28 Jan 2015 Anna Lawrence 'the floor general'
by Levi Gilbert
Anna Lawrence’s high school basketball career is quickly coming to an end, and the conclusion will be bittersweet for many reasons. The end will also close a chapter between Anna and her father, Brooks Lawrence, who is also her coach.
“My dad coached my older brothers, and I went to all their games,” Anna said. “I liked it so much that I started playing. I really got the hang of it. My dad worked with me, and I just liked it a lot.”
Anna has two older brothers and a younger sister. Basketball has just always been a common bond in the Lawrence family. Anna is a senior guard for the Faulkner County Falcons — one of several teams in the Arkansas Christian Homeschool league.
Anna was selected to this year’s 501 Basketball Team — 24 players representing the best the 501 has to offer both on and off the court. Harris was nominated by her father.
“Anna has great basketball instincts,” Brooks said. “She knows when to drive, shoot from outside, how to move without the ball and has great defensive anticipation. She’s very humble and unassuming and is consistently kind and encouraging to those around her.
“I expect Anna to continue to improve her game, and regardless of stats, she will lead the team as our go-to player. Most importantly, Anna conducts herself in a Christ-like manner and is a great role model to her peers. She is unselfish and is a great leader on and off the court.”
Anna has been homeschooled her whole life and has played in the Arkansas Christian Homeschool league her whole basketball career.
Anna was the Falcons’ leading scorer a year ago and earned all-state honors and a spot on the all-region team at the national tournament.
“Anna is our floor general,” Brooks said. “The team has a different calmness when she’s in the game.”
Sometimes this calmness takes extreme focus to maintain.
“On the court, I can get frustrated — it’s mostly at the refs.” Anna said. “I just have to breathe through it. My dad has to calm me down. He sits me on the bench and says, ‘Breathe.’”
As she prepares for the end of the season and the end of this unique father-daughter/coach-player relationship, Anna and the Falcons have big goals.
“Two years ago at the national tournament, we won the championship in our classification,” Anna said. “We played teams from Iowa and Indiana. Our goal this year is to win state. If you win state, you get a higher seeding in the national tournament.
“Mainly, I just want to have fun and do the best I can.”
