Published: March 25, 2008 09:09 am      

Indianola hometown girl has big-time goals in mind

You can take the girl out of the small town, but you can’t take the small town out of the girl.

Hollye Jernigen graduated from Indianola high school in 2005 and just has not had the urge to put down the basketball.

After graduating, Jernigen went on to play basketball for Eastern Oklahoma State College for two years. She just ended her junior season, as captain on a Division I team, the Lyon Pipers in Batesville, Ark.

Jernigen’s story wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows. She endured countless hours before, during, and after school — away from the sun light, practicing in the gym.

In the third grade, students were learning division in the class room, Hollye was thinking about the basketball court. When they played outside, she was dribbling a basketball. “It’s my life, I’m going to be a coach,” said Jernigen. “I’ve been playing basketball since I was about eight or nine years old.

“My family has always been there for me, especially my mom and dad. They have always been real big supporters in my life. My younger brother Ramey and I used to play basketball when we were younger, he’s a senior at Indianola now.”

After graduating from Tannehill Jr. High, Jernigen transferred to Indianola High school in 2001, where she met first year coach Ryan Cole.

Jernigen noticed her game was changing in a good way, playing for Indianola. “Coach Cole was probably the biggest influence in my game. He was a great coach, anything any one of his players needed, he was always there to help.

“He motivated me to become better and push myself more. Anytime I wanted to be in the gym extra, he was always there to open it. I was a gym rat,” said Jernigen. “It really didn’t bother me, I’m still in the gym a lot.”

Jernigen has gone from a “gym rat” to a “book worm”, trying to balance her busy basketball schedule, with her busy academic schedule.

The Lyon’s practice was held at 5:30 a.m. everyday. Following practice, Jernigen was still committed to a full academic schedule during her first semester at a new school.

Jernigen felt she had to prove herself to a whole new set of commitments. “It was hard,” said Jernigen. “Practicing early, then going to class, and usually after that we’d practice late. Not only that, I was far away from home.”

Jernigen went from a home town athlete, to a new surroundings, six hours away from home.

“I thought it was going to be hard being so far away from home.” said Jernigen. “When I went to check out the school it felt right. My coach made me feel comfortable as well as my teammates.

“The academic program made it easier too, that is what the school is really known for.”

Jernigen is majoring in history and education and eventually wants to get her masters’ and become a coach. She was thinking of starting off as an assistant coach at the college level.

Right now Jernigen is back in school and prepares for another season. She will welcome new recruits as they welcomed her. No doubt, Jernigen had gone through tough times in her journey.

“It was hard for me to go from playing all the time in Indianola to hardly playing at EOSC as a freshman,” said Jernigen. “I wanted to just quit at times — I hung in there and with support from my friends and family, I made it to were I am.”

Contact Porky Falcon at pfalcon@mcalesternews.com