Landrum forward Skylar Henderson is tough.
In fact, that might be an understatement. The Landrum senior plays with a ferociousness that can’t be taught. She’s on the ground fighting for balls. She’s in the paint battling for rebounds. She’s everywhere and she’s going to war for the Lady Cardinals the entire time.
Where does that edge come from?
“I’m competitive,” she said with a slight smile. “I’m so competitive. I hate losing.”
Landrum is going through a tough early season slump with its lone win being a win over Whitmire last Friday night. That’s not necessarily a judge for how their season is going to go, however. The Lady Cardinals have played a tough schedule so far including 3A Greenville twice, 3A Broome, 2A Polk County and just the one 1A school in Whitmire.
“Right now we’re just in a rough spot,” Henderson said. “It’s all about our minds. We have to get our minds right.”
There was a big leadership void left this season after the departures of Jordan Jenkins and Amber Whiteside. The two were the leading scorers for the Landrum offense and were options one and two on the offensive side of the ball.
Henderson is trying to fill that leadership void. Landrum coach Deon Brice thinks that Henderson could be the one to fill it.
“She brings a working attitude that helps push the other team members to get better,” the first year coach said. “She is always in a very positive situation.”
Brice can also give testimony to Henderson’s toughness.
“She’s as tough as they come,” he said. “Once she sets her mind to something, get out of the way.”
For Henderson, that toughness begins in pregame warm-ups.
The senior can’t hear anything once she steps out onto the court.
“When we do our warm-up, I just zone out,” she said. “I zone everything out.”
It’ll take the toughness of Henderson to continue to turn the early season difficulties around, but if anyone can do it, she can, Brice said.
“She is very focused on what she needs to do and encourages others to do their best,” he said.
The Landrum Lady Cardinals will face Chesnee in the Battle at the Border Shootout Dec. 26 at 7 p.m.