With basketball season firing up, Vinita High School senior Morgan Chaney said she’s looking forward to putting in the work to help avoid the slumps that can come with an up-and-down year. 

“Personally, I feel like this season will have its ups and downs,” Chaney said. “But we are going to get better and we are going to have a lot of fun. We played our first game and lost, but I have a lot of hope for this team. We are a young and inexperienced team, but throughout the season we will come together and become stronger together.” 

Chaney said she fell in love with the sports of basketball and softball in the fourth grade, when she was able to start playing school sports. She said she loves the games because she enjoys the adrenaline rush they provide, and she loves to compete. She also said she has enjoyed watching herself morph into a leader. 

“I’m happy to be a leader,” she said. “I try my best to be a great role model for these girls to look up to. I learned a lot from the girls I looked up to (and still do). The most important thing to me is to try to talk and explain certain things that the girls may not know, like plays and drills.” 

For her leadership to be effective, Chaney said she understands that her heart needs to be in the right place. 

“Having character means I try to set a good example for everyone around me,” she said. “On the court I try my hardest to not have a lot of errors, even though I still have some. I want the freshmen watching on the bench to see what I do right in a ballgame. Off the court, I try to have a good attitude and a good relationship with my teammates and friends. I also want to be there for anyone when they are down and need to be picked back up.” 

In her free time, Chaney said she loves to spend time with her baby nephews, as well hang out with her friends when they go shopping.