Basketball didn’t suddenly enter Jordyn Hamilton’s life. It grew alongside her. Hamilton first stepped onto the court in kindergarten when her dad put her into the sport.

“My dad and my older brother inspired me,” Hamilton said. “I went to watch all my brother’s games, and he scored a lot, and he looked really cool.”

By first grade at Midland Christian, Hamilton began working through ball-handling drills that tested her focus and resilience early.

“When we were doing ball handling with Coach Fox, he was playing defense against us, and my dad was under the basket trying to block our shots,” she said. “It was hard and pushed us past our limits at a young age.”

Now a junior on the Midland Christian Lady Mustangs varsity team, Hamilton carries that foundation into a demanding, year-round schedule. She practices basketball from 3–5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, plays games on Fridays and Saturdays, attends open gym on Sundays, and fits club volleyball practices and weekend tournaments into the rest of her week.

Despite the grind, Hamilton finds purpose in the habits that bring the team together. One of her favorite moments comes at the end of practice.

“When we break it out, we have to give everyone a hug and tell them good job in practice,” she said. “Hugging it out.”

That emphasis on connection shows up in how Hamilton prepares mentally for games. Before tipoff, she reviews scouting reports, dances with teammates, then narrows her focus. She writes two words she wants to emphasize and draws a small cross on her wrist to center herself, what she calls her “reset button.” During games, she physically taps it after mistakes to regain focus.

“When I make mistakes or get in my head, it’s a physical representation of resetting my brain to start fresh,” she said.

That habit grew out of one of the biggest challenges she has faced as a player: maintaining confidence.  Hamilton points directly to the fact that she roots her identity in something bigger than herself.

“Definitely keeping confidence up and feeling worth within basketball,” she said. “The way I keep it up is by hitting my reset button and knowing that my worth is in something bigger than just my athletic ability.”

This year, Hamilton says she has developed mental resilience that carries beyond the court.

“It’s definitely given me a lot of mental strength,” she said. “Knowing that hard things are only temporary, and you’ll never regret putting in the work because it always pays off in the end.”

This basketball season, Hamilton has intentionally pushed herself to expand her game, taking on new responsibilities offensively.

“To expand outside of my box, like scoring and playing on the outside perimeter more,” she said of her goals for herself.

That same growth mindset shapes how she approaches leadership. Hamilton doesn’t often raise her voice, but she commands attention through presence and consistency.

“I must be constant for the team mentally and physically,” she said. “It’s pressure, but good pressure. I play multiple sports, so I have a lot of mental training, so it doesn’t bother me as much.”

Her teammates take notice, responding when she speaks and following when she moves. Junior Bailey Griffith describes Hamilton as “a beast on the court with a kind heart toward her teammates.” Senior Addi Tatsch points to her effort and example.

“She leads by her actions and not her words,” Tatsch said. “She gets major offensive boards and put-backs. A constant encourager.”

Hamilton also credits moments away from competition for strengthening team chemistry. At the Caprock Tournament in Lubbock, the team spent time writing and sharing personal letters.

“We had to write a personal letter to someone on the team and read them out loud to each other,” she said. “It made us closer as a team, and it was a great time to be vulnerable to each other and grow closer.”

That unity surfaced again during a key win over Grace Prep, when both teams entered the matchup undefeated.

“It was just a grind,” Hamilton said. “Everyone contributed in some way, whether that was cheering on the bench, scoring, or playing good defense. At the end of the game, we all wanted the same goal and were united.”

For Hamilton, moments like that reinforce a core belief about the sport.

“Having a family in basketball is better than a bunch of individuals,” she said. “We’ve played a lot of teams with skilled players, but the team cohesion is not there, and they’ve lost games.”

As she looks ahead, Hamilton hopes she’s remembered for more than points or production.

“To love others to the best of your ability and that the grind always pays off,” she said.

When pressure and doubt creep in, she returns to the same foundation that continues to ground her.

“Remember that your self-worth is not in anything of this world,” Hamilton said. “It comes from what God says about His children. Also love what you do and who you do it with.”