Few are able to pull off the three-sport-athlete gig as well Iola High’s Kelsey Morrison.
The senior is currently the only returner from last year’s Fillies basketball team. In the fall, Morrison featured on Iola’s cross country team that qualified for state. On top of that, Morrison still has one final season left on the softball season.
Wondering which one is her favorite? Hint: It’s the one she has already committed her first two years in college to.
“Softball,” Morrison said. “I have just invested a lot more time in softball I would say. I work on it a lot more than any other sport, and I plan on going to Allen.”
Morison highlights that staying close to home was a major factor in her decision to select ACC as her next destination. Morrison plays in the middle infield, and dedicated the past summers to improving her game.
“I do a lot of over the summer. All it is, is softball, softball, and softball,” Morrison said. “I played on my travel team, and would practice anywhere from three to four night a week on hitting. And then I had practice two nights a week for fielding.”
At the moment, Morrison is prepping her arm for the spring season. She admits her softball preparation almost kept her from competing on the hardwood for the Fillies this season.
“This past year I really put a lot of focus into softball and getting ready for my next year, and wanted to spend more time,” Morrison said. “Then again, I thought its my last year, and might as well make the memories as I can.”
Fillies head coach Becky Carlson points out that this year, Morrison had a bit more pressure on her shoulders than previous seasons. Being the solo returner to the starting five, Morison would need to shine around young talent.
“I feel like these last couple games her shooting has come around,” Carlson said. “She guards one of the other team’s best offensive players every game. She is a leader by example by how hard she works.
“What you get from her all day, is all in. Their is not a drill that she doesn’t go as hard as she can. She stays after and practices every night until I kick her out. It’s always her, always her.”
Last week, the Fillies finished third at the Wilson County Classic. Against Yates Center Morrison found her groove from deep by connecting on a trio of 3-pointers. And in the third-place game, Morrison fired two second-half treys to help Iola earn bronze.
Finding her rhythm was evidence of “hard work pays off.”
“I’ve finally started putting a lot more work in practice,” Morrison said. “Also we have had a lot more shootarounds, which have helped me find my shot, you could say.”
Before the hoops season commenced, Morrison was coming off her second trip to state for Iola cross country. As a freshmen, Morrison reached the 4A state meet as an individual. At first, Morrison was reluctant to dedicating the fall to continuous running.
