The birthday of Darnell Parker, the beloved Loveland High School woman’s head basketball coach is coming up in November, and his friend and team photographer Gayle Rothmeeler wanted to do something special for him. Coach Parker died after a long struggle with cancer this past July.
This is the plan…
In honor of Darnell’s Birthday, she would like us to collectively play basketball for the 24 hours of his birthday. It will be broken down into 1-hour segments so that throughout the entire day of his birthday there is someone playing basketball to remember him. This will all take place on November 26.
1. BASKETBALL– for the 24 hours of his birthday on November 26, have people sign up for 1-hour increments to play basketball in his honor. You can shoot hoops in your backyard etc. This can be done on an individual basis, so his family and friends all over can participate. I set up a sign up genius for those that are willing to take an hour. During “your hour” I hope that you can take a picture and tag him on social media so we can all see everyone celebrating and playing basketball for him. Here is the link to sign up https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b084ea8ad29a3fd0-birthday
2. Tee Shirts– I created a shirt with his favorite slogan “our way”. They are being sold for $10, with $5 being donated to the scholarship fund that Alexis and Madison, his daughters created. The deadline to order is November 1 so that they can be printed, shipped, and delivered in time to wear on his birthday. Here is the link for the tee shirt https://rpdiamond.com/products/ols/categories/team-darnell
3. DONATIONS– There is an additional option on the t-shirt link to donate to his scholarship fund. Again, $5 from each shirt will go there, but if you would like to donate additional money, that is an easy way to do so. The scholarship will support a Loveland High School student-athlete pursuing a college education who values giving back to their community and has a personal story with cancer.
Loveland, Ohio – “This community needs a win, and I have to deliver it to them,” Loveland High School’s Women’s Basketball Coach Darnell Parker said with his legendary smile. Parker has certainly become a big part of the Loveland community spreading positivity among his student-athletes and the cancer community. There’s no question that Coach Parker is a part of “What’s in Loveland’s DNA!”
Parker, who was born and raised in Findlay, Ohio, grew up knowing that he “would have to work twice as hard as everyone else” to accomplish what he wanted to accomplish in life.
“My dad always told me that growing up and that always stuck with me. Seeing my mom and dad work so hard so that I would never go without ingrained in me a work ethic like no other,” Parker said when speaking about what he had gained from his parents growing up.
Parker, a born and bred athlete, started participating in sports at a very young age and almost instantly fell in love with the game of basketball.
“My dad was a fantastic athlete even getting an opportunity to be drafted by the Atlanta Falcons,” Parker said when asked about where his love for sports came from. Parker’s dad competed in football and baseball at Purcell Marian and then eventually moved on to play football at Defiance College, unfortunately succumbing to a leg injury that stopped him from moving forward in the professional sports world.
Parker pursued his collegiate basketball career at Bluffton College where he also obtained his degree in Business Management Administration. Post-college Parker took his coaching talents to West Clermont where he coached 6th-grade boys basketball for 9 years before making his move to Loveland.
Once Parker made the move to Loveland he eventually landed the LHS Women’s Basketball Head Coach position, and that’s when he began making history!
“I really couldn’t have chosen a better community to live in and coach in,” Parker said after reminiscing on his successful coaching career at LHS. Parker is definitely going down in history as one of the most successful LHS Women’s Basketball coaches of all time, grabbing the Eastern Cincinnati Conference Coach of the Year twice, leading the Tigers to 2 of the best seasons in school history, and coaching some very successful women collegiate athletes who have all broken school records at one point or another!
Unfortunately in October of 2020 shortly after Parker lost his father to COVID-19 complications, Parker received the news that he was diagnosed with both Liver and Colin Cancer.
“Telling my kids and my players that I had cancer was the hardest thing I ever had to do,” Parker said, “We cried it out and hugged it out and my girls really dedicated that season to me. They rallied around me.”
Fast forward now to 2022, Parker is now in chemotherapy and says he’s feeling good and that through all of this he has made the choice to make his journey one where he can encourage and help others going through cancer. “I thought to myself well I can either go into a shell and take it on myself or stay positive and share the experience with everyone and give those that need it support.”
Parker who has 2 daughters and just got married last year, says his future is looking bright and that he can’t wait to get back out on the LHS basketball court, which he says he will be transitioning into next week but will only be coaching home games.
