Alexis Fowble enjoys being part of a team.
It’s something the Wellston senior is familiar with -- she plays softball and basketball and is also a cheerleader. She’s also on the track team. She said what she loves the most is the community aspect.
“Basketball, it’s definitely the team, because we’re pretty tight all around together during season, all basketball season, which a lot of them transfer from softball to basketball anyway, so we’re together through the whole thing,” she said.
While she admits she’s personally better at softball, it’s basketball that she enjoys the most. She’s had the same coach since she was a freshman, which has helped, and the team has gone further. Last year, they made it to area.
“It definitely showed everyone coming together. Like, they took a little spirit bus to the games, and kids came and watched,” she said. “Parents stepping in with kids that are on the team. Everybody’s like, they make sure you get fed before your game… so that you’re all energized.”
Coach Chad Hutchison said the thing that stands out about Alexis on the basketball team is her willingness to step into whatever role the team needs.
“Alexis has always been a vocal and positive influence on and off the floor. She is unselfish and looks out for her teammates. She is the only senior on our team and takes pride in leading by example,” he said.
He added that her strengths on the court are her defense and ability to guard multiple positions. While she is a little small at the post, she makes up for it with her physicality, strength and quick recognition. Rarely will you find her out of position, and she’s always communicating with her teammates.
“I know Alexis and our team have big goals of winning the Heartland Conference and making a deep playoff run that includes a trip to the Big House,” Coach Hutchison said. “Beyond high school and basketball, I can see Alexis excelling in anything she puts her mind to. She has a winning mindset, blue-collar work ethic and personality that can win anyone over.”
Being in so many sports, it’s easy to see how one might get overwhelmed. However, Alexis doesn’t feel that way. When it comes to cheer, her coach is pretty flexible, which comes in handy as her basketball coach is not so much. It also helps that the basketball coach is the track coach.
Fowble said she likes feeling like she doesn’t have to choose between sports. One of the bigger obstacles has been being the only girl in her class who plays sports, as well as working together as a team in softball and basketball to improve. Thankfully, balancing sports and class has gotten easier.
“My junior year and sophomore year were definitely bad with trying to balance school and sports and family, and all the things. This year isn’t bad,” she said, crediting it to Wellston’s blended virtual approach. Alexis does her work from home for the first four hours of the day or goes to her internship cleaning houses, then shows up at school for fifth and sixth hours, followed by sports after that.
She’s looking forward to the future, though her plans are open to an extent. Fowble plans to get a degree in radiology, though she has yet to settle on a school. She’s also considering whether she’ll go in-person or take online classes. “For a little bit, I was looking forward to moving to college, but now I don’t know if I want to do online or move into college,” she said. “Because everybody I know… are mixed. They’re like, you want the college experience, and then, no… staying home is perfectly fine.”
The one thing she is certain about is that she wants to travel.
“My mom is like, ‘Don’t move away from me,’ which I have been like, ‘Okay, I’m not gonna move away from you,’ but I do want to go travel and see everything,” she said. “There’s not really anywhere in specific that I would want to go to, but maybe I’d go travel and see something, and I’m like, ‘Yep, I want to move there.’” Alexis wants to see Wyoming and all the oceans. Maybe after that, she might think about settling down and building a house somewhere with a bunch of animals and a garden.
Regardless, she said the small community of Wellston is something she’ll always take with her.
“Everybody is always together for everything,” she said.
Editor’s Note: Thisis the seventh in the Senior Spotlight series that will feature graduating seniors from all of the high schools in The Lincoln County News’ coverage area.