BREMEN, Ala. — Cold Springs senior Maci Brown made a lot of memories on and off the basketball court during her high school years and in this interview, she shared some of her favorite experiences from her time spent alongside her friends and teammates.
“The best basketball memories I had at Cullman were definitely eating at Sweet Pepper’s before every home game with the team and the Christmas Tournament at Randolph High School. We stayed in a hotel throughout the tournament and bonded and spent so much time together, on top of winning the tournament. At Cold Springs, there was never a dull moment with the team and coaches. Of course, the state runner-up run, and the Final Four run are something I will remember forever. I would have to say some of my favorite memories were the car rides to Birmingham and the hotel stays during our time in Birmingham,” Brown said. “I can definitely say that I was blessed. I had the privilege of playing with teammates that all had very different styles of the game but were all so skilled and talented. Every day at practice, I was challenged and pushed to become a better player and teammate because of the teammates that surrounded me. This experience taught me many things as a player and as a person. I learned to be selfless. My team always came first. In order for me to have the success that I had, I had to have the team that always pushed me and supported me. We put our strengths together to have huge successes as a team and individuals. I learned to always remember the why behind why I am doing something. Remembering your why will always give you that extra motivation that you need to keep going and never give up. I use this in real life the same way that I did in the game. The last thing I want to include is that I learned to love every second of the time we had to play, practice or even spend together. When you are doing something that you love so much, it is not a burden or something you dread. It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to do it.”
Maci played under some great coaches at both of her schools, and they helped her become the player that she is today.
“It was truly an honor to play for such incredible coaches. Each one of them pushed me to be my best and never let me fall short of that. While playing under coach Josh Hembree, coach Mary Lauren Hartline, coach Nina Moss, and coach Shelton at Cullman, they formed me into the point guard that I was able to be. They pushed me to step into a leadership role that I would be able to fulfill later in my career as well. I can really say they are a huge part of the success that we were able to have these past two years at Cold Springs because of the way they poured into me and pushed me. Transitioning to a new school, team, and coach as a sophomore can be very difficult for many, but for me, I came home, where I was welcomed with open arms.”
She added,
“Playing for coach Tammy West at Cold Springs was a dream come true. She, most importantly, loves us more than anything. She created a bond with me that made it easy for me to learn from her. The way she coaches is genuine. She wants the best for every single player she is given the opportunity to coach. Coach West, along with coach Paige Adams, and coach Kinley Nunn, pushed me to become more of a leader than I already was. They pushed me out of my comfort zone to score and not just create for my teammates. Though coach West is tough on us, it is only because she sees so much more potential and wants to see us succeed. I couldn’t be more thankful for the coaches that God placed in my life and allowed me to play under.”
Maci made a lot of friendships at both schools and will miss seeing many of them this year.
“At both Cullman and Cold Springs, I will remember all the friendships I made. When I moved to Cold Springs, my Cullman teammates and coaches continued to support me. They wanted to see me succeed, no matter where I was,” Brown said. “At Cold Springs, I will definitely miss and remember the family bond that we have. I will miss the countless laughs at practices, before and after games, and on car rides. Before every game, we would have a dance circle, and those memories will always be with me. I will miss running out onto the court and seeing the whole community supporting us, no matter how far we played. Having that support has meant more to me than anything.”
She shared some of her favorite high school memories and talked about what made both Cullman and Cold Springs special places to go to
“Outside of basketball, one of my favorite memories from high school is everything during homecoming week. As a whole class, we’d spend countless hours together. We talk, laugh, sing, and have an amazing time together. I will never forget the days in physics with Mrs. Adams. She made class fun and challenging. March of this year, I stepped out of my comfort zone and did the pageant. I was crowned Miss Cold Springs, and I will never forget that. Doing the morning announcements every morning for the whole school with some of my best friends, while always messing up on them, has to be one of my favorite memories.”
She added,
“At Cullman, many of the teachers created bonds with the students. They cared for me and my success. They always wanted to see me do my best and wouldn’t let me fall short of that. The coaches that I had at Cullman were true leaders. Christ was evident through each of them, and they poured that into me. Each of them still love, support, and encourage me. Lastly, Cullman gave me many good friendships during the 10 years that I attended. I always had people that I could go to and count on, no matter the situation. Cold Springs brought me my best friends. All of my classmates, teachers, and coaches are genuine. They support everyone, no matter what it is. It is amazing going to a small school, because you get to know every single one of your classmates. Beyond just the school, the community will always be there for you and support you. Seeing so many people around me who truly love me and support me is so unreal.”
She will miss being at Cold Springs this year and gave some advice to the students that will be starting high school in August.
“I will miss seeing all of my friends, classmates, and teachers/coaches every day. My teachers and coaches are always there for me to talk about anything, good or bad. My friends and classmates gave me endless memories,” she said. “Everyone says this, but they really mean it, and I wish I would have listened. The next four years will fly by, and you’ll wish you had some of your time back. Cherish every single moment, even the smallest ones. Some of your high school experiences, you’ll never have the experience to do again. Always push yourself to try something new, because you never know what it will bring you. Join a club, sports team, the band, or an organization, because it will lead you to make amazing friendships. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young. You can do anything that you put your heart and mind to. The best advice I can give is to give your life to Christ, and trust Him every step of the way, because He has a plan designed just for you.”
Maci had a couple of role models that she looks up to and how important it is to be a role model for younger people looking up to her.
“Mrs. Paige Adams has been one of my biggest role models in school, in sports, and in life. She wants nothing but the best for me. She pushes me to keep going, no matter the circumstances. Starting in middle school, I looked up to Jenna Walker from Priceville and strived to be like her. The way she played and carried herself was something I admired,” she said. “Being someone that a lot of younger kids looked up to is such an honor. It pushed me to want to do better on and off the court. When I stepped onto the court, I knew there were so many younger eyes watching and looking up to me, and I didn’t want to disappoint them. I think it is important to be a role model like that, because that may be the only chance they get to have that. They may not have someone like that in their family that they can look up to, and I hope to be that for all of the younger kids that got the opportunity to watch me.”
Maci was in several clubs during her high school days, and she gained a lot from those experiences too. She also earned a pair of academic scholarships and felt honored to receive them.
“I was a part of SGA, where I served as Vice President, 1936 Club, the Yearbook staff, the Clean Campus Committee, the National Honor Society, and was also a volunteer at the Field of Miracles. Being in those clubs was another way to stay involved in the things going on in the school and community. They brought me together with many of my closest friends. Some of the main things I learned was how to be a better leader, be generous, and be selfless,” she said. “I accepted two scholarships: the Shawn Crider Endowed Memorial scholarship, and the Tesha Brewer State Farm scholarship. It is an honor to accept both of these scholarships. I am so thankful for the generosity and selflessness of the individuals and their families.”
Maci talked about how she wants to be remembered and shared some advice for anyone that wants to be where she is now.
“I want people to remember me as the player who wanted to do the best for herself, her team, and her community. I want to be remembered as the playmaker and leader of the team. I want people to remember me as the player that didn’t care to have all of the recognition. It isn’t about scoring the most points. It’s about playing your role to the best of your ability to see your team succeed,” she said. “Follow your heart and pray about anything. If it’s in the plan that God has for you, He will open doors and allow it to happen. Push through the hard times, because what you’re working for is so much better. The hard, long days of practices will eventually end, and you’ll wish you would’ve gone just a little bit harder to reach your goals.”
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