Coach, Daughter Savor Time Together on Court

Caylee Wright, right, of Springdale Har-Ber drives around Baiyinnah Taylor of Springdale High during Tuesday’s game at Wildcat Arena.
Caylee Wright, right, of Springdale Har-Ber drives around Baiyinnah Taylor of Springdale High during Tuesday’s game at Wildcat Arena.

— Mark Wright is a husband, father and occasional mediator, especially during basketball season.

That’s when his wife, Sandy, and his daughter, Caylee, take the court as head coach and starting guard, respectively, for Springdale Har-Ber.

PROFILE

Caylee Wright

SCHOOL: Springdale Har-Ber

CLASS: Senior

HEIGHT: 5-6

NOTABLE: Averages 8.5 points per game. ... Started her first game as a sophomore. ... Hopes to go on a mission trip in college. ... will likely attend Arkansas or Missouri State, where her boyfriend, Fayetteville center Tyler McCullough, will play next season.

We have a let’s not talk basketball at the table rule at home, but occasionally I have to get in the middle and do a little refereeing, he said. I understand that relationship because it’s like working for your dad.

They expect more out of you.

Despite an occasional spat, Sandy and Caylee agree their relationship as player and coach has been overwhelmingly positive. Sandy, whose son Cannon is a junior on the Har-Ber boys basketball team, began coaching Caylee when the guard was in the third grade.

Caylee is now a senior, and that player-coach relationship she’s had with her mother is about to end. Har-Ber (16-10, 7-4 7A/6A-West Conference) has three more regular-season games left to play, beginning tonight at Rogers Heritage (18-6, 8-3).

In the beginning it was hard for me being the daughter of the coach because I’d want to argue about things, Caylee said. But over the years, I think we’ve bonded because of that relationship. Looking at things from her point of view, I’ve learned to understand what it’s like to have to deal with kids.

Caylee’s natural tendency is in a support role, but she’s had to take on more responsibility lately because of injuries to key players. She responded with 19 points to lead short-handed Har-Ber to a 51-45 road victory at Van Buren last week.

She contributed six points Tuesday when Har-Ber beat rival Springdale High, 48-34.

Caylee doesn’t care if she scores and that’s to a fault because we’ve needed her, her mother said of Caylee, who averages 8.5 points per game. She still takes more pride in her passing than anything.

Caylee made three all-tournament teams before January, and she’s been steady throughout conference play. But she’s unsure on whether she’ll attempt to play somewhere on the college level or attend Arkansas or Missouri State as a student only.

Her primary goal is to do mission work and help underprivileged children in poor and developing countries.

I really want to go on at least two mission trips, especially to Africa, Caylee said. There’s a program at Missouri State where you can live in a house and your payments go to help pay for missions trips, so I’m leaning toward that.

I think it would be good to go somewhere and help people who don’t have anything.

Sandy is focused solely tonight on trying to defeat a Heritage team that beat the Lady Wildcats earlier this season. But she’ll likely be engulfed in emotion when Har-Ber returns home Tuesday to face Fayetteville on Senior Night.

That’s when Mark and Sandy will join Caylee and the families of five other seniors at midcourt for the players final appearance at Wildcat Arena.

I’m going to miss her, Sandy said with her voice cracking and tears welling in her eyes. Caylee’s turned into a nice player, but I can honestly say I’m more proud of her from what she’s done off the court.

She’s a very loving kid with a great heart, and I’m so proud to be her mother.

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