DANVILLE — Danville senior Tracy Payne has joined an elite group in the history of Danville High School girls basketball. Payne scored her 1,000th career point versus Fredericktown on Dec. 11. In doing so, she joined four other players in Danville High School history with 1,000 career points.
“It felt really good to finally get one of my goals accomplished,” Payne said. “This has been one of my goals since I was little and watched Maggie McCombs set the record. The game was a little rough; I was very nervous even though I shouldn’t have been. The whole team was behind me; it was really nice.”
Payne has been a staple in Danville sports for years. She is a three -year varsity starter on the basketball team, a leader on the volleyball court and was the starting shortstop for the 2008 state champion softball team. But with all of the accolades, Payne shines on the basketball court.
“Tracy is our leader,” said Danville basketball head coach Scott Ewing. “She is a great team player, she makes everyone around her that much better. She is as good a kid off the court as she is on the court. Tracy is willing to help out as needed, and is very active in school functions and the community. She is a very well-rounded young lady; I have a lot of respect for her.”
The road to 1,000 points requires consistency, and perhaps more than anything, hard work. Payne spends her offseasons working hard to achieve the goals she has set. This past summer, she played for the Amateur Athletic Union North East Ohio Swish and the team won the Penn State Blue Chip USA Invitational. Payne has accomplished a lot in her career at Danville, but 1,000 points is a major milestone.
“I am very proud of this accomplishment,” said Payne. “I have worked hard throughout the years here, trying to be the best I can be. I finally accomplished one of the biggest goals I set for myself.”
Her coach agrees it is a milestone.
“This is a big accomplishment,” Ewing said. “Any time you see a player with over 1,000 points you think they are a scorer. If you look at her stats, her steals and assists, she is not just a scorer. She sees the floor well and is willing to get everyone involved in the offense. She plays great defense and is a real leader on the floor. She is not just a scorer, she does the other things well, too.
“She is a great kid,” Ewing continued. “Sometimes you come across kids that are super athletes, but may not have all the other things; the social skills, the attitude. Tracy is just an all-around good kid, you’ve got to give a lot of credit to her parents for that. She has worked hard for it.”
Payne said she will miss the friendships she has forged and her time in Danville blue.
“I am really going to miss playing with the girls,” she said. “I have a lot of fun memories here; it’s hard to believe I am a senior.”
Danville plays Saturday at home versus Marion Pleasant starting at 5 p.m.
