Kendyl Crawford is the only senior on the girls’ varsity basketball team this year.

Crawford started in athletics as a soccer player, but said she never really enjoyed it. One afternoon in the family’s raspberry patch, her dad spoke to her about trying basketball and inspired her to play the sport at the age of six. 

“I was skeptical. I had only ever seen my older brother play, so I was under the impression I’d be playing with older boys on a high school court,” Crawford said. 

Her father helped her realize there would be other girls new to the sport  so she gave it a shot, and that’s where her passion for the sport began. 

Crawford has also played softball and lacrosse, but said that basketball has always been her favorite. “It is such a good environment, and most importantly, it’s climate controlled,” she said. 

Crawford said she enjoys watching basketball as well, especially watching her siblings play, and she couldn’t imagine her life without the sport.

“I feel exhilarated on the court playing with my teammates,” she said. “It works my brain and my body. The feeling of making that shot and hearing the crowd cheer is an unmatched feeling.”

 One her jersey, Crawford wears the special jersey number is “5”. She said that she wanted “11” her freshman and junior year, someone else had already taken it. But “5” grew on her, and now it feels more like “her” number and not one that she is taking from somebody else.

One of Crawford’s weaknesses is shooting. She’s only 5’2″ and was never taught the correct shooting form, so she made up her own way over the years. Being shorter than most other players, it is hard for her to shoot over the taller girls’ heads. 

Although shooting may not be her forte, she has good communication skills on the floor. Crawford said she loves to be a leader and motivator for any team.

Crawford  also loves to take layups and catch rebounds. “I love jumping up and feeling so high off the ground,” she said. “The best feeling is getting a rebound over a girl so much taller than me, just by jumping up so high in the air.”  

Still, Crawford said she never could have imagined that she would be the only senior on her team. The sport is  popular at PA, and in her first two years,  there were other girls from the Class of ‘23 who  played on the  team. She said she was shocked when they all quit her junior year. 

“My senior night will be fun, but a little lonely,” Crawford said. 

Crawford doesn’t envision herself  continuing to play basketball after her high school career is finished, but she said she is hoping to become a coach, and maybe even coach her own children someday.