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Keeya Dixon is Muir’s Basketball Star, After a Delayed Start
Pasadena Independent Aug 12, 2019
Photo courtesy of Keeya Dixon.
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– Courtesy photo by Keeya Dixon
By Nathan Foster
Muir senior Keeya Dixon loves to play basketball. However, unlike most high school players, her first time really playing the game was in high school.
While most young athletes tend to stick to a single sport, Dixon switched from soccer to basketball her freshman year at Muir.
“I played soccer for eight years. That was my main sport before basketball. It was a big shift for me,” Dixon said. “I just fell out of love with soccer. I still like it, but I’d much rather play basketball. It’s what I enjoy the most. It’s just so fun. I love it.”
Dixon began playing guard her freshman year on the junior varsity team. She was one of just five members of the JV team, exactly enough to have a starting roster, with no subs.
“It was quite an experience. We competed. We played hard,” Dixon said.
The next year, Dixon moved up to varsity where she became a leader on the squad. However, her junior year was entirely different.
“We got new coaches. I got pushed more physically and mentally,” Dixon said. “I learned a lot and became a better player and person.”
Dixon said she worked constantly to improve her game on both offense and defense.
“I improved tremendously on both sides of the ball,” Dixon said. “It was very hard for me because I had a lot of bad habits. But working with my coaches everyday, they pushed me to be what I am today. It was tough, but I got through it.”
Last year, Muir finished just one win short of making the playoffs. Dixon said the main goal for this year is to finally break through that hurdle and make the playoffs. It will be her last chance before she graduates.
Other than making the playoffs, Dixon is already focused on some personal goals.
“I want to be a better leader. I’m a pretty good leader now, but I want to be better than last year,” Dixon said. “I want to be way more focused than I was last year. I want to push every one of my teammates to their full potential. We’re pretty small, but we have a lot of heart. We’re going to roll with what we’ve got.”
After this year, Dixon is looking to go to college and study sports medicine. She said she wants to continue to play or at least be involved in sports.
“I definitely want to play basketball in college,” Dixon said. “That’s my main goal. That’s why I work as hard as I possibly can everyday and take every opportunity I can get to get there.”
When Dixon isn’t on the court or in the classroom, you can usually find her painting, taking pictures, reading or watching sports.
“I paint on canvases, on my shoes, on my clothes sometimes, just to add a few sparks to some plain stuff,” Dixon said.
The future of this Muir star looks bright indeed.
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