Full-Court Focus
Basketball is the perfect fit for Yorktown High School senior Lilly Sylvester. Although early in her sports career she played 8U through 14U travel softball, the fast pace of basketball emerged as her passion. Once she dedicated herself to the sport, her hard work and enthusiasm enabled her to become a standout.
“I love to be active,” she says. “In the outfield playing softball, I wouldn’t be doing much. Then in eighth grade, I began to do basketball camps and travel teams. I liked moving around and running up and down the court. Basketball is something I can put all my energy and focus on; I need that escape.
“It was challenging not playing until eighth grade. I felt I was fighting the battle of starting late. Eventually, I ended up playing the position of the three, or small forward. When I was younger, I played the position meant for the tallest player. Being a small forward is a better fit for me.”
The center is usually the tallest player on the team, but the small forward, or the three, has a variety of duties among all five players on the floor. Besides playing offensively and scoring, a small forward does a lot of defending. Rebounding and passing skills are also key.
In addition to being named to the All-Hoosier Heritage Conference Team, Sylvester is ending her high school career with some impressive statistics. She broke the 1,000-point milestone. She holds the record for the highest number of free throws made in a season; she made 89% of them, missing only 15 of 139 attempts. According to maxpreps.com, a national website that compiles high school athlete information, Sylvester averaged 18 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.7 defensive rebounds per game.
A varsity player since she was a freshman, Sylvester played hard. Over the years, she took her share of knocks and spills. She suffered a couple of concussions and came back strong. Recently she dealt with a hyperextension of her elbow, which threatened to end her senior season before she was ready.
“I went to rebound and got hooked up in another player’s arm,” she says. “It was painful, but I made the decision to play in the last game. I had the trainer tape it up and I got to finish the last game of my senior year. It did hurt to extend it, but I wouldn’t trade being able to play that game for anything else.
“I feel really blessed that my sister, Jenna, and I were teammates when she was a senior and I was a freshman. We only played a couple of games together because she was dealing with a torn ACL and went through therapy that year. This year, she was an assistant coach. So she was with me at the beginning of my high school playing and at the end.”
Sylvester also takes part in several extracurricular activities. She is a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and participates in its leadership program. Her academic success and leadership led her teachers to elect her to National Honor Society. She also is a master mentor in the freshman mentor program.
“I mentor three freshmen, and they are great,” she adds. “A lot of times, incoming freshmen need someone to feel comfortable around. They need a friend to get them connected to a sport or a club, and it helps to see a friendly face.
“I’m a firm believer in Christ. He sets us on a path. He gave me my dad. Dad and I worked out every evening as often as I could. School came first, so if I had a test to study for, we didn’t work out that day. I had to make 10 free throws in a row before we stopped, and it paid off. Dad helped me through the ups and downs; I couldn’t have done this alone. The beginning of my junior year was rough; previous team members had left, and I had to figure out how to play with new ones. I prayed, worked hard and eventually it turned around.”
Although she originally thought about playing college ball, Sylvester has changed her mind. She plans to attend Ball State University to major in finance and minor in Spanish. Any basketball she plays in the future will be for fun.
“I love playing basketball,” she says. “It is great exercise and so much fun. You get to meet a lot of people. I am blessed to have my team and family; everyone helped, not just one person. My hard work and the grace of God took me this far. My advice is keep praying and working hard. If you put in the hard work, God takes care of the rest.”
