Kynedie McCollister has loved basketball ever since her dad taught her how to shoot when she was in second grade.

“That was our bonding time when I was little,” McCollister said.

McCollister, an 8th grader at Red Oak Middle School, emerged as one of the basketball team’s star players this year, according to Coach Natalie Sutton.

“She works hard everyday, she’s very positive and a great player,” Sutton said.

McCollister, who plays point guard and shooting guard for the team, said her favorite game of the year was against Forney’s Warren Middle School for a rather unusual reason.

“I was going down the court, this girl tripped me, and I did a volleyball roll,” McCollister said. “I’ve always wanted to do that. I’m dead serious. But I messed up my knee, so I probably won’t do that again.”

Outside of school, McCollister has played on intramural teams such as the Sparks and the Killer Bees. She said she prefers intramural basketball because she feels a “little more free” on those teams.

Still, the hard work she’s put in this season has made her stand out on the school team.

“I think I was chosen as a star player] because I put all my effort into it,” McCollister said.