Faces off the field Mackenzie West, senior forward, Rouse
What are yourteam expectations for the season?
My expectations for our team this year is to come in as underdogs in this 6A district and surprise some people. It’s going to be hard and we are going to have to battle each game, but we have a lot of heart and work well as a team. I’m excited to see how it goes.
What’s your favorite basketball memory?
My favorite memory from playing at Rouse is definitely when we finalized our spot as district champions. It was against Cedar Park at Rouse and it was senior night, so there was a lot of tension. When we won the game, everyone ran on the court and cheered. We were the first team in Rouse history to win a district championship.
How do you motivate yourself to play on days you don’t feel like it?
I usually always have the urge to play, but when I’m in an off mood, it helps me to listen to music and go through the game in my mind. I think about every aspect of the game as if I’m actually playing and then I can’t wait to get out on the court.
Outside of athletics, what do you like most about your school?
I like the people at Rouse. No one is ever judging you and everyone is really friendly, no matter what club or sport you’re in.
If you could have dinner with four people in the history of the world,who would they be?
I’ll choose Michael Jordan, Gregg Popovich, Mike Krzyzewski and Martin Luther King Jr.
WhyCoach K?
I’d invite him because he is one of the best basketball coaches of all time. I want to be a coach when I’m older, so I want to know how he got to where he is today.
If you had a choice of being All-State in basketball or valedictorian of your class, what would you pick?
I would choose valedictorian because it will help you go so much further in life than being on the AllState basketball team.
What do you considerthe greatest invention of all time?
I think the greatest invention is the teletype writer because it gives deaf people an easier way to communicate with others and each other.
Tell me something most people don’t know about you.
Something many people don’t know about me is that I started out on the B team all throughout middle school and planned on making volleyball my main sport.
What course have you taken in high school will benefit you the most afteryou graduate?
I am currently in the Ready, Set, Teach program at Rouse and every other day, I get to go work with a second grade PE class. I think this is really preparing me for my future as a coach and teacher.
Do you have college plans?
I plan on going to a four-year college and playing basketball.