LAYLA MARKOU
Haskell Haymakers
Layla Markou has the mindset of being the ultimate team player for the Haskell girls basketball team under head coach Kyle Ward.
“I would say my goals would be to do anything my coach and teammates need,” said Markou, a senior point guard. “I am willing to do anything for the betterment of my team.”
Markou, who says her strengths are her abilities on the defensive end of the floor and her speed, has valued the small things in basketball and it’s led to her improvement as an overall player for the Lady Haymakers.
“I’ve improved on letting the game come to me and trying my best to control the little moments throughout the game,” she said. “My proudest moment in my basketball career would be being able to control my emotions and not letting little mistakes get the best of me.”
Markou has leaned heavily on teammate Lynzi Kelley.
“My biggest influence in this sport is my fellow Haymaker, Lynzi Kelley,” Markou said. “She was one of the best upperclassmen I’ve ever had, and she showed me how to just have fun on the court. She always knew how to control herself and her emotions, and was so in control of the game. So I learned a lot from her in that aspect.”
Markou, who also plays fastpitch and slowpitch softball at Haskell where she was a steady contributor with a .426 batting average and near flawless .929 fielding percentage while playing second base last fall has set her sights on her future following basketball and her final year of high school.
“My plans after high school consist of going to Tulsa Community College, then moving on to Northeastern State University to get my bachelors in Early Childhood Education,” she said.
