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02/13/2019 11:00 PMKylee Clifton has had a tremendous support system throughout her athletic career. Now, Kylee is paying back the people who’ve helped her by serving as a positive role model, as well as a top-notch player, for the Morgan girls’ basketball squad.
Kylee is a senior shooting guard who’s in her second season leading Huskies’ girls’ hoops as a captain. She also played soccer for Morgan and helped the team claim its first Shoreline Conference title since 2003 last fall. As her passion for both sports has grown, Kylee has continued to see better results. This winter, she’s averaging four rebounds and five assists per game for the Huskies, who have a record of 13-5 and will soon be competing in the playoffs.
“Keys to my success has been the support of my coaches in both sports. My family has supported me throughout my whole life and in both sports,” Kylee says. “The other two seniors on the team, Joelle Vuilleumier and Rebecca Shamp, who have stuck with the team, have been huge for me.”
Kylee feels that her mental game has gotten progressively better since she first stepped on the court as a freshman. As time as gone by, Kylee has learned to brush off the mistakes, instead of letting them get into her head.
“Freshman year was probably my low, mentally. I would get so hard on myself and get so down,” says Kylee. “I just kept trying to better myself and prove myself to the new coaches. Every year since then, I’ve been improving mentally.”
One of Kylee’s favorite aspects of playing basketball is dishing out assists to her teammates. She also likes picking the opposition’s pocket to get the ball back in the Huskies’ clutches.
“The satisfaction of making that perfect pass that leads to a score is the biggest rush for me. Anticipating a steal on defense is great, too,” Kylee says. “There’s only five people on the court in basketball, so you can’t get down on yourself, because so much depends on each player.”
As a captain, Kylee ensures that everyone is on point while Morgan strives to improve on a daily basis. Kylee also wants to represent the Huskies in the best possible way on campus.
“I have to lead, make sure everyone does their job, and get better in practice,” she says. “I also must be the best I can be, whether I’m on the court or in school.”
Morgan girls’ basketball Head Coach Caitlin Woods says that Kylee has carved out an identity as a workhorse on the floor, in addition to providing a dominant defensive presence.
“Kylee rarely comes off the court and usually plays nearly every minute of all four quarters, and she leads our team with a determined, hard-nosed, and unselfish approach,” says Woods. “Kylee also sets the defensive tone for our team, and she’s one of the best defenders in the Shoreline Conference. Coaches who see us play for the first time invariably pick her out as a difference maker due to her athleticism and ability to anticipate and disrupt opponents’ offenses, while also starting fast breaks or throwing outstanding passes to finish them. There is no question that Kylee’s contributions on and off the court have been pivotal to our program’s success.”
Kylee and company are looking to follow up a great regular season by making some waves in the playoffs. Kylee knows that every member of Huskies needs to go all-in as Morgan dives into the postseason fray.
“I definitely think this year is going better, and we are in a better place when compared to last year. If we give it our all, we can go far,” says Kylee. “We hope to get past the first round in both Shorelines and states. We want to finish the regular season strong.”