There is a lot of work that is required to be a successful athlete. Along with the mental and physical preparation, you also have to be willing to do the extra work. Allen Jones says that having something to motivate you is also important.
“It takes putting in the practice on your own time,” he said about what it takes to be successful. “What motivates me the most is that I don’t want to let my teammates down.”
Allen is a senior at Frontier High School, where he plays basketball and also competes in the high jump on the track team.
The teammates that he competes alongside and practices with have also helped Jones become a better player. When asked who he prefers to practice against, he had a tough time deciding.
“I can’t choose between Terrence Hall or Christian Plumley,” he said. “Terrence is someone who really loves the game and wants to win every drill and Christian works hard and does the little things right. I’ve definitely learned a lot by practicing with them. The least appreciated player on our team is probably Haidyn Plumley. He would come off the bench and could spark some threes for us.”
During his career, Allen has had a lot of experiences and made a lot of memories while competing. But out of all of them, he has a couple that stand out.
“I think the highlight of my career would have to be making it to state,” he said. “When it comes to opponents, my favorite one to beat would be Glencoe. That is because of Clark Pepper. He and I grew up with each other and always played one-on-one. And he is super competitive.”
There are people that have had an impact on Jones’ life, both as an athlete and as a person.
“One person I look up to as a role model is Kobe Bryant,” he said. “He had a great mentality for the game. In the classroom, that would be Mr. Gottfried because he made learning fun for me.”
Being able to wear the Frontier Mustang uniform is something that Allen is proud to do.
“It means a lot to me,” he said. “Everyone in the Frontier community has been incredibly supportive, and I am grateful for them.”
