Burnet’s Haley Fieseler to play basketball at Tarleton State
Burnet High School senior basketball player Haley Fieseler (center) signs her national letter of intent Nov. 9 with her parents, Lori and Joel Fieseler, by her side. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
JENNIFER FIERRO • STAFF WRITER
BURNET — Burnet High School senior basketball player Haley Fieseler signed her national letter of intent Nov. 9, the first day of the early signing period, to play at Tarleton State University.
Fieseler, a forward and center, said she signed with the Texanns “because (the campus) felt like home. I love the camaraderie.”
She signed after watching TSU lose 93-43 to the University of Texas at Austin on Nov. 6 in an exhibition game.
“It’s always been one of my dream schools,” she said. “(Burnet head coach David) Schubert had the contact. I realized I could accomplish my goal.”
The all-state player, who moved to Burnet from Mount Pleasant Chapel Hill over the summer, was the District 16-3A offensive player of the year last season.
She picked up a basketball in the third grade and was “awful, just awful,” she said with a laugh.
But what she likes best about the sport are the very qualities that make others hate it.
“I love to work hard, and I love to push myself to the limit,” she said. “I love the rhythm I found in basketball.”
Schubert said Fieseler came to him as an underclassmen and expressed a desire to play college basketball and asked him if she had the tools necessary to do it.
He said yes, but she would have to do exactly what he instructed. So she joined the cross-country squad to improve her conditioning, an Amateur Athletic Union team to face strong competition in the offseason, and picked up a basketball to work on her game every chance she had.
“She was one of those kids who dreamed big,” Schubert said. “As a freshman, she was an uncoordinated kid. A lot of kids have aspirations but won’t do what it takes.”
Fieseler credits Schubert for helping her develop her game, both on the court and off.
“I developed mental toughness, a great shooter, a great leader,” she said. “I proved myself and helped myself along the way. I can’t thank him enough.”
The daughter of Joel and Lori Fieseler plans to major in physical therapy to work with rodeo athletes.
“We’re a rodeo family to begin with,” she said. “I’m the only one to step out and do sports.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com