MACIE MACKEY-HILLDALE

Softball and basketball have been at the heart of athletic competition for Hilldale senior Macie Mackey since she was around five or six years old.

“I think I really liked softball more as I was growing up but in the past few years, basketball has taken over as my favorite sport. I just like the excitement of the game,” said Mackey. “I think I can put myself and my personality out there more in basketball.”

The Lady Hornets have a new coach this year in Levi Phillips and Macie says there were some adjustments.

“I think at first it was difficult for all of us to adjust to a new coach but as time has gone by, I really like him and the changes he’s made to the program.”

And for his part, the new Hornet coach is pleased with what he’s seen of Macie, a VYPE TOP 100 nominee.

“She is an amazing team player, and she executes our game plans efficiently. She has a great work ethic, a high basketball IQ and genuinely cares about her teammates.”

Macie comes from an athletically oriented family so getting into sports was natural.

“My aunt played basketball at Braggs when she was in school, so she’s been a big influence in my life,” said Mackey. “I started out playing in the Hilldale little league and eventually was playing both travel softball and basketball. But doing both just became too much so I dropped travel basketball a couple of years ago. But in travel basketball you play against a lot of top tier girls, and I think that helped me a lot transitioning from middle school to high school.”

Macie is one of five seniors on the Hilldale roster, most of whom have been playing together since those little league days and now that they are senior leaders on this team, Macie recalled conversations the group had when they were freshmen.

“That freshman year we all decided that when we were seniors, we would be the kind of leaders that would be there for the underclassmen. Catelin King was a senior leader when I was a freshman, and she really displayed that kind of leadership by encouraging all of us freshmen when we made mistakes and she always had a good attitude. I think a good leader needs to be uplifting to your teammates even if you’re not having a good game.”

Macie wears the number 20 uniform as a tribute to her aunt.

“My aunt was number 22 but when I got to high school that number was already taken so I took the number closest to that so I could honor all she’s done for me.”

Macie had to go back to her freshman year to recall a highlight memory of her time at Hilldale.

“We were playing Fort Gibson, and I hit multiple 3s in that game which really gave me a shot of self-confidence as a freshman.”

Mackey plans to finish her cosmetology degree at Indian Capital Tech Center this year and hopes to play either basketball or softball in college.