Two hundred rebounds is the current season record for the varsity Lakes girls basketball team. This record is held by Mia Edwards in her sophomore season. Perhaps this record won’t stand for long. “I want her to get it because I want her to feel that accomplishment and I want her teammates to feel that accomplishment as well,” varsity head coach Grant Murray said.
From starting her basketball career in 4th grade to having big goals in high school, Lakes’ junior Kaylee Anderson has put her mind and effort into breaking the season rebounding record. Anderson has made it clear that she spends countless amounts of time thinking about this achievement. “I am striving to get the rebound record so I primarily focus on that during any game I play,” Anderson said.
Coach Murray strongly believes she can achieve her dream. “When [Kaylee] puts her mind to something, she tries to do it,” Murray said. Murray never underestimates Anderson, especially, when it comes down to her gaining self-accomplishment. Murray has had the honor to coach Anderson not once but twice in her high school career. “I think that Kaylee’s game has evolved since she was a freshman,” Murray said. Murray also pays attention to detail, ”I think her biggest strength in rebounding is her ability to track the ball,” Murray said. While Anderson’s coach thinks in detail, Anderson thinks strategy: “When the ball goes up for a shot, I think about finding someone to box out so there is more of a chance the ball will come to me,” Anderson said.
Anderson is determined to complete this goal, but with that comes stress. “I put pressure on myself because it motivates me to push myself as far as I can go,” Anderson said. Anderson is consistently striving to get closer and closer to breaking this record, and it can become challenging when it feels like all eyes are on her. “I think that anyone who is chasing a record is going to put pressure on themselves and it is going to weigh on them,” Murray said.
Breaking a record is not a guarantee, and not every game is going to go the way it is anticipated. Anderson, on average, gets 7 rebounds a game. However, in the second game of the season against Wheeling, Anderson grabbed 10 offensive rebounds and 9 defensive rebounds to get a school-high record of 19 rebounds in one game. Rebounds game to game had ups and downs, in the game against Mundelein Anderson only secured 4 rebounds. Disappointing, but this setback did not stop Anderson from continuing to pursue her goal.
“I think I play better when everyone is in a better mood and we are working together as a team,” Anderson said.
Anderson relies on herself, but she also feeds off of her teammates and coaches when playing a game. Anderson’s strengths can impact a game when it comes down to getting an extra shot. “She wants to do it for her team because I think she knows that one of her biggest strengths is her rebounding ability [which] helps us to win games,” Murray said. Giving other teams multiple shooting chances can be the difference between winning and losing a game. Anderson continues her tenacious defense and perfecting her skills in rebounds, as the girls basketball team heads into the state series.
