Kaylee- Still Working

Kaylee had a horrible ending to her season, when she hurt her knee with just a couple weeks left in the season. So, I wanted catch up with her and how her rehab is going. As one would expect of Kaylee is approaching it with her usual energy and her usual work ethic.

Kaylee has been an important leader in our program. Often people mistakenly just think as leadership involving being able to give verbal messages. In order for the verbal message to be accepted by teammates, the leader has to have first developed a relationship with teammates. In other words, the players must see the leader as someone who really cares about them. And an effective leader’s actions must show that they are invested in the team. The expression that we use- they must “walk the walk.”

Kaylee is not a good leader, she is a GREAT LEADER. In is so much more effective when words of inspiration and words of criticism come from a teammate instead of just the coach. Kaylee has never been afraid to speak up and say not what her team wants to hear, but rather what her team NEEDS TO HEAR.

But her leadership all begins with her thoughtfulness and caring for her teammates. And then when we step on the floor, she has always been a leader by how she performs. She never takes days off- she comes to work every day.

Being a Streak has always been important to Kaylee. She grew up respecting and idolizing players who came before her. The greatest compliment I can give to Kaylee is that Molly Watson and Sara Wood would have loved having Kaylee as a teammate!

As you look back on when you hurt your knee, did you feel anything in particular that made you feel right away that it was serious? 

When looking back on the day it happened, I remember being in shock. When I heard my leg pop, I thought…. well, that’s not good. When you guys helped me to sit in the chair, I was thinking, “I’ll just sit here for a few minutes, collect myself, and then I’ll go back out.” However, the pain was really bad. Once I saw Brandon, couldn’t walk, and realized I wouldn’t be able to play against UT the next day, I knew it was serious.

Where are you right now in your rehab? What are you able to do now? What are you hoping to be able to do in a month that you aren't able to do right now?

I’m currently doing well in rehab. Right after surgery, rehab was really difficult. Now, I am able to ride an exercise bike, do leg press, and do whatever else Brandon has me do that day. Each time I get to do something of more caliber, and that is encouraging. Just recently, my quad strength and ability to straighten my leg was lacking. However, the next time I went to therapy, Brandon measured my bend and my straight, and they were both the same as my other leg, which is the goal. This was a huge mood booster for me and encouraged me to continue the process. In a month, I am hoping to ride a real bike in my neighborhood.

Surgery and rehab are obviously tough. What have you learned about yourself in this process?

Through this process, I learned a lot about myself. For me, the hardest part was coming to terms with it all. I tried to push away the sadness I felt about not finishing the season the way I wanted to. I didn’t want to think about surgery and the rehab process. It seemed exhausting to me. After I had surgery, I had to begin to do some at home rehab, and there was a point where I got really overwhelmed. It all just felt too hard, and my mind and body were exhausted. My mom explained to me that I have to come to terms with all of this, and that this is something I don’t have a choice about if I go through. It happened and I had to accept it and move forward. From that point on, I began to be more tough about it. I learned I can’t push my feelings away, and I also learned that I am determined and headstrong, which helps me through this process.

Abby went thru this- how was she able to help you?

Abby has been the sweetest friend you could ask for during this process. During the season when I had to miss out on practice, the days that Abby came to practice were the best days. We talked about random stuff and it helped get my mind off of it. She has a way of making everyone feel better, and she did that for me. She has continued to check on me throughout the whole process. A few days after surgery, Abby and her dad came over. She brought flowers, candy, and a drawing she made. When she came over, we talked and laughed and took a photo with our scars. She has helped me immensely, and I will always appreciate everything she has done.

As a player and as a person, you don't seem to have "bad days." In other words, I don't ever remember thinking, "Kaylee isn't into it today." Your approach has always been impressive. There has to have been days when the last class bell rang and you thought you would just like to go home and relax. What would you say is your "secret" that on even those days you step on the floor and are intense? 

I don’t really know if I have a “secret” to why I was intense. I really enjoyed going to practice, and I knew it would make me better, so I just did it I guess. I always knew that I wouldn’t be a player forever, so I might as well work hard while I am one.

Being a Streak has been important to you. When you were in grade school, and then junior high- who were some of the Streaks basketball players you looked up to?

