Machiah Maddox

My name is Machiah Maddox. I am a Junior in high school who loves athletics, especially basketball. At the early age of five I played basketball for a youth organization called the Skill Center. Those were some of the most exciting times, competing against other kids my age to make it to the playoffs. I also played in middle school and two years at Steinbrenner High School. 

My older sister had a huge influence on me loving the game of basketball. I grew up watching basketball on TV with her, watching her film from practice, and even competing against my dad before her games. She always reminded me, “you have to give 100% and love what you do”. As I began to get older and play with bigger athletes, I really fell in love with being competitive and the game of basketball. In 9^th grade I decided I was going to really give it my all and be the best high school basketball player I could be. I began to get up at 5 am for early morning workouts with my family. I worked out after school with the team and then again at the park. I changed my diet to become healthier. I also began running to build my endurance and be able to move quicker. 

Currently I attend the Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central High School; I am a junior scholar-athlete and I play on the varsity basketball team. Relocating from Florida was not an easy transition in the beginning. Now I see it was the best decision my dad made for me. I still have the same work habits on and off the court. I go hard in the classroom to maintain my high honor status. I work hard in the weight room and on the courts. I often play games after school with college athletes. I also wake up at 4:30 everyday to better myself working out with my trainer. 

In the future I plan to go to college to major in Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy. I plan to start my own business after college. I would like to train young athletes or help athletes recover from their minor injuries. To get there, I hope to take my talents to the next level and play for a college or university. If I continue to put in the extra hours and work hard, like I have been doing, I know my dream of playing basketball in college will become my reality.