MARYSVILLE — Alexys Wilson is a senior at Marysville Getchell High School and a three-sport athlete who just finished up her season as captain of the Lady Chargers varsity basketball team and is looking forward to track and field this spring.

Known as Lexy to her friends and teammates, Wilson showed incredible leadership and athletic progress during her final year playing high school basketball.

“She is the one that will push through tiredness or soreness and just keep going,” said her coach Shannon Grandbois. “She is constantly asking for ways to improve. She never stopped wanting to learn. She just kept asking, ‘How can I improve? How can I get better?’”

Wilson began playing basketball in second grade and continued to play through middle school.

“I was always tall for my age and people would ask, ‘Do you play basketball?’” said Wilson. “My dad played too so he helped me get started.”

Wilson took time away from the sport during her freshman and sophomore years, and focused instead on playing soccer. That was until one of her gym teachers inspired her to go back.

“I started to play basketball for MG as a junior,” she said. “At first the biggest struggle was the mental toughness. You couldn’t just hang your head when you made a mistake. That was hard for me because I’m usually pretty tough on myself, especially with sports. But you just have to play through it.”

Although mental toughness was one of her first challenges playing for the Chargers, it became one of her greatest characteristics.

“I think that’s where I grew the most. We went to Western [Washington University] for basketball camp this summer and played for 12 hours straight,” said Wilson. “It was tough but when we were done I knew I loved the game. I’m only 5-foot-10 but I was ready to go out there and show those 6-foot-tall girls that I could play too.”

And she did. Wilson was chosen to be the captain of the team and her tenacity and eagerness to play proved to be an inspiration to younger players.

“I’ve always been a positive person and I always wanted to play,” she said. “I’d go to my coach and ask her to tell me what to work on.”

“She made huge improvements in strength and court ability,” said Grandbois. “She was a part-time JV player her first year and went from that to being a full-time varsity starter all year. She was pivotal on the court. She was one of the foundations that we built the program around. They saw that work ethic and the other girls would rise to that level as well.”

The Lady Chargers played their final game against Oak Harbor at home on Wednesday, Jan. 30.

“The last game of the season the entire team played phenomenally,” said Grandbois.

It was tough for Wilson, who felt that the team had become a second family to her.

“That was one of the hardest nights to deal with,” she said. “It’s hard to know I won’t be able to play with them again.”

Although her physical presence will be gone from the team, she leaves a legacy behind.

“It’s only our second year building the program,” said Wilson. “I was always telling them that we are young and we are going to be a really great team someday.”

Grandbois agrees and is proud of Wilson’s attitude in the face of a tough season record this year.

“She always has a smile on her face and she is always happy,” she said. “You need to have that person on the team — it’s important because there are always going to be trials and tribulations.”

Wilson graduates this year and although she has not yet decided which university she will attend in the fall, she does know what she wants to in the future.

“I really want to major in early childhood education and become a first or second grade teacher,” said Wilson, who volunteers as a reading buddy at Kellogg Marsh Elementary and is involved in her church’s worship team. Although her talents at leading and inspiring as an athlete will help her in the classroom, she isn’t taking all the credit.

“I would like to say that I am so lucky to have played for such a great coach,” said Wilson. “She always pushed us and believed in us.”

Grandbois hopes for the best for Wilson’s future.

“She is such a fun person, she is great with kids,” she said. “I think that no matter what she chooses to do in the future, she will be very successful.”