Chayce Doerksen’s time as a player on the Mingus girls basketball team ended in February, when the Marauders played their final game of the season. But standing over 6 feet tall and with a strong outside game, it was pretty obvious that Doerksen had more basketball in her future. The question was, where? That question was recently answered.
On Wednesday, May 12, Doerksen signed her Letter of Intent to play basketball at Central Arizona College in Coolidge.
“They have an excellent program and amazing coaches,” Doerksen said. “I think they really develop their players and help them strive to go to a university afterward. And I’m looking forward to playing with them.”
There’s a history of success in the Vaqueros/Vaqueras Athletic program. For Doerksen, arguably the most relevant success is Bridget Pettis. She played basketball at Central Arizona College before going onto the University of Florida and a career in the WNBA.
In her senior season with the Marauders, Doerksen led the team with 11.8 points per game and was second with 6.6 rebounds.
Mingus was a taller team than in prior seasons, which allowed Doerksen to play more on the outside where — despite her height — she’s always been more comfortable as a player.
“We’re happy that she’s doing what she wants to do,” her father, Steve, said. “She has a gift in basketball and we’re happy that she will be able to excel and maybe go onto a four-year university. And we’re happy that she’s only three hours away. And it’s what she wants to do. We’re really happy for her.”
Of course, while Doerksen will go off to college alone, she knows that it’s not a solo effort.
“I want to thank my family, teammates, coaches, friends,” Doerksen said. “They’ve all had a big part in making me who I am and what I’ve done on the court and off the court.”
Making the day more special is that many of those people got to share it with her.
Sharing the gym with Mingus as she signed her Letter of Intent were her parents, Steve and Jennifer, her brothers, sister-in-law, her teammates from the Marauders girls basketball team and other friends and classmates.
“It means a lot,” Doerksen said. “It’s crazy to see how many people are in my corner, supporting me and have loved me throughout the last three years and have helped me get to where I am right now.”
