As a junior, Haskell’s Riley Westmoreland has already accomplished more as an athlete than a lot of high school players do in their entire career. And she’s done it all while overcoming a childhood trauma that might stop a lot of people.

“She’s just a tremendous athlete,” said her basketball coach Kyle Ward. “I think she could be as good at basketball as she is in softball and could play either at the next level. She and her brother got burned when she was little in a freak accident, and she got burned on her arms and legs. She’s had to undergo a lot of treatments since then but that hasn’t ever stopped her athletically.”

In basketball Riley, at 6-0, plays the post where she averaged eight points and nine rebounds a game last year and was the team’s best defensive player according to Ward. This past fall in fast pitch, Riley hit .500 and helped her Haymaker team advance to the state semifinals. She’s already had several college offers including Eastern State for softball and she says that while she enjoys both sports, she probably favors softball a little more.

“I really like whichever sport is in season but probably like softball a little more because I’m better at it.”

As to the trauma of dealing with the fire accident, Riley feels there was a plus side to all of it. 

“I don’t remember much about the fire because I was only 5 or 6 at the time but I think going through all the treatments just made me tough mentally,” said Riley who is also in National Honor Society, FCA and student council.

Growing up in basketball she looked up to former Haymaker Sydney Roberts as a role model as well as her older brother Brannon who also played. Coach Ward says they’re working on getting Riley the ball more this year in the middle because of her athletic ability while Riley has a couple of goals in mind for the upcoming roundball season.

“I want to be the top rebounder on the team, and I should be with my height, and I’d also like to average a double-double this year.”