MADISON- Growing up as a soccer player and occasionally picking up a basketball for a chance to shoot some hoops, Monica Maxwell didn’t think she was very good at her secondary sport, which she began playing at age 13. Now 20 years later, she has parlayed her talents in what she thought was her inferior talents to become the new head coach of the girls basketball program at James Clemens High.

“Once I got to high school I began to get better at basketball and finally chose that sport over soccer in my junior year,” said Maxwell.

The 33-year old knows the local layout of high school basketball. She was an assistant coach for the Lady Jets during the 2015 season and had a similar position at Hoover, Hazel Green and New Hope and at Schreiner University of Texas. She’s a graduate of nearby Sparkman High in 2005 where she was named a McDonald’s All-American nominee and played on back-to-back state championships for the Lady Senators in 2002 and 2003. She earned an athletic scholarship to Samford University where she played for four seasons. Upon leaving the college ranks with a degree in Sociology, Maxwell played professional basketball in Germany where her team won the league championship and she was awarded the honor as Most Valuable Player averaging 18.3 points and 6 rebounds per game.

Not all has been rose-colored for Maxwell. She added, “I had shoulder reconstruction while I was in high school, a second shoulder reconstruction surgery while in college and a third shoulder injury while in Germany. That last injury forced me into coaching and I’m glad it did.”

Upon leaving the professional ranks as a player, she turned her attention as director of basketball camps and was Camp Director for the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs before heading into coaching as a profession. At a recent Madison City Schools Board Meeting, she was named the new head coach of the Jets’ program replacing her good friend Capriee Tucker who took a new coaching position after three seasons as head coach at James Clemens.

“James Clemens is a great school and I jumped on the opportunity as I knew it was time for me to be a head coach,” said Maxwell. “I’m thankful and grateful for the chance to be a head coach, but I’m not surprised as I’m very confident in my skill set as a coach.”

Maxwell plans on being a coach and mentor as her years as a player she had similar experiences with her coaches. She knows the sport is more than just basketball as a majority of the time the players have will be centered around her. She is very vocal and energetic and expects her players to be a mirror of her actions.

“I want our team to present pressure and we will be run-and-gun, fast-paced and fun to watch,” said Maxwell. “I know once I get my players to buy in to my style of coaching all will be fine.”

Maxwell has two children of her own including two-year old Millie and Jeff, who is just one. When time allows, she loves to have fun with anything with water such as a pool, lake or beach as she’s a connoisseur of outdoor water activities, but she also loves to read and watch any basketball event either in person or on television.

“I thought I’d be playing basketball forever, but things changed and I’m happy to have my first head coaching job here at James Clemens,” added Maxwell.