FIRTH, Idaho (KIFI) – Senior Michael Adams just finished his final state tournament run. When I caught up with him, he shared his mindset headed into the event.
“I tried not to think about like it being my last tournament too much,” said Adams. “But… the only thing I thought to myself, just have fun and enjoy the whole thing. No matter what…”
Michael and the Firth Cougars did not win the 3A state title; they ended up winning the third-place game versus Ambrose. Michael had an incredible senior season, being named the 3A Nuclear Conference Player of the Year, and 3A Nuclear Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
“I think it’s pretty cool honor, because not many people get to have a chance and get that pretty special,” the senior told me.
Michael’s head coach is also his father. Scott Adams also sat down with me, and he emphasized just how great of a basketball player Michael is.
“He’s definitely made the most threes of anyone who’s ever played at Firth so he’s a great three-point shooter,” coach Adams told me. “But I would say he’s just he’s coachable. He does everything I’ve asked him to do. He’ll step in and sacrifice his body and take charges. I think he took 30 of them this year…”
Michael, the lone senior on this year’s Firth basketball team, had a big leadership role to fill. The standout senior told me he thinks he’s a little bit of a vocal leader, and a little bit of a ‘lead by example’ type, best of both worlds.
Coach Adams reaffirmed this, calling back to an example of Michael being mentored early in his high school career.
“You know, a couple years ago I had Sam Park, Burton Park, grabbed Michael when he was young. You know, kind of did the same thing. So he would grab kids and be a good example to them.”
At the end of our interview, coach Adams shared with me that he would be retiring after 19 years of coaching. I asked him: What will you look back on the most?
“Just players. Players,” he said. “I mean… I’ve had some really good coaches that have you know, helped me build my program, but the players, you know, I think of all them and the memories that we’ve had, and, you know, always bring tears to my eyes…”
Congratulations to Scott Adams on a long, illustrious career, and congratulations to our Sermon Service & Electric Student-Athlete of the Week, Michael Adams of Firth High School.
If you know of an Athlete who had an outstanding performance, we want to hear from you! Send your ‘Athlete of the Week’ submissions via email to [email protected] for consideration.
