Being a part of the Mingus girls basketball team is a big deal to senior Chayce Doerksen. It’s actually a family thing for her — although she hasn’t always known the full extent of it.
As a sophomore two years ago, the Marauders were on a bus ride and Doerksen was talking to then-team manager Kaleigh Saravo. As the two girls conversed, it was revealed that they were distant cousins. While this was not news to Saravo, the same was not true for her cousin.
“On the bus, she was telling me stories of her cousins and family and I found out that we were cousins,” Doerksen recalled. “She always knew but never told me.”
While Doerksen identifies that specific memory as her favorite during her first three years playing basketball for Mingus, the bus rides in general have always been popular with her. She fondly remembers 2020 graduates Saravo and Shenoah Williams, along with coach Paul Ventura, giving her geography lessons about where other countries in the world were. Though, Doerksen also pointed out that she correctly identified all 50 states when handed a blank map of the U.S.
Doerksen has also spent time playing volleyball for Mingus. At 6 feet tall, her height has made her a natural asset at the net. Much like basketball, though, her favorite volleyball memory did not come in a game. Doerksen recalled sneaking into a Petco with some teammates during a road trip to buy a GloFish for one of their coaches.
Basketball, though, is Doerksen’s favorite sport, having played it since second grade. Although basketball and all other winter sports have been postponed until January, Doerksen looks forward to her senior year on the hardwood.
Doerksen has always been among the tallest girls not only on her team, but among competitors, as well. Because of that, she’s spent a lot of time playing power forward or center in the low post. But with Taylor Brock and Emma Hoggard taking on bigger roles on the varsity team this year, Doerksen will be able to play the perimeter more, something that she looks forward to doing.
“I want to work on distance shooting, ball handling and become a better guard,” Doerksen said. “I can play all over the court. I’ve always played down low because of my height. But working more toward wing and guard. This next year I’ll be playing all around.”
When her time in high school is done, Doerksen hopes to continue playing basketball at the collegiate level, though she doesn’t know where yet. She’s looked into possible careers in disaster relief.
“I’ve always admired first responders and different organizations that help people,” she said. “That would be fun to do and a cool experience. I really just want to help people.”
That desire to help people falls in line with another goal that Doerksen has for her senior season with Mingus.
“I really want to lead the team the best I can, be a good role model for them and show them what it means to be a Mingus basketball player,” Doerksen said. “I want to be remembered as a leader, a positive person and as someone who wants to see the good in people and everything going on.”
