Recruiting Character: Kindness Matters – Part 1

"Extraordinary kindness and fierce competitiveness can coexist." - Alan Gibson

In every podcast, every Twitter feed, and every promo, college coaches emphasize that they recruit character. Character matters. And in that, kindness matters. Mackenzie Forrest is the one to emulate. A legend and star player at Lakewood High School, she passed away on March 13, 2016. She had committed to play ball at Regis University. Lil Mac was so talented as a recruit that Regis coach, Molly Marrin, admitted she thought she was out of their league. "I also knew that she was a human being of high character and called to give more of herself than most teenagers. She shared a kindness and empathy that was remarkable to all those she met, including me. She has made an incredible impact on our Regis community and will never be forgotten. I'm lucky to have known her." As Mac's legacy grows through the Hustle & Heart 33 organization, I wanted to start a list of high-character players who prove that, in a competitive and sometimes cruel world, it's kindness that matters. These athletes are ensuring that Lil Mac lives on and will be impactful for those who never even knew her:

• Logan Watson Logan Watson 5'8" | CG Lakewood | 2022 State CO - Lakewood
  • Watson is a strong, tough guard who has knocked down 49 threes and is closing in on her 100th assist. She'll have the ball in her hands constantly for the Tigers this year in both a scoring and a leadership role. "Logan is always looking out for her teammates on and off the court. She displays high character traits on our team and throughout our school. Logan, like Lil Mac, is a special person, and I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to build strong relationships with both." There is a sincerity and love that Coach Poisson is known for that begs the question, was it just good fortune to be able to coach these standouts or did his guidance help them become the people that they became?
• Peyton Shepard Peyton Shepard 5'4" | SG Chatfield | 2022 State CO - Chatfield
  • A multi-sport captain Shepard, exudes leadership and kindness. "She is one of the first players to cheer on her teammates when they make a good play," says Coach Kincaid Bimler. Shepard changed the entire culture for Chatfield girls basketball. Not satisfied with her performance after a recent practice, Shepard asked to stay after and get more reps. Bimler says, "This set off a chain reaction of other players staying after practices to work on their skills. People naturally gravitate towards her." Shepard is also coached by one of the top softball coaches in Colorado, Jen Lazzeri, who says, "Peyton is the best leader I've ever seen. She's selfless and gritty, and pours her heart and soul into her teammates. She leaves her heart on the field during every practice and game."
• Madison Bates - Golden
  • Bates and her coach, Jonathan Sena, are leading a rebuilding project that has Golden likely to shoot up into the top half of Jeffco 4A this year. She's an active defender who the Demons lean on to guard opponents' best ball handlers and who has great handles herself. "Madison is constantly a role model for her team and community. The kids in Golden look up to her in how active she is with youth camps and community events. Leaders like Madison do it by example and in ways that aren't always noticed but still make a tremendous impact."
• Ally Padilla Ally Padilla 5'8" | CG Berthoud | 2022 State CO - Berthoud
  • Speaking of legends, coached by the legendary Alan Gibson (2020 4A Coach of the Year), Padilla is one of the most complete players in Colorado. He writes, "Ally shows that extraordinary kindness and fierce competitiveness can coexist in one person. She is a top-tier player in our program, but more importantly she's a top-tier person. She is the unquestioned leader and spearhead of everything positive with Berthoud Girls Basketball. And she does it all with the heart of a servant leader." Padilla has the speed and overall game to garner recruitment at any level. More info about her dominant junior season here.
• Tyne Killip - Severance
  • As the Severance program has quietly but quickly elevated towards the top ranks of 4A, their coach, Deric Yaussi, credits the team's positive leadership, led by Tyne Killip. Killip assembled an 8.0 PPG and 8.1 RPG junior season for the Silver Knights. A multi-year team captain, she is "kind and helpful to everyone in our program and a 4.0 student who excels both on and off the court," according to Coach Yaussi.
• Jameson Mott Jameson Mott 5'10" | CG Evergreen | 2023 State CO - Evergreen
  • A three-point stroke that looks effortless takes thousands of reps. Mott loves the game and with her work ethic she has earned her sky-high percentages (51% behind the arc, second in all of Colorado to Alexia Vigil Alexia Vigil 5'5" | SG Manitou Springs | 2022 State CO of Manitou Springs at 52%). She exploits the slightest help off of her and punishes opponents from deep, midrange, or around the basket. "Jameson leads by example. She welcomed our freshmen by partnering with them in drills, encouraging them, and helping when they need it. She is always working at making herself and others better," says Evergreen coach, Maddy Hornecker.
• Jayda Maves Jayda Maves 5'8" | SG Green Mountain | 2023 State CO - Green Mountain
  • It's natural to comfort an injured player and say, hey, you'll come back stronger. It's inspiring to see someone really do it. A torn ACL in eighth grade for Maves meant swapping shooting workouts for strength workouts, scrimmage sessions for therapy sessions. I've never seen a player more hungry for high school basketball as a freshman. Now coming off a league MVP season and with a scholarship offer from Coach Marrin herself, it's those same wide-eyed freshmen who Jayda treats with kindness as she goes out of her way to learn their names, encourage them, and help them feel valued. And when the whistle blows she instantaneously converts into the cold-blooded assassin she's known as.
• Delaney Matkin Delaney Matkin 5'6" | PG Rocky Mountain | 2023 State CO - Rocky Mountain
  • Matkin is a member of The Global Leaders Program and is working on arranging a trip to Costa Rica to volunteer to make a difference for those in need there. She's a confident leader, with sixty-three three-pointers in two high school season, who is clearly showing hustle on the court and kindness off it.

I was an assistant at Lakewood during Lil Mac's senior year and in my first Tigers' practice, two players stood out immediately, Mari Perez and Mackenzie Forrest. They were an extension of the coaching staff. Perez is now a graduate student at Emporia State University. A quote Coach Poisson gave in 2016 captures Lil Mac's impact here, "Her accomplishments on the court speak for themselves. However it was her heart, passion, and love that made her special." For Mac's heart and kindness to overshadow the 1420 points she scored, heart and kindness must truly matter.