FEATURED SENIOR ATHLETE: Kyndal Brewer, North Putnam

Friday, November 25, 2022
Kyndal Brewer
Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

Kyndal is a senior at North Putnam and participates in two sports, basketball and softball.

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Banner Graphic: How important are sports to you, and what have you learned from them?

Kyndal Brewer: “There’s not the most important thing in my life but they’re up there. I’ve learned how to be a leader, that when others are down, you have to bring them up. Sports are about being a family for me and while you’ll lose with those people, you’ll win with those same people.”

BG: Talk about your sports.

KB: “Basketball I’ve been playing kindergarten, so I’ve always been playing it. I’m a very competitive kid all around. I could ask someone on the side of the road to race me and if I lose, it’s, ‘Race me again.’ I’m very competitive and I’ve been obsessed with winning since I was little. I started basketball with my dad coaching me when I was little and found a love for it. I started teeball for softball when I was around three. I found a love for that more. I started pitching when I was eight and joined my first travel team in 10u. I still have friendships from that team. It’s crazy. We have girls all-around and that was important to me building up. Here we are now, at signings and everything.”

BG: What’s the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you in sports?

KB: “My sophomore year, first varsity game of basketball. Our uniforms were way too big and we had to tie them on with hair ties. I lost my pants when I tripped and fell in the middle of the floor at Cloverdale.”

BG: What does your game day routine look like?

KB: “For basketball, since it’s right now, I got to Area 30 and get back. I have time to shoot by myself for 40 minutes before school gets out, so I do that, getting in some free throws. I find my teammates, get them all together, find our food as, because the way the school is set up, you never know where you’ll be eating at. We finish our meal; sometimes we watch film but we get dressed, get ready and go out and play.”

BG: You’re in a spot where you are the only senior after having five seniors last year on the basketball team. You also have a new coach. How long did it take to adapt to these changes and rally the underclassmen?

KB: “We were solid and very close as a team. We had to step up together as we hadn’t all been on one team together before. We did that and became close. We had some rough patches in the summer but we progressed more than others thought we would. When we found out about coach Haworth leaving, we thought we would have some hard times but coach Franklin has done a great job of stepping in, having not coached girls before, and has taught us a lot already a month into the season. We’re a very family-like team. If we have problems, we talk them out. We’ve adapted to change, something we do well as a team.”

BG: Do you have any favorite college/pro sports teams or athletes you follow?

KB: “I look up to Montana Fouts of Alabama University as a pitcher. I also enjoy watching Paige Bueckers from UConn in basketball.

BG: What else do you do at school besides things involving sports?

KB: “I do Area 30 and Pep Club. I do like to volunteer with special needs students and love to be around them. I’m always walking around here doing something for someone.”

BG: What do you like to do outside of school and sports?

KB: “A lot of softball and hitting lessons. I like to hang our with my family, friends, people I’m close with and play with my dog.”

BG: What are your favorites in movies, TV and music?

KB: “My favorite movie is ‘42,’ the Jackie Robinson movie. I know that movie word for word. I really like true story movies, things like ‘Friday Night Lights’ and movies like that. I love Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan in terms of music artists.”

BG: Are you a person that wants to watch TV shows and movies or stream something from YouTube, Twitch, TikTok etc.?

KB: “I’m the kind of person that goes out in the weather, riding bikes, quads, strapping the dog in and playing in the snow. Anything like that. If I wasn’t, I’d probably go on TikTok.”

BG: What is something you have never done before that you would like to do someday?

KB: “I’ve always wanted to go skydiving with my dad but for spring break, I’d like to go whale watching in Mexico in the Cabo area.”

BG: What is your biggest fear?

KB: “Sharks. I love watching shows about sharks but they also scare me.”

BG: You’ve been placed in charge of making dinner. What’s on the menu?

KB: “Crustless pizza. It’s like a type of lasagna: cheese, hamburger, sauce, repeat.”

BG: Do you have any pets?

KB: “I have numerous pets: two goats, three bunnies, one of which is mine and named Winter, a chameleon named Sushi, five fish, four of which are fancy goldfish and then a miniature catfish named Frederick, who is five years old, a dog named Annie, a beagle-boxer mix, and my best friend, a boxer named Willow. I would have a whole zoo if my parents would let me.”

BG: If your house were on fire, all living things were already out and you have your keys, cell phone, wallet/purse etc., what is one thing you would go back and get?

KB: “My first home run softball. Everything else you can buy but that ball is a huge milestone in my softball career. I’ll be buried with that thing.”

BG: If you were to describe your personality in one word, what would that word be and why?

KB: “Enthusiastic. When people are down, I’m the person that brings them up. I like being happy toward others and try to be enthusiastic when doing things.”

BG: What has been your favorite place to visit?

KB: “The Bahamas. We went on a cruise there, snorkeled and all that jazz. It was fun.”

BG: What was your favorite school field trip?

KB: “Fifth grade, we went Lucas Oil Stadium. It was cool to walk on the field. I grew up watching the Colts there but had never gotten a chance to go there and run around.”

BG: How important is support from your family and classmates to your success?

KB: “When people cheer me on, it makes me feel like I’m doing something right. I love that support, definitely from my parents. My dad went through the whole college athlete process, so I look up to him for that. When he supports me, I feel happy.”

BG: Describe your overall school experience both academically and athletically.

KB: “It’s been great. The community for sports is great as everyone cheers everyone else on. Academically, I struggled with the whole high school thing at first. I took it for granted early and am now an honor roll student, keep track of everything and when I have problems, I have teachers I can go to. I got my CNA license as well. Academically, that really helped me.”

BG: If your school was to offer a class it currently doesn’t, what would you want to see taught?

KB: “French. We have to take a foreign language and I wasn’t the biggest fan of Spanish.”

BG: What are your plans for after high school, and what career are you headed toward?

KB: “I am going into nursing, either as a RN or nurse practitioner. I’d go into delivery. I like babies.”

BG: Is it difficult to keep up with your school work being an athlete?

KB: “As a freshman, yes, but as a senior, I’ve figured it out. I use my time wisely in class when it is available to get work done, unless there’s a big test and I have to study for it.”

BG: Which particular classes and teachers have helped you the most in high school?

KB: “As part of Area 30, Lisa Baker has done great. She’s the kind of person that cheers you on behind the scenes that no one knows about. She’s part of the Cloverdale community but always wanted to know how I was doing and talked to me. At North Putnam, Eric VanHafften. He’s a bit of a crazy one but at the same time, he’ll jump head over heels to help you with anything.”

BG: In the future, once you’ve established yourself, if you had your choice, would you want to live somewhere more remote, such as in the mountains, somewhere more flashy, down on the beach or in the big city or in the neighborhood?

KB: “I like my own area, my own bubble. I want to live out in the middle of nowhere and if I had the choice, in the middle of Putnam County. We’re the only people that live down our road.”

BG: Do you think high school has gone fast, and are you going to miss it?

KB: “High school has gone very fast. I didn’t believe people when they said don’t take it for granted while I thought it was four years and it’ll take forever. It’s crazy looking back on it, on how fast it’s gone, and I’ll miss it but I’m also looking forward to the next step in my life and everything.”

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