JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Just a week ago, the Paxon High School girls' basketball team secured their first-ever Gateway Conference Tournament title. Despite not being widely recognized as an athletically advanced program around town, these girls are changing the narrative.
"We're just not an academic school, and now we can ball too. I know schools like Ribault and Raines, they've been kicking us for years, and now, we're able to give it back to them," said Kennedy Waymer, senior point/shooting guard.
The Lady Eagles have demonstrated their athletic abilities, and the team captains believe that their academic prowess truly enhances their performance on the hardwood.
"It helps me think quicker. I feel like my IQ has raised a bit on the court now that I'm taking IB," said Ansley Hicks, senior point/shooting guard.
"We're able to think fast, improvise, make quick changes, and adjust if we see the defense shifting. Or if we just whip up a play real quick on the sideline. I think it's easier to grasp things," said Waymer.
Paxon offers the International Baccalaureate program, one of the most rigorous high school curriculums globally. For the girls, finding pockets of time to complete their homework allows them to concentrate on honing their craft.
"A lot of times, when I arrive on campus, they're in the hallways or by the library getting out that homework. On bus trips home, they're not doing a lot of talking; they're trying to get those last-minute projects and homework assignments done," said head coach Rod Carter.
"If I have gym classes or if I finish my work early in my other classes, I just try to go in and knock my homework out because I know if I get home after practice and games, I don't want to be up too late doing homework. So, I try to get it over whenever I can. The nights I do stay up, I just stay up and grind it out," said Waymer.
Even with their athletic abilities at the forefront, the Lady Eagles still understand the importance of keeping academics as their main focus.
"I always tell my teammates you got to keep your grades up and keep academics first because at the end of the day when basketball is over and sports are over, you got to find a job and go on with life. You can't really get far without having good grades," said Waymer.