At Enid High School, Addison Yates brings versatility, confidence, and a commitment to growth to every competition. The junior contributes as a shooting guard and backup point guard for the basketball team while also serving as a utility defensive player in soccer.
Yates understands the work required to earn a role, especially after navigating a demanding freshman year in two varsity sports. She lettered in both basketball and soccer, an accomplishment that required her to adjust quickly to a higher level of competition while joining the soccer season late.
“I am very proud of my freshman year in sports. I lettered in both basketball and soccer, which was very challenging to do. As a freshman, you have to prove yourself at the new level, and coming into soccer late and missing a few games was very hard to overcome. I am proud of myself for pushing through, and I am very grateful to my JV coach, Patrick Little, for putting in a good word and getting our head coach to give me a shot on varsity. Being allowed to play at that competitive level as a freshman truly built my confidence and has made me the player I am today.”
Her faith is also central to the way Yates approaches her athletic career. She views sports as an opportunity to develop discipline, communicate with teammates, encourage others, and grow through both successes and setbacks.
“I am very firm in my Christian faith, and as I’ve gotten older, I realize more how much sports support my personal growth as a kingdom worker. Sports have taught me discipline, communication, the power of effort, and allowed me to serve others through encouragement. Sports have taught me humility and the power of words compared to actions. The more my faith grows, the better person I become, the more improvement I see on the field and court.”
Yates is motivated by the player and person she hopes to become, using her own high standards as fuel. She also credits teammate Kailor Haffner for providing support and helping keep her focused.
When basketball shots are not falling, Yates relies on a simple reminder: “Just keep shooting.” The advice reinforces the trust her teammates have in her preparation and ability.
She remains grateful to Little, whose encouragement and advocacy helped open the door to varsity soccer and strengthened the confidence she carries today.
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