After knowing Coach Parker myself for nearly 3 years I thought the start of 2022 would be the perfect opportunity to feature Coach in our “What’s in Loveland’s DNA” segment because no one can really deny the effect he has had on the Loveland and LHS community. I am pleased to present to you Coach Darnell Parker in a Loveland Magazine TV production of “What’s in Loveland’s DNA!” Click below to watch the full-length interview!
Here are some still photos from my interview with Coach Parker by David Miller:
Want to read more about Coach Darnell Parker? Check out Loveland Magazine’s past stories!
Loveland, Ohio – Eating Out to Help Out has brought the community of Loveland together once again for Coach Darnell Parker, only this time The Works Pizza helped us all Roll on into Monday!
On Monday, April 19th, The Works Pizza located at 20 Grear Millitzer Place in Historic Downtown Loveland, hosted the 2nd round of “Rolling Mondays,” a fundraiser dedicated to Loveland High School’s (LHS) Women’s Basketball Coach Darnell Parker as he battles his way through Colin and Liver Cancer. The Works Pizza’s Owner Scott Gordon not only donated 10 percent of The Work’s sales for the day to Coach Parker’s Cancer bill fund he also helped organize a “Bartender’s Competition,” in which those involved in organizing Rolling Mondays competed for the most tips, which ultimately were donated to Coach Parker as well!
“Coach Parker’s smile lights up any room he is in,” Scott Gordon said, “He brings so much positive energy to the kids on his team. I am happy to do a small part in helping him know he is appreciated, and we are returning as much joy as he gives.”
The Works Bartender’s Competition held from 6 PM-10 PM ended up being quite a hit as each competitor collected more than anyone could have hoped for! I competed first ending with $113, Jill Dressell, the parent of an LHS basketball player, competed next collecting $154, Brad Early, Assistant Varsity Coach for the LHS Women’s Basketball team, and a parent of a player, was the next competitor earning $212, and Jodi Stanton, the parent of a former LHS Women’s Basketball player, competed last adding $177 to the Coach Parker fund. The winner of the Bartender’s Competition was Brad Early earning a total of $212. Early won a $25 gift card to Tahona which was donated by former player Kate Garry’s dad, Brain Garry.
“I was blown away by the support for Darnell from the Loveland Community,” Brad Early said, “I had so much fun guest bartending and winning the competition! Huge shout out to Ashley, the true bartender, and The Works for hosting this event.”
The Split the Pot also continued on Monday night from 6 PM-8 PM. LHS’s Women’s Basketball players did their absolute best to collect funds from those that attended in honor of Coach Parker. It was announced by Jessica Early, one of Rolling Mondays organizers, that after the 2nd Rolling Monday the Split the Pot is now officially at $800!
After hearing about all of the generous donations from the community as well as seeing all the support surrounding him at both Rolliing Mondays, Coach Darnell Parker voiced that he couldn’t say thank you enough to everyone involved!
“The last two Mondays have been an absolute blast! Although I knew people came out to support me, it didn’t feel like a pity party and I appreciated that. These last two Mondays at Bishop’s Quarter and The Works have felt more like a family reunion than a benefit,” Parker said, “And that is what makes Loveland so special! We take care of and support our own, and I’m proud to be a part of this wonderful community!”
Coach Parker’s finance, Samantha McElfresh, also expressed her gratitude for those supporting Darnell.
“The Rolling Mondays have been better than I could have expected. The amount of love and support the Loveland community has shown is amazing,” McElfresh said, “It has made this journey a little easier knowing we have so much support. I never knew I could like Monday’s as much as I do after Rolling Mondays! I cannot wait to see the turnout at the next one.”
The next and final Rolling Monday will be held at Narrow Path Brewing Company located on the Loveland Bike Trail at 106 Karl Brown Way in Historic Downtown Loveland on Monday, April 26th. 30 percent of the sales throughout the day at Narrow Path Brewing will go towards Coach Parker’s Cancer bills. From 6 PM-8 PM, LHS athletes will be once again running the Split the Pot so be sure to come out to get your entry in as the pot is now over $800!
“I’m am very excited about getting together at Narrow Path,” Coach Parker said, “Narrow Path is another great Loveland establishment and it is going to be a great day on Monday. I would like to invite the entire community to come out and have a great time! I think it’s important that we continue to support our great treasures in Downtown Loveland, and Narrow Path is one of the best!”
