Tatum Veitenheimer's mom knows the sound all too well.
From anywhere in the family's brick home in tiny Windthorst, Texas, she can hear the dong, dong, dong when her daughter dribbles one of the 12 basketballs lying around the house. The tile floors amplify the sound, outmatched only by calls of coyotes that bounce along the dirt outside on Veitenheimer Road.
"I always say that when she goes off to college, that's the thing I'll miss the most," Teresa Veitenheimer said. "The sound of her dribbling around. She does it without even thinking. ... The ball never seems to leave her."
Except, that is, when it's going through the hoop or into a teammate's hands.
Veitenheimer, a 5-foot-7 point guard who also competes in volleyball, softball, tennis, cross country and track, averaged 25.2 points, 6.8 steals and 5.3 assists last year as a sophomore as Windthorst went 28-4 and advanced to the Texas 2A regional semifinal. Through 15 games this year, she's averaging 26.4 points and six rebounds at the 140-student school. Last week, she notched 2,000 career points in a win over Quanah (Texas) High School.
But what Veitenheimer brings to the sport can't be captured in stats.
"The kid, she is so much more than the player she is," Texas Elite coach Bill Franey said. "I know you hear that crap from every coach, but I've been coaching 40 years. She's really a special kid."
Veitenheimer wears No. 32 to honor her grandmother Virginia, or "Nani," who also wore the number and died of esophageal cancer when Tatum was 7. She remembers filling out NCAA tournament brackets with her grandma when she visited from nearby Wichita Falls. Virginia loved watching Pat Summitt coach and was often the loudest supporter in the stands at her family's games.
Her memory, enthusiasm for life and belief that sports should keep a smile on your face have reminded Veitenheimer why she plays.
"She was always doing stuff for other people," Veitenheimer said. "She put others first and made me who I am today."
It's why she always sports pigtails, plays with a pass-first mindset and someday dreams of becoming a college coach.
"It's a blessing to play with her," club teammate Ryanne Johnson said. "Most guards are about getting their points. On the court, she's an amazing leader. She's always thinking about her teammates."
Franey remembers the first time he saw Veitenheimer play. Her family had made the roughly two-hour drive to Dallas-Fort Worth for a practice.
At first, he was unsure whether it would work -- no way could she make all games and practices with a commute that long. It took all but 10 minutes for Veitenheimer's ability to shine.
"I told my assistant coach, 'Go start sucking up to her mom,'" Franey said. "We need this kid."
Veitenheimer was in third grade.
Since then, Veitenheimer has been a mainstay. She finds ways to maximize her commute, reading books or cracking math problems during car rides back and forth.
Veitenheimer's success has made Windthorst a tourist destination, and not just for college coaches. Franey has sat next to fans who read about her dazzling moves in the local newspaper and decided to catch a game.
"She's always having fun and loving the game," Franey said. "It's kind of captivating to watch her play that way."
Veitenheimer is also quite active online. She concedes that social media has both negatives and positives, but values Twitter and other platforms for behind-the-scenes access to college programs. She's also networked with other recruits across the country.
"Especially when you're a college player, you have a bunch of little girls that look up to you," Veitenheimer said. "You can put positive things on social media that can impact them."
Speaking of college, Veitenheimer feels confident she'll be right at home wherever she lands. With a population of less than 500 (her graduating class numbers just 40), Windthorst isn't big enough for a McDonald's or Walmart, but she's not restricting her search.
"I don't think any college towns have cows," Veitenheimer joked. "They at least have a McDonald's or something. It's going to be new, but I'll be ready for the challenge."
Franey has been impressed with Veitenheimer's attention to detail in recruiting.
"It's not like, 'Wow. What a gorgeous campus. I love the ocean,'" Franey said. "More like, 'I really like the way they use their point guard.' She pays more attention than most of the kids I've coached."
Veitenheimer can see herself in a variety of settings for college ball. Her suitors include Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, TCU, UCLA, Iowa State, Missouri, Colorado, Washington, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Kansas State and Kansas.
She remains undecided on a major. Coaches have told her that a variety of backgrounds can lead to a coaching job after graduation.
"I feel like I can really impact people," Veitenheimer said. "That goes back from learning from my Nani and watching what she did. What she did for me, I'd like to do that for other kids."
Wherever Veitenheimer lands, she hopes a No. 32 jersey will be available. After all, it's the only number she knows.
"She kind of sees 32 as an effort or an ability to have fun," Teresa said. "She said it's not really so much as a number but a way that you're supposed to do things."