One word that describes Alex Anderson's high school sports career is persistence.
Anderson competed on both the basketball floor and softball diamond with the Redskins.
Her hoops career was a roller coaster, as Hurricane won just 26 games in her first three seasons. However, the Redskins won their first 13 games and went 17-7 in her senior campaign.
"The first couple of years were definitely tough, and it was hard to keep showing up every day and working hard whenever we didn't have the outcomes we wanted," Anderson said. "But we all kept working and stuck together. It all ended up paying off.
"We had one of the best teams we've had in a long time. It was all worth it in the end and it paid off."
The Redskins' 17-7 record was the first time since the 2017-18 season that they won 15 or more games. They were one game away from making the state tournament for the first time since 1989.
However, a loss in the Class AAAA Region 4 co-final against Parkersburg, 64-49, cut short those dreams of playing in Charleston.
"This past season meant so much, and I loved every second of it," Anderson said. "I've played basketball my whole life. It was awesome to see how we all came together to turn the program around.
"It felt great going in the locker room after big wins that we hadn't had in years. Spending those moments with my teammates was awesome."
Anderson will play in Friday's North-South game at 6 p.m. at the South Charleston Community Center.
One of the South coaches is Hurricane's Jeremy Young. Young has coached Anderson for quite some time, even dating back to before Anderson got to high school.
The Redskins coach is excited to collaborate with his leader one last time.
"It's exciting for both of us," Young said. "I know that she's excited to participate in the game. It's a hard event to earn a spot in. I'm happy for her to be able to play, and for me to be able to coach her one last time is special to me.
"The last time I coached her ended on a low note with that loss to Parkersburg. Hopefully, this last game will be a win. She typically shoots well at the South Charleston Community Center."
Anderson echoes similar thoughts.
"Jeremy has always been a great coach to me," Anderson said. "He coached me for a year in middle school. I've always loved the way he coached. We've always had a great bond. He knows me well as a player. It means a lot that we get to take on this great opportunity together that we both worked hard for."
The lessons Anderson learned at Hurricane High School have prepared her for the next chapter in her life.
"I was a good player, but my attitude wasn't the best," Anderson said. "I would always get down on myself, and that was in anything that I did. Then, as Jeremy became my coach, he started encouraging us. He taught us on how to be a good person on and off the court."
Anderson finished her career with 1,171 points and 201 3-pointers.
She was named to the All-Kanawha Valley second team this past season.
Anderson quickly traded in her basketball shoes for a pair of cleats, a bat and a glove to compete on the diamond.
"The thing I enjoyed the most about being a softball player at Hurricane was the bonds that I made," Anderson said. "We had a great coach in Meghan Stevens, and she taught us to be awesome people off the field as well. We won a lot of good games, but we came up short a few times.
"The thing I loved was that we never stopped believing in each other, even after we had some tough losses and hard times."
The relationships Anderson mentioned are ones that she credits as a huge factor in enjoying her prep career.
"The relationships I created with my classmates are the best thing I've had at Hurricane," Anderson said. "We'll have these relationships for the rest of our lives. I'm glad I got to play sports with a lot of my friends."
Anderson was rewarded with the Hurricane High School Female Athlete of the Year award.
"People will remember her name," Young said. "They know that she has a unique skill set. But, more than anything, she's a competitor. She wants to win. She doesn't like to lose."
Anderson said that she will be heading to West Virginia University to study biology and potentially pursue work in the medical field.
She also said her biggest influence was her mother, Billie.
"My mom went through some hard times, but she's always showed me that you can bounce back from those times, no matter how hard or how bad the times get," Anderson said. "She never put her head down. She got over it and showed that everything can be OK."