If you haven’t had the chance to come out to Downtown Loveland for Rolling Mondays to support Coach Parker now is your chance! Head on down to Narrow Path Brewing Company this Monday, April 26th, and join us as we rally around Coach Parker for the 3rd and final round of Rolling Mondays!
Were you not able to make it to round 2 of Rolling Mondays at The Works Pizza in Historic Downtown Loveland, Ohio? No worries! We captured all the special moments from the night! Check out the photos below!
Loveland, Ohio – It’s official! Loveland High School’s (LHS) Women’s Basketball Coach, Darnell Parker, has quite a loyal fanbase of Tigers!
On Monday, April 12th, Bishop’s Quarter, located in Downtown Historic Loveland, hosted “Rolling Mondays,” a fundraiser in support of Coach Darnell Parker as he battles Colin and Liver Cancer. The first Rolling Monday proved to be a success as fundraiser organizers, Jessica Early, Jodi Stanton, Loveland Magazine, and several LHS parents and local business owners, brought the community together to generate funds to help pay Coach Parker’s Cancer bills.
Beginning at 6 PM the community began to “Roll” into Bishop’s Quarter so that they could “Eat Out to Help Out” Coach Parker. The fun-filled night kicked off with the serving of the “Coach’s Cocktail,” which included Tito’s, muddled strawberries, lime, basil, and simple syrup. I for one can say that the cocktail was not only unbelievable but very popular with those that attended the fundraiser!
While Coach Parker’s fans enjoyed their cocktails they were able to enjoy spectacular live music provided by Brad Martin, and yes he did dedicate “Paparazzi” by Lady Gaga to yours truly! As if the fantastic live music and refreshing cocktails weren’t enough, LHS Women’s and Men’s Basketball players competed against one another to see who could get the most entries into the Split the Pot drawing (Women’s Team) or the Gift Basket Raffle (Men’s Team)! The winning team ended up being the LHS Women’s Basketball Team but that doesn’t go without saying that the Gift Baskets were beautifully done and included a lot of superb prizes. The Split the Pot rounded out to be a whopping $500 for the very first Rolling Monday!
Towards the end of the fundraiser, it was easy to see that Coach Darnell Parker has touched a lot of people’s lives with his vibrant personality, competitive drive, unbelievable coaching skill set, and ability to help so many athletes succeed.
Bishop’s Quarter was filled with many pillars of the community on Monday night and they wanted to share with YOU what their experience was like at the first Rolling Monday EVER! Here are a few of those individuals’ thoughts about their “Eat Out to Help Out” night at Bishop’s Quarter!
“Bishop’s Quarter was honored to support Darnell and his fight against cancer. It was my first time meeting Darnell and it did not take long to understand why so many people care about him and support him in his fight vs. cancer,” Co-Owner of Bishop’s Quarter, Mark Wiehe said, “He is an amazing and inspiring guy and I left our first meeting feeling like we have known each other for years. I was extremely proud as a Loveland resident and business owner to see the support shown by the school, basketball program, and community. Thank you, Cassie and Loveland Magazine for your support of Coach Darnell!!”
“The first of the three Rolling Monday events to support Coach Parker was incredible! Bishop Quarter management, Mark and Kevin, hosted a fantastic evening,” LHS parent and one of the Rolling Monday organizers, Jessica Early said, “Loveland Magazine’s sponsorship and support were fantastic. Our Loveland community showed up with love, energy and amazing generosity. It truly was a special night in Loveland and we look forward to the next Rolling Monday event, Monday, April 19th at The Works! I’m sure it will be wonderful.”
“Because I respect coach Parker and his team so much I jumped at the chance for Loveland Magazine to be the media sponsor,” Loveland Magazine Editor in Chief David Miller said, “I was so impressed with what Jodi and Jessica did! I was especially impressed with their organizing skills! I truly appreciated the wonderful hospitality Bishop’s Quarter and staff showed to all, it was a memorable night.”
Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to making the night such a big success! We appreciate YOU!
Here at Loveland Magazine, we of course had to capture the magic of the very first Rolling Monday so please enjoy the video footage and photos captured by both David Miller and myself!
