Making a name for herself

March 27, 2005

JEREMIAH BARTZ/Frontiersman Sports Editor

WASILLA - Megan Stearman and Michael Jordan have something in common.

Prior to flying to unbelievable heights at the NCAA and NBA level and finding his name in national publications, Jordan was cut from his high school basketball in Wilmington, North Carolina. Rather than what could have been the early end to Jordan's career, the basketball legend used it to his advantage.

Jordan is quoted on the Web site www.23jordan.com, "Whenever I was working out and got tired and figured I ought to stop, I'd close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it and that usually got me going again."

Like Jordan, as a young basketball player Stearman found herself on the outside looking in, cut from her seventh grade squad at Colony Middle School. But that didn't stop Stearman from becoming one of the top female players in the state of Alaska and finding her own name in a national publication.

Stearman, a senior post, was last week named the Northern Lights Conference Player of the Year after leading the Wasilla Warriors to their fifth consecutive region championship. And before her memorable senior season even began, Stearman was treated to the thrill of seeing her name published in Street and Smith's Magazine. Stearman was named All-American honorable mention for the west region of the United States in their annual basketball preview.

Stearman was one of only two Alaska players given the honor. Service High School junior Lillian Bullock was also named to the list.

While the honor is most likely a pleasant surprise for all who were named on the list, it was almost a shock for Stearman, who didn't even know she was even considered for the list. Stearman wasn't contacted by the magazine, her boyfriend's dad brought it to her attention.

Wasilla head coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax said after Stearman found out, all she could say is, "I gotta tell Coach, I gotta tell Coach."

"I was really excited, it was a big surprise," Stearman said. "I was honored to be mentioned in there - nice to think that other people think I am a great basketball player and appreciate the work I have done for my team and my coach."

It did take work for Stearman to arrive at the level she is now. After being cut from her middle school team, Stearman questioned her desire to continue in the sport.

"The coach said I didn't show potential," Stearman said. "She knows who she is and she knows she made a mistake."

Stearman said she was heartbroken and didn't have the appetite to play basketball anymore, but her parents remained supportive and encouraged her to play for a local recreation team. The next year she came back and made the CMS varsity squad as an eighth grader.

As she grew older, Stearman progressed in the sport and blossomed after finding a spot in Hebert-Truax's Wasilla program. Stearman said as an eighth grader, her squad did not have a spring program, but her coach gave her Hebert-Truax's name. The Wasilla mentor asked Stearman to attend a practice and see how she fit in with the team.

"It ended up that half the girls (on the team) I went to elementary school with," Stearman said. "I fell in love with the program, I fell in love with Hebert."

Stearman aided by the tutelage of Hebert-Truax and former assistant coach Roger Nelles, progressed and by her junior year she was arguably Wasilla's top post player.

"Roger Nelles helped her a lot. I brought him in as an assistant coach, post coach, and he helped her a lot as a post player," Hebert-Truax said.

Even though Stearman was not the biggest contributor offensively early in her varsity career, Hebert-Truax said, she has always played an important role in the Warrior system, playing defense and grabbing rebounds. Stearman now has become a double-digit scorer and is leading her team in rebounds for the second season in a row.

"She's been a big gun defensively for us and she's definitely made progress every year," Hebert-Truax said. "This year she's more of a consistent player."

Stearman has been a large part of the Warriors success during her high school career and a reason why Wasilla has been able to stretch its record to five straight region championships and 61 consecutive Region III victories. Her award also continues a string of four straight region MVP awards for the Warriors. Brittany Kroon won in 2002 and Chandice Cronk won in 2003 and 2004.

Now Kroon and Cronk are playing at high levels of college basketball. Kroon is key part of a Seattle Pacific University squad which reached the Division II national championship this weekend and Cronk started as a freshman for a Santa Clara University squad which advanced to the NCAA Division I tournament this spring.

Stearman would also like the opportunity to continue her playing career.

"If the opportunity arises I would want to go (and play in college)," Stearman said. "I think that anyone can play at that next level if they are really committed. I think I am committed."