When I was in grade school and junior high, the one player I looked up to was Molly Watson. I looked up to Molly Watson because she was really good friends with my Uncle, and he would say how good she was. One time he said she was a “ball-handling wizard.” He always mentioned how hard she worked, and he also said she “lived at the Y” and that they played in their driveway a lot. I put together then that her hard work was the reason for her success. I also looked up to players such as Jessica Howard, because she was such a good shooter. In addition, I looked up to Casey Williams because she was always who I liked to watch when I went to games.

My teammate has inspired me also. Chelsea Stevenson and I have always worked out together. In junior high we used to go to the Y after school with my mom, or go to my uncle’s basketball camp. We always played together and as we grew up we only got closer. She has always inspired me because we would do the same workouts and come up with plans together. If it wasn’t for Chelsea I don’t think I would’ve ever gone to shoot as much or kept track of my work. She’s always the best partner and teammate and someone I look up to. 

What do you hope a JH player who watched you says about you?

I hope that JH players who watched me would say that I always hustled, was a good teammate, or talked on the court.

Years ago coaching cross country, I learned that if you wanted athletes to run in the summer, you had to get them keep a log and write their mileage down. We have tried to get that point across to basketball players about their individual workouts. How do you feel keeping a record of your work helped you out?

Keeping a record of my work was always one of my favorite things. The book doesn’t lie, so if you don’t do the work, you can’t write it down. It is a good way to see if you are walking the walk. You can say you’re working, but if you chart it, you can really see how much. Keeping track of shots on the gun and free throws keeps you determined, because you see how much work you have done. It is also a great way to measure improvement. Chelsea and I were able to track our improvement through our percentages. My favorite part of keeping records was one, I would be able to tell my Grandpa what my free throw percentage for the time was, and two, totaling up at the end of each month. It was rewarding to see how much work you put in.

What has been your favorite class in high school? What about it made it a favorite?

My favorite class in high school has been French. My teacher, who moved back to Germany last year, will always be one of my favorite teachers ever. She was a free spirit and the most diligent person I’ve ever met. She was incredibly patient with me and taught more than just French. She taught me a lot of things about life. It was also my favorite class because if I didn’t speak some French, I would’ve missed out on some of my best friends who speak French as a first language.

What is your favorite basketball memory?

I have a lot of favorite memories from basketball. One of my all time favorite memories was when Chelsea, Armani, and I played a trick on Arleta in the hotel room at Mattoon. To make a long story short, we took all of the towels out of the bathroom while Arleta was showering and replaced them with a tiny washcloth and told her that was all the cleaning lady gave us, so that was what she had to use. It might not be funny when I tell the story, but it was just really funny to the four of us in the moment.

A favorite team memory was in the summer when there was a ghost in the junior’s room. We were all in there horrified, and we downloaded ghost-finding apps on our phones. It was really funny and bonded our team.

We have only been in a "closed up" mode for about a week, have you found anything that you enjoy doing that helps you get thru the days? 

During the quarantine, I have been doing my work for school, painting, sewing, and playing with my dog, Daisy.

You played with most of the players who will be next year's varsity. You have watched the younger players who will be moving up. They have talent and have potential- what is your advice to them? 

I would have a lot of advice for the younger players. I would tell them to always accept coaching from anyone. Sometimes you don’t want to hear it, but there is always someone who can tell you what to do better. I would tell them to put in the work. You aren’t going to play forever, so if you’re going to do it, do it all the way.

I would tell them to be a good teammate all of the time. There are a lot of ways to be a good teammate. Giving out high fives or a pat on the back, or just saying, “you’re okay,” helps your team out. Always look for ways to include everyone and make everyone feel a part of the team.

I would tell them to always remember what being a girl’s silver streak basketball player is. I don’t want them to forget that we are a renowned program with a great coach and coaching staff and that a whole bunch of great players wore the silver snap off pants, too. It is a legacy and something that is important.

If you could invite anyone- living or dead- who are three guests you would invite to have dinner with?

I would invite three famous women that have inspired me. I would invite Dorthea Lange, a famous photographer during the depression-era, Sojourner Truth, an abolitionist and women’s right activist, and Moriah Jefferson, who played basketball at UConn and was my favorite player to watch in junior high.