The next Rolling Monday is set to kick off at The Works Pizza located at 20 Grear Millitzer in Downtown Loveland on April 19th with activities from 6 PM-10 PM. The Works Pizza will be holding a Bartender Competition from 6 PM-10 PM in which guest appearances will be made by several Loveland community leaders! I will be guest bartending from 6 PM-6:45 PM, Jill Dressell (parent of a LHS basketball player) will be taking the 7 PM-7:45 PM time slot, Brad Early (Assistant Varsity Coach for the LHS Women’s Basketball team and a LHS parent) will be competing from 8 PM-8:45 PM, and Jodi Stanton (Parent of a former LHS Women’s Basketball player and current LHS Men’s basketball player) will be running the bar from 9 PM-9:45 PM.
The guest bartender with the most tips (tips will be donated to Coach Parker) will win the competition! Split the Pot tickets will also be sold from 6 PM-8 PM.
We hope to see the Loveland community and beyond at next week’s Rolling Monday at The Works Pizza! Believe me you won’t want to miss out on all the fun and the opportunity to give back to Coach Darnell Parker!
Loveland, Ohio – There are so many reasons why Loveland is such a great community to be a part of; the biggest reason being the community is ALWAYS ready to pay it forward and give back to those who have made a significant impact in the lives of those who reside in Loveland and beyond!
Darnell Parker, the Loveland High School Women’s Basketball Coach, received devastating news in light of the 2020-2021 basketball season, that he was diagnosed with both Colon and Liver Cancer. Coach Parker decided to take a positive outlook on his Cancer diagnosis by sharing his story and experience with those that in some way had been touched by Cancer in hopes that he would provide both strength and encouragement for those struggling.
Click the article link below to read Coach Parker’s initial announcement to the community about his Cancer diagnosis.
After Coach Parker announced he had Cancer the community of Loveland as well as those who had been positively impacted by Coach Parker rallied around him giving as much love and support as possible. Not only did the community hold multiple fundraisers benefiting Coach Parker they also created the hashtag “ParkerStrong” placing it on both t-shirts and magnets that they then sold, giving the proceeds to Coach Parker and his family.
While Coach Parker was undergoing chemotherapy, the Women’s L.H.S Basketball Team dedicated their season to him, exerting that much more effort to have the most successful season possible. The Tigers ended their season going 20-4, winning the Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC) for the 2nd year in a row, and Coach Parker through it all was elected the 2020-2021 ECC Coach of the Year also for the 2nd year in a row!
A couple of Coach Parker’s top-performing athletes had a lot to say about him and his impact on their lives.
“Coach Parker has inspired me to never give up and to always find the silver lining in the worst of situations,” Jenna Batsch said, “He has taught me that every little hiccup in the road is just another opportunity to get better and he has inspired me to live every day with no regrets like it’s your last.”
“Coach Parker got some of the worst news you could ever get and if you hadn’t heard it, you wouldn’t be able to tell,” Tess Broermann said, “He always has a smile on his face, and I’m thankful for his ability to fight. He doesn’t live in fear but leads a life with confidence. He inspires me to not sulk in bad news but make the most out of every day because you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow.”
“Coach Parker is family to me, so it’s a no brainer to do what we can to help him out,” Jenna Stanton L.H.S class of 2018 and former basketball player of Coach Parker’s said, “I know that I could call him any day of the week and he’d be there for me, and you can’t say that about too many people. He’s treated me like family since the day we met and I’m so thankful I was able to play for him and Coach Keith. The Loveland community always comes out in full force to support their own so I’m excited to see the turn out for Coach Parker. He’s done so much for our community, this is the least we can do.”
Jenna now plays basketball at the College of Wooster.
Click on the image below to see Coach Parker talk all about the 2020-2021 basketball season and how he was able to coach effectively while going through chemotherapy in a Loveland Magazine TV exclusive Zoom interview!
Although Coach Darnell Parker has just recently completed round 11 of chemo treatments, he is still making a conscious effort to motivate and inspire others battling cancer to stay strong by sharing his own journey.
Coach Parker’s constant positive outlook on life and his dedication to helping L.H.S student-athletes inspired Loveland’s parents to do something extra special for Parker and his family. Beginning on Monday, April 12th, L.H.S parents Jessica Early and Jodi Stanton, and local businesses, Bishop’s Quarter, The Works, and Narrow Path Brewing Company, will be hosting “Rolling Mondays” in honor of Coach Darnell Parker.
Rolling Mondays will include basket raffles, split the pot, a “Darnell” signature cocktail, music, and a guest bartender competition in which yours truly will be competing in! A percentage of the sales generated at the business hosting the Rolling Monday will be put towards Coach Parker’s Cancer bills.
