By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
For Ballard High School senior Mahlia Muwero, basketball has been more than just a sport—it’s been a source of lasting friendships and unforgettable experiences. The 5’6” point guard has spent four years forming strong bonds with her teammates, relationships she says wouldn’t have been possible without the program. Now, as she enters the final stretch of her high school career, Muwero is determined to extend her season with a deep playoff run.
“It is a very bland word, but fun is the best way to describe it. I have made a lot of really cool friends that I probably wouldn’t have met if I didn’t play sports. I have been playing with the same people for four years, and it has just been a lot of fun together,” said Muwero. “I want to get as far as possible in the playoffs and districts, just because I want to keep playing with my teammates.”
“One of my teammates recently came back to playing after tearing her ACL, so I would love to just get a few more games with her because we have been playing together for so long,” she added.
Having played alongside most of her teammates for years, Muwero believes their team chemistry is strong, built on friendships that will last a lifetime.
“We work very well together. We have been playing together for a while, and we did have some new freshmen come in and add to everything, which made our team dynamic really well,” said Muwero. “We all have so much fun outside of basketball and not just on the court together, and that translates really well when we play.”
Ballard girls’ basketball Head Coach Jennifer Anderson, now in her second year as varsity head coach, has worked with Muwero throughout her entire career at Ballard High.
“She has been playing for Ballard for all four years of her high school career. I coached her on junior varsity her freshman year, and then I have had the pleasure of coaching her on varsity,” Anderson said. “She has been on varsity for three years, but it is only my second year as a varsity coach, so the two years have been a pleasure.”
“I definitely admire how dedicated my head coach and all coaches are to the game of basketball. They are always pushing us out of our comfort zone, to develop us as players and to keep us going,” said Muwero.
Referring to Muwero as an “agent of chaos,” Anderson believes she is Ballard’s best defensive player, using her quickness to disrupt the offense of their opposing teams.
“Point guards don’t like her. Let’s just say that I put her on point guards to harass them, and she does an excellent job at it,” Anderson said. “Also, she is the quickest player we have. I know that if she steals the ball, she is going to go coast to coast, and no one is going to catch her. Mahlia is truly an all-around player with a great shot.”
Muwero’s mother, Heather, has watched her daughter develop into a talented athlete.
“Mahlia is very, very fast, and she works her butt off out there on the court always,” Heather said.
Muwero describes being a student-athlete as finding her own rhythm. With an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to support her dyslexia diagnosis, she has had to learn how to advocate for herself to stay on top of her academics.
“I was diagnosed with dyslexia coming into high school, so through my IEP and letting my teachers know that I do have this accommodation, I do need extra time, I have had to be pretty pushy with some of my teachers, but it is all part of advocating for yourself,” Muwero said. “It definitely is just about getting into the groove and knowing what I need to do for school and fitting that around my sports. Advocating for myself because of my IEP definitely helps with my studies and sports.”
While Muwero has thrived as a three-sport varsity athlete—playing volleyball, basketball, and track and field—her academic journey has not always been easy. Her mother says that she is proud of the way her daughter has been able to balance her schoolwork and athletics.
“Mahlia is a three-sport varsity athlete, and I know that school hasn’t always come easy for her. She has definitely mastered how to balance school and sports over the years. That takes practice, but she has gotten really good at it,” said Heather. “I am so proud of her for how hard she has worked to stay on top of things and for finding a system that works for her.”
Over the course of her career, Muwero has witnessed changes not only within the team but also in herself. However, she credits her coach with pushing her to become a more well-rounded player as one of the things that has helped her grow into a leadership role on the team.
“Being a more offensive player rather than just a defensive one is something that my coaches wanted for me, and I am glad they pushed me to be in the role and player that I am now,” Muwero said.
Her coach says that watching Muwero’s development on both sides of the ball has been fun to watch.
“Her role has changed a bit this year. She used to be more of a point guard, but I moved her off to be able to enable her to get off on breaks more. It did take a little adjustment for her, but nobody can run like Mahlia,” Anderson said.
Her mother echoes the sentiment.
“I think she has found herself,” Heather said. “Mahlia is more confident in her abilities and has stepped up in those leadership roles. That’s common for seniors, but I think she could have done it sooner than her senior year.”
As she prepares for life after high school, Muwero is leaning toward taking the academic route rather than pursuing college athletics.
“I am definitely going to be taking the academic route after high school. I have had some options to compete at the next level for track, but I am just not too sure. I just want to be able to focus on my academics in college,” Muwero said.
Heather fully supports her decision and is confident that her daughter will find a college that best suits her.
“I just want her to find a college that makes her happy, where she flourishes, does well, and finds her group of people, which I don’t doubt for her,” Heather said. “She is a very social kid, knows how to make friends, be a good friend and a good leader, so I don’t worry about that much for her. I just overall want her to be happy and have a really good college experience.”
Source: Seattle Medium
