Something deep inside Jersi McMurray told her that playing basketball would be a great idea. She played on Lakeland High School’s junior varsity basketball team last year and the year before.
This year’s difference is she’s on varsity.
She has been training especially hard this year to earn her spot on varsity. Over this summer, she played in the Gonzaga basketball camp held at Gonzaga University.
She has been playing basketball since she was in fifth grade. She started playing because her best friend, Landree Simon, played basketball for a local park and recreation team. They then decided to switch it up and play on the same AAU team for Simmons’ dad, Tyler Simon.
He coached the team up until they were both in eighth grade. McMurray is very appreciative of Landree Simon and adores playing with her.
McMurray is very excited about high school basketball because it gives her another opportunity to play with Simmon.
“I really enjoy playing basketball with Jersi because she is always pushing me to be a better player, and she’s super competitive,” Simon said.
Simmon continues to explain how McMurray is a shoulder to cry on, one of her best friends and her inspiration to keep going.
Another hobby McMurray has taken an interest in is motocross racing. She always knew she wanted to race dirt bikes as well, but her mom was fully against the idea of it. McMurray spent years begging her mom to let her.
One day, her mom suddenly caved and let her. McMurray was beyond happy and immediately went and got a bike.
McMurray participated in her first race in the summer of 2022, and her favorite place to race is in Lewiston. Racing dirtbikes takes a lot of courage, and that’s something she has. McMurray’s mom thought playing basketball was always the right choice for her, but McMurray loved both.
“I’m not typically scared of crashing, and if I do, I get right back up,” McMurray said.
McMurray usually races against women many years older than her and still wins. When it comes to motocross, age is just a number. Racing against older people can be a great way to challenge a racer and improve their skills. McMurray does not let the age difference discourage her, and she never allows anyone or anything to get in her way while she is racing.
She loves the thrill of racing and says nothing feels like it. She has to focus on her abilities and keep pushing to be the best she can be. With lots of practice and determination, McMurray is a better racer than she thought she could ever be. Her mom and sister have been by her side through everything.
The two things McMurray loves in life are basketball and racing dirt bikes.
Although racing dirt bikes and basketball may seem to be opposites, they share one thing in common, McMurray has a love for both of these sports.