On Monday, April 12th Rolling Mondays will be held at Bishop’s Quarter with fun events going on from 6 PM until 8 PM. On Monday, April 19th Rolling Mondays will be held at The Works with a Guest Bartender Competition going on from 5 PM until 8 PM. On Monday, April 26th Rolling Mondays will be held at Narrow Path Brewing Company.
So just how did the idea of “Rolling Mondays” come about? Coach Parker supporters Jessica Early, Jodi Stanton, Scott Gordon, owner of The Works, and Loveland Magazine’s David Miller explained to us why this fundraiser is so important to them.
“Jodi Stanton and I discussed the idea of holding a fundraiser in downtown Loveland back in November when we were both organizing t-shirt fundraising. At the same time, Scott Gordon reached out asking if The Works could help support anything,” Jessica Early said, “Since the Go Fund Me and t-shirt fundraisers were going strong in November, we sort of felt it seemed best to wait until the next phase of his treatment process began.”
Early said that in addition to waiting until the next phase of Coach Parker’s treatments, they also wanted to wait to hold Rolling Mondays until vaccinations were readily available so that the event could feel safer. “We understood that our Loveland restaurants took a big hit with the Covid Pandemic and thought it would be great to combine efforts of raising funds for Darnell as well as bringing life and energy back into downtown Loveland.”
“I am so inspired by his ‘style’ of fight. I’m pretty sure most people would stop everything to focus on the fight. Darnell instead uses all aspects of his life as his fuel in the fight. Cancer robs individuals and families of energy, happiness, and positive health. No one seems to be immune from getting stuck in the web of cancer,” Early said, “The best we can do is work together as families and communities to help support those In need. Our Loveland and surrounding communities have been amazing thus far with supporting Darnell. At the same time, we (like so many others) are a community in need as we navigate thru this pandemic. I’ve been so impressed with how our local businesses have ‘hung’ in there and worked on creative ways to stay in business.”
Early shared that she knows the Loveland community will enjoy coming out to Downtown Loveland on Mondays in April to help support businesses, Darnell, and each other. “Connecting to others is so important during this time. My goal is that Darnell doesn’t have the stressor of finances while making health decisions. His battle ahead is long and there will be continued treatment and monitoring for many years.”
Jodi Stanton said, “The idea of Rolling Mondays developed from a few brainstorming conversations of ways we could help Coach Parker. The ideas were discussed early on after his diagnosis. However, we decided to wait until after the holidays and after the first couple of fundraisers including T-Shirt sales and car magnets.” Stanton explained that the idea of Rolling Mondays manifested into using multiple local restaurants/establishments and hosting the event on more than one night.
“I was actually on the interview panel for the hiring of the Varsity Women’s Basketball Coach, along with other parents and coaches. When we interviewed Coach Parker, his enthusiasm and positivity were amazing,” Stanton explained, “From day one with the program, he hit the ground running. Stanton also said that Parker made an unforgettable impact on her daughter’s high school basketball career. “The funny part is, they didn’t always see eye to eye, but, their player/coach relationship turned into something special.”
“Unfortunately, me and my family have been directly affected by colon cancer. My father was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer 17 years ago,” Stanton said, “I’m thankful that research has been expanded and there are additional treatment options available to others today fighting this awful disease. I think our Loveland Community shows time and time again why Loveland is so special. When we have someone who has given so much to the athletes in our community, this is the perfect opportunity for others to give back!”
Stanton said that she has no doubt Loveland will show up and provide support not only to Coach Parker but to our amazing restaurants and brewery who have stepped up to assist. “With the pandemic affecting our local businesses over the past year, this is a perfect chance to help out not only the Loveland businesses but Coach Parker as well. I don’t know that we have a certain monetary goal in mind. Anything we can do to help him and his fiancée, Sam, during this difficult time and to let them know they are not fighting this alone will be more than we could have hoped for. Like I mentioned earlier, Coach Parker is a special kind of guy. He invested so much time and energy into our players, our daughters, and the L.H.S Basketball program. Throughout that short time for me, he and Sam have also become two people I call friends. This is just a small opportunity to help out friends.”
