Weatherford High School senior Mackenzie Lankford was practically born into sports.
While her mother and father enjoyed athletics in high school, it was natural for Lankford to follow in their footsteps.
“My parents were athletic and I tried dancing and gymnastics when I was younger. It wasn’t really my thing, so I went to sports,” Lankford said. “I tried everything. I played soccer, softball and all of them and that’s what I like to do.
“My mom played volleyball, softball and track, and my dad played basketball, football and baseball.”
Lankford described her parents as her biggest influences, partially because of the support system they have provided her throughout her youth.
“They allow me to do all of this and whatever I want to do, they are there to help me,” she said. “They come to all of my games and go to practice with me.”
‘Mack’, as she is known to friends and most WHS sports enthusiasts, began playing sports at an early age and found herself balancing volleyball, basketball, softball and track in middle school. She made the decision to cut off softball, taking a two-year hiatus.
In mid-March of last year, Lankford got a phone call asking her to play softball once again, and she accepted.
“They needed a certain position and asked me if I wanted to play,” Mack said. “I had actually wanted to play before they asked me because I missed it a lot.”
Lankford will continue to manage all four sports her senior season.
“It’s tough but it’s still fun,” the senior said. “Basketball is my main sport and I’m trying to play that in college.”
This summer, Mack prepares for the upcoming year playing with her select basketball team, which practices at least twice a week. On top of that, she runs at least two miles a day and shoots hoops daily.
While sports are her main love, Lankford also has a fondness for academics, especially mathematics.
“My favorite area is math. I even want to be a math teacher or a veternarian when I graduate from college,” she said.
In her spare time, Lankford enjoys reading, watching movies and hanging out with friends.
Mack knows she has worked hard to get where she is and knows that she needs to continue those efforts to succeed.
“My dad tells me this quote every time before a game and it’s ‘Beat ‘em so you can win,” Lankford said. “He’s done that forever.”
In order to prepare before a contest, Lankford takes a more mental, methodical approach.
“I just think about what I want to get done in a game and what I need to do to win,” the senior said. “I also listen to music, but having a plan helps me focus.”
Lankford’s athletic efforts helped take WHS varsity volleyball, basketball and softball teams to the playoffs, including a regional finals run in softball last season. She hopes to expand on that in her final year at Weatherford.
“I want to make it past the first round of the playoffs in any of the sports, because we didn’t make it past that in volleyball or basketball,” Lankford said. “I suffered a knee injury in track so that kept me from running as well as I could have.
“We got the farthest in softball and hopefully we’ll make it farther this year. I’m just excited to play again.”
Individual honors were bestowed on the senior with frequency during her junior year, named the District 3-5A Offensive Player of the Year in basketball and receiving the same designation as one of the All-Parker County superlatives. Also making the list of top honorees in volleyball, Lankford anchored one side of the net for the Lady Roos and was selected the district’s Outstanding Hitter of the Year. The sprinter won both the 200-meter and 400-meter races at the District meet before the knee injury halted her run to the state meet. Inclusion on academic all-district teams have been forthcoming, as well.
Despite the workout regimen Lankford will undergo through the summer months, she will also enjoy some leisure time. In between preparations for the upcoming seasons, Lankford will be splitting summer vacation trips between Orlando, Fl., Alabama and Tennessee.
Some Lankford Favorites:
Sports figure: Steve Nash
Musical artist: Faith Hill
Actor: Julia Roberts
Food: pizza
Sports
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SALLY SEXTON/DEMOCRAT PHOTO
WHS senior looks forward to (another) busy year of athletics
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