SOMETIMES, TAKING ONE STEP BACK CAN PUSH YOU TWO STEPS FORWARD.
Junior Carly Paugh helped lead the Willis Wildkats to their best season since moving up to Class 6A, reaching a play- in game for the postseason in 2022.
Coach Megan Storms challenged her entering her sophomore season, moving Paugh from her middle position to the outside.
“I grew up playing middle and I was a little surprised how well I was able to transition,” she said. “It was a big change, from my arm swing to playing back row. It made me a better player.”
She was rolling through her sophomore summer before injuring her knee, putting her on the bench as a spectator for much of the club season.
“It really gave me a different perspective,” she said. “I went from playing all the time to doing nothing at all. It was an eye-opener for me and what I learned was that I was a pretty bad teammate before I was injured. I was all about myself.
“I learned that even if you don’t play, you are still a teammate. You can influence the team with your attitude and your confidence, even when you aren’t playing.”
Now, Paugh is back healthy, mentally and physically. And when she is on, she is on. Paugh is a ball of energy, who uses that to her advantage.
“I want my teammates and coaches to be comfortable with who I am,” she said. “I can’t tuck it away. I’ve learned there is a time and place to be serious. I like to play loose, tell jokes and laugh with my teammates. I usually go 100 miles-an- hour, all the time. I’m getting better at staying focused on the court, especially when it comes time to winning.”
Paugh has a burning competitive side, having learned it at home.
“My parents grew up playing sports and my siblings play soccer at a high level,” she laughed. “Everything is a competition from, who can eat dinner the fastest to who can get online the fastest to find the coolest car. Just weird stuff, but it’s always a fun competition in our family.”
Her volleyball family is equally as competitive as they position for a coveted playoff spot.
“We have a great team bond and hold each other to a high standard, every day,” she said. “We have pushed each other harder than ever and we want these seniors to go out with a great year.”
When not playing volleyball, she loves horror movies, going to Shake Shack and being on any body of water.
“I’m an adrenaline junkie,” she laughed. “My blood needs to be pumping all the time. I’m always going somewhere to see somebody. I can’t sit still.”
FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY-RECRUITED ATHLETES IN THE NATION, SEBASTIAN WILLIAMS-ADAMS HAS NEVER LOST SIGHT OF HIS VALUES.
The leading figure of the St. John’s School program has the skill to back his reputation. But it’s Williams-Adams’ mind that will shape his impending collegiate career.
“It’s definitely a blessing to be in the position that I am,” he said. “Third grade-me, who just started AAU basketball, could never imagine where I’d be at right now, and the things I’ve been able to experience through this game.
“When it comes to a school, I’m looking for a home environment that has a similar mindset to what I’ve been brought up in. Family has always been really important to me, so having some type of ‘home-base’ with a like-minded staff and team is what I’m looking for. I want to be challenged in order to get better, but I want it to come from a good place.”
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
He’ll have the pick of the litter, considering he recently narrowed down his choices to Auburn, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State, and Purdue.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. His mother Kareema Williams was a college hooper herself, playing for both Wichita State and North Carolina in addition to being named a McDonald’s All-American.
Suffice it to say, she’s had a significant impact on her son.
“Obviously, I’ve always been in the gym since she’s been a coach (at St. Agnes) as well,” said Williams- Adams. “As I got a little older, I’d play with the team when I was allowed. Because of that, I’ve always had a ‘basketball- mind’.
“She’s always encouraged me. She would tell me, ‘if you stop playing basketball today, I’ll still love you the same. I’ve played my basketball. It’s time for you to follow your calling’. That frame of mind has made me feel liberated in a way. Even though we may argue at times over certain things, I know that I’ll have someone in my corner.”
Despite what his physical stature and talent may indicate, it hasn’t necessarily been easy for him.
As a role model, the 6-foot- 8 power forward had an insightful message to relay.
“You’re going to get frustrated,” he said. “People around you are going to get better, and it’ll feel like your days are really stacked. I’ve had that experience multiple times. Some people’s growths are step-by-step and others are more explosive.
“I wouldn’t say knock out all outside distractions because they’re going to get in, especially when you’re in high school. Stay the course and have faith in yourself to prove the doubters wrong.”
That mentality will certainly pay dividends as Williams-Adams and his fellow Mavericks pursue an SPC championship this winter.
More so than that, his well- adjusted determination is sure to come into play when he ultimately advances to the next stage.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