Scott Gordon, the owner of The Works, talked about his connection to Coach Parker and why he holds this cause so close to his heart. “I am a Loveland High School grad ‘85 and later came back to help coach baseball for several years. I have too many connections to Cancer and hate hearing when people I know are fighting that battle,” Gordon said, “Coach Parker was my nephew Alec Gordon’s coach many years ago in Glen Este. I don’t know Coach Parker personally, but our paths have crossed a lot over the years. Our staff at The Works knows that the money raised is a small part of this, raising awareness for the ongoing battles with cancer is of course a small part. But, showing a member of our community they are appreciated and loved while battling for their life and health is what Loveland is all about.”
Loveland Magazine’s very own David Miller also weighed in on how Coach Parker has left a lasting impression on his life. “Coach is such a positive expression of all things Loveland. Watching him coach, since he has been here, has been so much fun,” Miller said, “He has a unique way of showing displeasure with an official that never seems to get him in trouble, and his coaching style during games is always to encourage and applaud his players. His constant smile is pretty contagious and it spreads to the crowd.” David added that he was delighted to be asked to help with “Rolling Mondays” and was even more gracious that Loveland Magazine was selected to be the Media Sponsor.
Here at Loveland Magazine, we encourage you to attend Rolling Mondays in support of Coach Darnell Parker. There is no better way to give back to the community than to support an individual that has given so much of himself to the community of Loveland and L.H.S. Join me on April 12th at Bishop’s Quarter as we rally around Coach Parker and his family for one awesome time in Downtown Loveland!
Check out past Loveland Magazine articles featuring Coach Darnell Parker below!
Loveland, Ohio – The LHS Women’s Basketball Team is still doing it #ourway while keeping their head coach #parkerstrong!
The 2020-2021 LHS Women’s Basketball season was quite the eventful one! The Tigers not only captured the ECC title for the second year in a row during a chaotic Pandemic but were also able to successfully motivate their coach, Darnell Parker as he battled cancer and dealt with the loss of his father giving him the strength to not only beat Cancer but also win the ECC Coach of the Year title for the second year in a row.
Here at Loveland Magazine, we decided it would be a great idea to catch up with Coach Darnell Parker via Zoom to see just how he felt about the 2020-2021 basketball season, the COVID-19 Pandemic, and his personal journey with cancer.
So without further ado, Loveland Magazine TV brings to you our loyal readers, “One-On-One Zoom Style With Darnell Parker!” Believe me, you don’t want to miss this inspiring interview!
Click below to view the Zoom interview now!
Thank you to team photographer Gayle Rothmeeler for allowing the use of her wonderful photos during this Zoom interview!
Loveland, Ohio– With the beginning of a new school year quickly approaching, Loveland’s top athletes have been working hard all summer to perfect their craft! Over the past few years, Loveland High school has become a powerhouse when it comes to sports, producing both collegiate and professional athletes. Well, Loveland High school has done it again! Her name is Jillian Hayes, a 6’1 multi-faceted athlete that averaged 17.3 points and 8 rebounds per game last year. Hayes is not unfamiliar with the idea of competing at the collegiate level, as her mother, Kristi Hayes broke several records in high school and at her alma mater, Drake. Kristi averaged 52 points per game her senior year in high school and went on to become the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year at Drake scoring over 1,500 points during her collegiate career. Hayes’ father, Jonathan Hayes, played 12 years in the NFL and was a tight ends coach for the Cincinnati Bengals. He is the current head coach and general manager of the St. Louis XFL team. Her brother, Jaxson Hayes, was just picked 8th overall in the NBA Draft signing to the New Orleans Pelicans.
After several collegiate offers, Jillian recently committed to the University of Cincinnati to play Bearcat basketball. As her senior year approaches, there’s no doubt the sky is the limit for her upcoming basketball season with the Loveland Tigers!
I jumped at the opportunity to chat one on one with Jillian about her passion for basketball, her love for her family, and her dedication to both athletics and her education. Instead of doing a traditional interview I decided to put a spin on the interview process and do a question and answer forum so that you, the Loveland Magazine readers, could really get to know Jillian Hayes! So sit back, kick your feet up and check out Loveland Magazine’s interview with the basketball superstar herself, Jillian Hayes!
First off congratulations on your most recent accolades and achievements! Tell me what was it like growing up in the Hayes house? Have you always lived in Loveland?
Thank you! Growing up in my house we were always on the go, trying to get from one sporting event to the next. My brothers and I grew up playing games and sports with the other neighbor kids in the driveway and the yard. I was born in Norman, Oklahoma but have been raised in Loveland since I was about 2.
