wendy, and Filkins’ friend Andy White and his father Dave (among others) were all instrumental in helping her through some of her rougher times.

“It’s not like I’m going to be gone forever. Going away will be a good experience. In D.C., there are so many cool things there and so many things to see, and it’s even better that I’ll be going there to play basketball. I’m pretty excited.”

Brogioli echoed Rossi’s sentiments about Filkins' on-the-court-demeanor, saying she’d undergone quite the transformation within just a few short years.

“She really grew up a lot over the past few seasons," he said, noting that although she already possessed a great outside shot, she’d worked hard over the last few seasons to improve her defense and ball-handling as well. "She’s a talented player and a really good kid and cares about the team. I think she can really do well at the next level if she works hard in the offseason.”

Brogioli said he was as equally impressed with changes she’s made as an individual, and that includes her desire to lend a helping hand to those who are in need.

“She hasn’t had a great support system, but she's been her own advocate,” he said. “When people get to know her, they really see that she’s a good kid and she wants to help out. She’s had some tough breaks, but she’s done it the right way.”