Paisley Binswanger leaving the ultimate blueprint at SHS on the court & in the classroom

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - This week’s ABC7 Athlete of the Week is Sarasota High School’s (SHS) Paisley Binswanger. She’s a senior and helps lead her team night in and night out by averaging a little more than 18 points per game.

She recently made history by becoming the Lady Sailors all-time leading scorer in program history. She leads the team in other major statistical categories too.

For her, it’s all about doing what it takes to win. As the regular season enters its final stretch, she’s focused on making sure the team finishes strong as the districts tournament approaches.

“I would definitely say that I’m a team player,” Binswanger said. “I think that like the stats, I owe a lot of it to my team too. I don’t really have ups and downs [on the court]. I try to remain like this during the game.”

For Binswanger, this journey has been full of ups and downs, and she’s preparing for the bittersweet conclusion to it. “It’s an emotional time,” Binswanger said. “For the past three years, I’ve had a next year. This year I don’t have a next year.”

When most people on the community think about Paisley, they envision her as the big time shot maker on the court. As much as she loves getting baskets, she loves the classroom too and maybe more than the hardwood. “I’ve gotten straight A’s since kindergarten,” Binswanger said. “That’s something I’ve been very proud of.”

Binswanger will play basketball on the next level at Samford University in Alabama, but she wants to use her skills to help her get an education and go into her dream career. “I’m really like 99 percent sure that I want to go into pharmacy,” Binswanger said.

No matter what she does, current teammates like Tegan Hoffman say that she knows the future is bright for Binswanger, and she is excited for her.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better teammate and a better friend to be on this journey with,” Hoffman said. “I’m super proud of her. She is the hardest working person I know.”

It’s not just her teammates that feel this way about her. Binswanger’s head coach, Sara Nuxol, at SHS says that this young lady is a special player, but an even more special person that she wishes she could have more than one of.

“I never have to worry about behavior. I never have to worry about her being on time. I never have to worry about her being a good person. If I could bottle up Paisley, I’d be in heaven.”

Although basketball is not apart of Paisley’s long term career plans, she wants to finish what she’s started here with the Lady Sailors with some hardware. “It’s about the seeds that I plant,” Binswanger said.

There are only a few games remaining for Binswanger and the Lady Sailors in the regular season, and we’ll keep you updated on how they play as the postseason approaches.