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Last year, there were no Harpers on the hardwood at Callaway. This year, two generations of Harpers shared the court for the Callaway Middle School girls basketball team. Marshon, a legendary championship-winning boys basketball coach at Valley High School in Alabama, is now an assistant coach with the Cavaliers and his daughter, Mckenzi, is a sixth grader who enjoyed her first year with the team.

“He definitely yells at me a lot at times, but that is just because he wants me to be a better person and a better basketball player,” Mckenzi said. “He’s definitely harder on me than the other girls.” 

Mckenzi does not just get it done on the court, she is an exemplary student and cheerleader. She balanced being a part of the competitive cheer, spirit cheer and basketball teams while maintaining a spot on the honor roll.

“It’s a lot, but you just have to focus in and not try to do too much at one time,” Mckenzi said. 

Mckenzi is a cheerleader by trade but comes from a deep basketball background. This was her first year back on the court since her youth as she spent the last few years focused on cheer. 

“I’ve been doing cheer since I was three and I love it,” Mckenzi said. “This year was the first time I did competitive cheer. It was tough and it takes a lot of practice to learn the moves.”

Marshon is a legend at Valley High School, just across the border in Alabama. A graduate of Valley in 1992, Marshon returned to the school after playing safety at the University of West Alabama. He served as both head and assistant football coach as well as the head coach of the 2022-23 basketball team that won its first state title in program history, going a perfect 33-0 in the process. 

It was difficult to say goodbye, but Marshon was ready to turn the page on that chapter of his life and enter into a new one.

“It was tough,” Marshon said. “I knew I was ready to move on and originally I was going to take the boys coaching job (at Callaway Middle), but it got filled up and getting the chance to coach my daughter was too good to pass up.”

Marshon is no stranger to coaching his children. Marshon’s youngest son, Jay was a standout for his father as part of the Valley football and basketball teams and is now a member of the Wisconsin football program.

“To be able to coach my son and now my daughter really is a dream come true,” Marshon said. “It has been fun helping her figure out middle school and hopefully help develop her as a ball player.” 

Going from coaching his high-school-aged son to his middle-school-aged daughter has certainly presented some challenges as a coach.

“I’ve had to amp it down a little bit,” Marshon said, laughing. “[Mckenzi] came up to and was like ‘Hey these aren’t high school boys and you can’t ride them like you do at Valley High.’ So I’ve amped down a little bit and I’ve been more positive and just try to teach the girls more about basketball.

“It has been a learning experience for me and I’ve been enjoying it a lot. We have a bunch of really talented girls on the team.”

Being coached by your dad who is used to barking commands to young men also brings its fair share of challenges.

“First day of practice he was yelling and loud,” Mckenzi said. “I was also nervous because it was my first day with the team.”

As just a sixth grader, Mckenzi was nervous she would not make the team. There was no special or preferential treatment. Mckenzi had to earn her spot on the roster like the rest of the team. 

What makes this reunion of sorts even more special is the fact that it’s a true family affair. Jameka Harper, Marshon’s wife and Mckenzi’s mother, is a teacher at Callaway Elementary School and if her role in the stands is any indicator, she is practically an assistant coach as well.

“No matter what kind of game it is, she is going to be there and be supportive,” Mckenzi said. “Sometimes after the game, we will talk through it with my mom.”

You can catch the Harpers in action firsthand next Thursday when the Cavaliers host Harris County in the playoffs.