NEWARK ― Kylie Gibson barged onto Newark Catholic's storied athletic scene with a bang and never let up for four years.
Even with having to wear a cumbersome knee brace for part of it.
Batting in the first inning of NC's first-ever softball state tournament appearance, Gibson, then a freshman, and teammate Kilee Banjoff slammed back-to-back home runs.
It was a sign of things to come. Despite tearing an ACL that summer, Gibson continued to pack quite a punch into her small but athletic frame, driving the Green Wave to continued success in volleyball in the fall, basketball in the winter and softball in the spring.
Finally free of the brace as a senior, she flourished. Gibson led NC to a record 24 consecutive wins and a district title in basketball as a first-team Division IV All-Ohio guard, to a district championship in volleyball as a stellar setter and to the Licking County League-Cardinal Division crown in softball as a star leadoff hitter and center fielder.
Gibson is The Advocate Female Athlete of the Year.
NC girls basketball coach Rob Smith, who also coached Gibson for some of the time in softball, said that despite all of her accomplishments, her humble nature stood out more than anything.
"She's just a special kid," he said. "You walk into the gym, and just looking at her, you wouldn't know she was the best girls athlete in the school, or maybe the county. She's not just the best athlete. It's the best attitude and best teammate. It's never me, me, me. It's we, we, we.
"She never questioned calls with officials, never argued with coaches or teammates. It's all about that next play mentality and what's best for the team. You dream about coaching athletes like this. She was everybody's friend, on every team."
Said Gibson: "You have to stay humble, because you're just a part of the team. I love to play, and I respect my teammates."
The unselfishness was never more apparent than when she suffered the knee injury yet continued to play sophomore volleyball and basketball before finally getting surgery and missing softball. But Gibson was back on the volleyball court as a junior.
"It (the brace) was weird to get used to, but I was doing it for my team, and just went out and played," she said. "I played with it for a year, and it definitely shaped me into who I was, as a person and athlete."
Gibson was a key part of a Division IV volleyball state semifinalist as a junior without being at full strength.
"She was coming off the ACL surgery, and she was a little more limited," coach Brenden Pence said. "Her senior year, we got a great feel for the full Kylie, in mind and body. Offense, defense, leadership and spreading the court for her teammates. She leads by example."
Gibson had 415 volleyball assists as a senior, when the Green Wave went 22-5 and moved up to Division III, losing in the regional semifinals to Cincinnati McNicholas.
Then in basketball, NC was undefeated before falling in the Division IV regional semifinals to eventual state runner-up Waterford. Along the way, the Green Wave beat both Waterford and Division II district champion Granville, with a healthy Gibson averaging 15 points, 4.5 steals, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, shooting 75% at the line and 37% on 3-pointers. She set a single-season record with 93 3s, became the school's all-time leader in 3s, and her 1,224 points rank sixth on the all-time NC list.
"Basketball was my favorite," Gibson said. "It was a lot of fun, especially this year. We had a great time, and Rob (Smith) made it that much more fun. But he knew he had to keep us all engaged."
Smith wondered how many points she would have scored if healthy for all four seasons. But her senior year showed what she was capable of.
"Just the way she stretched the floor, with her defense, shooting, everything," he said. "She was so limited with the knee and the brace, and without them, it changed her whole game."
Gibson was truly all about team first. Two instances confirm it.
"She was closing in on her 1,000th assist, so we moved her up to help her get it," Pence said. "But she was uneasy with it. She was worried it would mess up our rotation."
In the showdown of unbeaten state-ranked girls basketball teams with visiting Granville, Smith and the team knew Gibson could score her 1,000th point. And she did. But she insisted that it not be acknowledged until afterward because it would be a distraction to the team and the game.
She capped off her NC career in style with softball, batting .478 with seven home runs, 41 runs and 27 RBIs, helping the Green Wave win their first conference title in 18 years while being named LCL-Cardinal Player of the Year.
"She probably has the quickest hands I've seen, and if you hit a ball anywhere near her in the outfield, it was an out," Smith said. "And pound for pound, she's one of the strongest kids you'll see."
Gibson transferred to NC from Heath as a freshman.
"I was welcomed in right away, and we had this connection from the start," she said. "Connection is very important, on and off the court, and my teammates and I all connected very well. I loved the atmosphere at Newark Catholic, looking up in the stands and seeing people going crazy. And they traveled very well. "
She will attend Bowling Green and will play intramural sports to stoke her competitive fire.
"This is really the first summer I've had off, but I didn't mind it before," Gibson said. "I loved being busy."
She's working at Buckeye Lake Winery.
Her injury turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as she'll major in physical therapy and continue to help athletes.
"After that injury, I saw everything that was involved, and knew that's what I wanted to do," Gibson said. "I'll always be around, and looking forward to seeing everyone else shine here."
dweidig@gannett.com
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Past Winners
- 2023 Allie Dunlap, Heath
- 2022 Gwen Stare, Newark
- 2021 Jenna Lucas, Watkins Memorial
- 2020 Emily Londot, Utica
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: NC's humble three-sport star Kylie Gibson was the ultimate teammate
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