Taeya Beard dribbles with the ball, the game is close and time is running out. She finds the perfect spot to shoot.
She scores. But is it a goal or a basket? For her, it’s both.
Beard, her twin sister Tori, Addison Williams and Mariah Jackson have spent the past couple months representing the Mavericks in both basketball and soccer — sometimes even on the same night.
These four girls have dedicated their time and effort to both sports. The seasons for basketball and soccer overlap which means back-to-back games and a lot of responsibilities.
“If we have a game on the same day, then we talk to the coaches and figure out which sport needs more time,” Williams said. “And we go from there.”
On one such occasion, the four girls played Canyon Randall in soccer on Jan. 6 at Memorial Stadium and rushed to a home basketball game against San Angelo Lake View that had already started.
A couple weeks ago, soccer had a district opener in Abilene, while basketball had a home game against Abilene Cooper. The twins and Williams stayed with basketball and led them to a win, while Jackson had a goal in the Lady Mavs’ victory.
Bouncing back and forth between the sports may seem like trouble, and it’s hard to know when to practice for them, but Jackson’s love for her sports drive her to be the best in both.
“I go to both every day,” said Jackson, who also does varsity volleyball and track. “I go to soccer after school and basketball during the period, but I think it’s really fun balancing both.”
The overlapping sports often blend and end up helping the girls keep up with some helpful skills. Williams mentioned she’s improved on time management.
“Soccer keeps me in shape for basketball,” Taeya Beard said. “It also keeps me fueling my body well.”
Each girl prioritizes a sport whether it’s just for fun or something they want to pursue in their future. The Beard sisters recently committed to playing soccer at Texas A&M-Texarkana.
“I’m committed to a college with soccer,” Jackson said. “I just stay sticking with basketball because I think it enhances other skills that are also needed to be good in soccer.”
