Asked what is the legacy left by his senior captain, Sierra Calleson, Bartram Trail head coach Tim Winter pauses to collect his thoughts.
"It would've been really easy to being 1-6 at the beginning of this season -- and having been a part of a Final Four team the year before -- it would've been really easy for her to give up," Winter explained.
"And I think I'm most proud of is that she did not. In fact, she threw herself into it more."
Thanks to the continued dedication of Calleson and her fellow seniors, the Bears did more than just rebound from that disappointing start: they won the St. John's River Athletic Conference title and punched their ticket back to the FHSAA Playoffs.
"Us making the playoffs was pretty special for us because we knew the story. Not everyone knows the story [of the disappointing start]," the first-year head coach added.
It was a fitting ending to Calleson's four-year, Varsity career, the last three of which came in St. John's at Bartram Trail. After beginning her career in Tallahassee, she immediately made an impact at Bartram Trail, including starting on that Final Four team. This season, she shot nearly 80-percent from the free throw line, among the best marks on the First Coast.
But for Calleson, it goes beyond the lines of the court.
"Bartram just really has the atmosphere that it's 'bigger than basketball,'" she explained. "Our coaching staff has really implemented that character matters. I think that's the thing I'll take away from this: being a good person is really important in life."
Calleson is a prime example of that.
Beyond her leadership role on the Bartram Trail girls' basketball team, she is a straight A student and will graduate this spring Summa Cum Laude. She is an active volunteer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on projects involving endangered and threatened species, such as manatees and beach mice. She participates in many clubs at Bartram Trail but her favorites are the Humane Society Club, the Medical Club, and the Senior Ladies. While undecided on her college destination, Calleson hopes to pursue a career as a veterinarian.
As her next journey begins, Calleson is proud not just of the banners and trophies won, but the culture she helped build at Bartram Trail.
When asked what her legacy, she didn't hesitate.
"I hope that people care about each other -- care about the team -- more than just the ball. Loving each other, supporting each other, picking each other up -- it's so much more important than the ball."