One-on-one with Kayla Stevens

It is currently dead week for athletes throughout the state, but that is not slowing Kayla Stevens down. A rising senior for Ingomar, Stevens looks to concentrate on basketball her final year.
“Basketball’s always been my main thing. I used to be in love with softball, but in junior high I was like ‘wow,’ I found I was decent and could shoot a little bit,” she said. “When I was in the seventh grade, they started playing me in the eighth grade games, and I loved it.”
Averaging 14.4 points per game last season, Stevens earned Offensive MVP honors for the Lady Falcons and is spending the summer focusing on several aspects of her game.
“Basically I want to work of everything you can think of in basketball, because I’m nowhere where I need to be in order to get a scholarship.”
Stevens has been in contact with Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma, but wanting to stay close to home, she would like to further her career in the area.
“I think it would be a really good opportunity for me to go to Oral Roberts,” Stevens said. “It’s a Christian university, so I can focus on God, sports and my education, but I’m not sure because it’s so far away. I’m hoping to go to ICC or Northeast, somewhere close, if I don’t get a scholarship.”
One area that hurt the Lady Falcons last season was fatigue, so Stevens’ way to fix that–run cross country.
“I wanted to run last year, but I got caught up in other stuff and didn’t have time,” she said. “I figured I would all out for my senior year, and it’s been okay so far. It’s something you have to be really in shape for. We’ve had about four practices so far, and it’s usually at eight in the morning on Fridays, but it’s something I’m dedicated to.”
Stevens will stay very busy next season, as she will also play softball again for Ingomar, although she chose to not participate in their workouts in order to focus on basketball.
“We’ve had some practices and games, but I talked to Coach (Kevin) Williams and told him I wanted to keep my mind focused on basketball this next year, because it will be my last,” she said. “I’m going to play softball, but missing summer league play, I told coach if there is someone more deserving to play, let them play; they’ve earned it.”
The Lady Falcons only lose one in basketball, and it is Stevens’ hope that Ingomar will surprise people next season.
“A lot of people underestimated us after we lost two great players in Maggie (Cobb) and Lyndi (Kidd),” she said. “We may not win every game, but it counts in the love of the game. We have a lot of heart and if we can play with that, I think we’ll be as good as any other team. We may not be better than them, but we can outsmart them, and we have the desire and fight to win.”
It will be hard to miss Stevens next year, as she will make the most of the senior year and hopes to bring more accomplishments to Ingomar.
“Everyone thinks that Ingomar won’t be very good because we do not have the talent, but I think they’re in for a challenge, because we’re going to come in strong and give them everything we’ve got.”

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