Mackenzie Rogers knows all about the importance of being a good teammate.
She does it for her high school, she does it for her AAU basketball team and any other squad she joins.
That’s something she learned at home.
It starts with her parents, and has filtered down to her and her siblings.
Katie, 26, played basketball and soccer at Ryan and now works for the Archdiocese. Bernard, a basketball player, is now coaching at Eastern University. Ryan, 22, played basketball and soccer and now is a teacher. Jay, 20, ran cross country and track and is now at Holy Family.
Those are the older siblings who have helped her. Jackson, 11, plays basketball and soccer, and is following in his older siblings’ footsteps.
And those are some of the reasons she’s such a good teammate.
“We’re all really close and help each other,” said Rogers, a senior centerback on the Archbishop Ryan High School soccer team who doubles as the point guard on the Ragdolls basketball team. “I think Ryan helps me the most. I don’t help my older siblings because they’re done. Jackson is the only one who is still playing. I hope I can help him like Ryan helps me.
“I also get a lot from my dad. He played basketball and coaches (at Haverford School). I’m not sure, but I think he played defense, too. He means a lot to what I do, he coached me since I was in first grade in basketball, so he knows what I can do. And in soccer, he’s always helped. My mom, she played field hockey in New Jersey, but she’s a good athlete, too. They all help me.”
Rogers has used what she’s learned to do the same for every team she’s on. And she knows how important it is to have those types of players on the team.
“I think the best part about playing for the teams I’ve played for is we’ve always had a good senior who was willing to help the underclassmen,” said Rogers, who lives in Somerton. “My role, I think, I am someone everyone can count on and I can do whatever the team needs me to do. I try to be a good leader. We have a lot of seniors, so I think we all do well in leading the team and helping the underclassmen.
“I was lucky to be around good leaders. They taught me a lot. I like to think I can do that for our younger players. There are some really good ones.”
Now Rogers is hoping to be the leader the Ragdolls need to take a step up the Catholic League standings.
If anyone can do it, it’s her.
Last year she was the quarterback of the basketball team, running point for a team that went from the bottom of the division to a fifth-place finish, which is remarkable jump when you’re playing in the Catholic League.
“It was good because I felt like we had no pressure,” Rogers said. “We just wanted to surprise the other teams. Coming in, nobody knew what we were going to be like. I think a lot of people didn’t expect us to be so good, but we had really good young players.”
The soccer team struggled last year, but the team lost only one senior from last year’s squad, and Rogers believes this year’s team has a lot of talent.
She also believes a turnaround is possible.
“We worked really hard, we only had one senior leave so we have the same team and a lot of upperclassmen,” said Rogers, who is part of the National Honor Society. “I’m hoping good, we have a good group and everyone has been working hard but we’re trying to figure a lot of things out.
“I care about the team and everyone on it. I think it’s something I grew into. I also always loved having a nice team. I feel like it made it easier for everyone to get along and closer to each other. Everyone looks up to seniors so we have to set the tone.”
This is an important soccer season for Rogers because it will be her last.
Even though she’s one of the most talented center backs in the area, after this year she’ll hang up her cleats and focus on basketball.
It wasn’t a difficult decision because of her basketball pedigree, but she will be finishing up a sport she’s played her entire life.
This season is a big one.
“It wasn’t a hard decision,” Rogers said. “I think I’m a good soccer player, but I do it more for fun. I’m serious about it. Anytime I play a sport I take it seriously and work very hard, but I’m going to play college basketball.
“It makes it more fun. It’s an important one. I’ve been playing since I was in first grade. I was always a defender. I love soccer, so I want to have the best season we can.” ••
