On Friday, Dec. 12, Jayla Williams eclipsed 1,000 career points for Ankeny High School (AHS) in a game against Waukee High, and is now the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in AHS girls basketball history. This season, she leads the team with 21.3 points per game, shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 75.3 percent from the free-throw line. She also has 10 blocks, 61 steals, and 96 rebounds so far this season. She also has over 500 rebounds in her career at Ankeny High School (AHS). 

 Some coaches love working with experienced athletes because it gives younger players a chance to learn from their peers. While also encouraging them to follow the player’s footsteps.  Williams has been a key part of Ankeny’s success this season and the past few seasons.

“It has been a privilege to get to coach [Williams] for many reasons. I have seen all of the work that has gone into her becoming a superstar player and one of the best players in program history and in our state,” varsity head coach Nate Tobey said. “I have also seen her mature as a person and leader and grow more confident.”

In the time that Williams has been with Ankeny, she has achieved some outstanding goals. The most noticeable is that she is one of the many players to score 1,000 points and grab 500 rebounds.

“It’s a nice stepping stone in her career, and a fun thing to celebrate. There has been a ton of work that has gone into this milestone, and we were all very happy for her,” said Tobey.

The team has set ambitious goals and expectations for themselves this season, and they are eager to achieve those goals, especially considering the large number of seniors on the team. 

“We plan to make it as far as possible in the state tournament. The biggest part is our chemistry and staying together, because this is what set us back last year,” senior guard Jayla Williams said.

The benefits of having a star player who offers a variety of diverse skills are incredible, but some things can’t be taught, such as leadership and humility; those are skills you develop yourself. 

“The nice thing about Jayla is how humble she is and [she] is always willing to learn. She asks great questions and is never above learning the little day-to-day things it takes to win in our conference,” Tobey said. 

Big rivalries are what can make basketball and other activities fun, and when you win the rivalry games, it makes it so much better.

“My freshman year, we played [Centennial] on their senior night when they thought they would beat us. But we won, and it was only the second time in program history,” Williams said. 

Often, players who impact games the most are the ones who have a good work ethic and dedicate a lot of time to the team. These players can largely influence the team’s morale.

“Jayla is just a great player with a high basketball IQ and a high level of skills,” senior Ainsley Kiene said. 

High school students have so many different options and opportunities for what they can do academically and athletically. AHS offers 44 different clubs and 16 sports that boys and girls both play. For some students, the advisors and coaches in these activities can be very influential in their lives.

“They push me both off and on the court, whether I need extra time in the classroom to help my grades or help me understand, or [they] let me stay later after practice to get extra shots up,” Williams said. 

Younger players tend to look for someone who can lead the team and help keep the team’s spirits high. That person is usually highly respected, and everybody looks up to them. Some players naturally grow into that role as the team leader.

“Jayla has definitely grown in her leadership. This year we’re starting four seniors, which is different from most other years; we’ve usually been young,” Kiene said. 

Players have to dedicate themselves to basketball to be able to keep growing as players, but they also have other things they do, and even their personalities are different.

“[Jayla] is super funny, I mean, she’s really funny. She’s just a great person overall. She’s fun to hang out with and be around.” Kiene said about Williams.

Players and coaches’ goals are always to win and do the best they can, but sports are, in reality, just a game, and the game is something that is supposed to be fun. 

“We want to win and compete in every game, and being on the court with Jayla is so fun. I think you have to realize, at the end of the day, basketball is a game,” Kiene said. 

Reportedly, coaches have to take a balanced approach to the team because of the differences in development levels of their players. For the Ankeny Hawkettes, this means highlighting Williams as a star player.

“What we have found is that the more aggressive Jayla is with the ball and as a catalyst on defense, the better our team performs. We consider Jayla our engine while at the same time understanding how crucial all of the players on the court are for our team’s success,”  Tobey said.  

Basketball is important to a lot of people in many different ways. It helps people find a purpose or sense of belonging in their lives. 

“[Basketball] brought me most of the people in my life today, and my best friend. It has connected me to so many people that I would have never met otherwise, and basketball has also brought me passion because of my love for the sport,” Williams said. 

Some players may not know how to handle challenges or stressful situations, but others learn and adapt from those moments.

“Jayla has a unique way of staying calm and collected while still showing she cares about the outcome of games. We have challenged her to play with an edge in every situation, and she has responded well to that,” Tobey said. “Her teammates follow her lead in responding to adversity, but this is still something our group needs to work on.”

The Hawkettes have had a great season, and they hope to continue their success for the rest of the season. The Hawkettes are senior-led, and for five girls, it will be their last hurrah as players for Ankeny High School. 

“We plan to make it as far in the state tournament as we can, and the biggest part is our chemistry and staying together, because this is what set us back last year,” Williams said.