When did your passion for basketball begin? I know both of your parents and your brother are top-notch athletes themselves, is that where the passion came from for the game of basketball?
I grew up around basketball it was always a part of my life. Through competition – and the more I played, the more I fell in love with it.
You are going into a very important year at Loveland High school in regards to education and sports, what are you most excited about? What has your experience been like as a student-athlete at Loveland?
I’m so excited for one last go around with all of my friends, teammates, and coaches. Being a student-athlete at Loveland has been amazing. We have such a supportive community!
I have chatted with Coach Parker about some of the athletes he has had the pleasure of coaching and he seems to really have a passion for the game of basketball and his athletes. What does Coach Parker mean to you? How has he helped you as a student, athlete, and person?
Coach Parker is such an amazing coach! You can truly tell how passionate he is for the game and his players just by watching him in games. He brings so much energy! He makes it known from the very beginning that academics come first and are very understanding when it comes to needing to stay after school to make up a test or ask questions. Every day in practice and even outside of practice he continues to push us and is always there to open the gym when we need to use it. Coach Parker really has helped shape me into the person I am today by teaching me various life lessons on and off the court.
Let’s talk about basketball! What position do you play? What position do you prefer? What’s your favorite part about the game of basketball? Do you have a basketball role model?
I play anywhere from 1 to stretch 4 for Loveland. I’ll play whatever position my coach needs me to, but I mostly play a 3 or stretch 4. I love the competing aspect of it and continuing to challenge myself to become the best player and teammate I can be. My basketball role model would have to be my mom. She averaged 52 points in her senior year of high school and was an All American division 1 player. Not only did her accolades make her great she also had such an amazing basketball IQ and had counter moves for every defender that tried to stop her.
Ok so let’s take a moment to go over your awards and accolades as a basketball player! What are your proudest accolades? Have you been selected to be apart of an elite basketball team or play in any all-star games? It’s okay to brag about yourself for a minute!
My proudest accolade is getting the chance to play for Coach Heard at UC and getting 3rd in the nation at Nike Nationals. I got the chance to play for an EYBL team for the AAU season. The EYBL is a Nike circuit that has the top competition from all around the country.
We have heard as a Loveland community about the big announcement….you have committed to The University of Cincinnati to play basketball! Are you excited to play sports at the collegiate level? Was UC your first choice? Talk about your journey to deciding where you wanted to play and why.
I am thrilled to be able to play division 1 basketball. UC was the perfect fit for me. Every time I stepped on campus it felt like home and I would just light up. The relationship I have with Coach Heard is amazing! We have such a great bond. Coach Heard and the rest of the staff already feel like family!
Your family is a huge SPORTS family with your mom being a former basketball all-star, your dad being a Bengals coach, and your brother committing to play for the NBA. Do you put pressure on yourself because of your family’s success in sports? If so why and how? What have you learned from your family?
No, each person in our family has their own story and although we are big competitors we don’t compete against each other, but rather support one another. I have learned everything I know from my family, they truly have shaped me into the person I am today.
Being an athlete myself I know that we are always reaching higher for bigger and better goals, what are some goals you would like to achieve over the next few years?
For my senior year, my goal is to help the team win sectional finals. We’ve come a little short in previous years. I would also like to make it to the NCAA tournament my first year at UC and really go on a run in the tournament.
What are you doing now to prepare for this year’s basketball season? Do you have any advice for any student-athletes out there that are trying to make it to the collegiate level?
Training with Coach Keith Braswell, lifting and explosion training. No matter what role you have I think you should always lead with confidence, have fun with it and enjoy every chance you have to be out on the court.
Let’s get a few fun facts out there about you for our loyal readers! What is your favorite color? What is your basketball pre-game ritual? What’s your favorite food? What is your favorite movie? Do you have a favorite basketball team, if so, who? What are some of your favorite hobbies? What do you LOVE about Loveland? Do you have any favorite Loveland “spots?”
Black or blue. Listening to music. Sushi. Like Mike. New Orleans Pelicans because my older brother plays for them. I like hanging with my friends and playing volleyball. I love the community because they continue to be supporters of all Loveland’s sports. Two of my favorite spots are Loveland Dairy Whip and Trailside Ice Shack Hawaiian Ice in downtown Loveland.
Thank you Jillian for your time. Loveland Magazine will certainly be following you on the volleyball and basketball courts your Senior year. Best of luck in all you do.
by Cassie Mattia
