The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (TVR) – Alleghany Lady Mountaineers basketball player Zamera Hayslett did not realize how fast her high school basketball playing days would go.
The senior recently capped off her career in a regional game, a contest the Mountaineers lost to Floyd County, and just like that, basketball was over for not just Alleghany this season, but for Hayslett, forever.
Hayslett admittedly wishes she could go back to her freshman and sophomore seasons and maybe take things a little more seriously.
“If I could go back and change things it would be work harder, I took a lot of things as a joke my 9th and 10th grade year because I didn’t think my senior year would be here so fast and I thought I had time to work hard, get in the gym but I’m blessed to be where I’m at,” Hayslett said.
Heartache and sadness is common when something comes to an end, and for Hayslett, she knows she will miss certain aspects of the life of an athlete.
“Now that high school is over, what I will miss the most are the friends I’ve made through the years and how fun our friendships are,” Hayslett said.
“The friends I made in basketball were the best ones yet. They never failed to make me happy. I think if we keep in touch, we will definitely be friends for a while,” she added.
Other than missing friends, teammates and gamedays, Hayslett is left with a great memory that will keep a smile on her face for years to come.
“The greatest memory is going to states last year, it was something no one ever thought we’d do, and we did it. I will cherish that memory forever,” Hayslett exclaimed.
However, family is where Hayslett’s true loyalties lie, and the appreciation she has for her parents would be enough to make anyone happy.
“My family has impacted my sports life so much,” Hayslett stated.
“My dad who pushed me every day. My mom who supported me. I don’t think I would be the player I am without them,” she added.
Once she crosses the graduation platform in a couple of months, Hayslett will begin looking forward to her next big step in her young life.
“I plan on going to Mountain Gateway and study dental hygiene,” Hayslett concluded.
