Most high school athletes dream of being the star player on their team, but senior Kaitlyn Maas has something else in mind for her athletic career. Maas left behind her basketball vocation to begin coaching the D99 Hoops team. After making the varsity team as a sophomore, Maas discovered a new passion for aiding the Special Needs department, which ultimately put her on a new path to coaching.

“I felt like it was just becoming too much because it was just a lot of pressure,” Maas said after being asked why she gave up on her previous basketball aspirations. Maas has always loved the sport itself, but not playing competitively, so coaching was the next best option.

“I still liked the sport so I wanted to do something with it…one girl I worked with did it…I was like ‘okay, that’s cool. I have some good knowledge of basketball,¨Mass said.

Maas originally started helping out during gym periods, which were her forte since she played basketball and later moved into the classroom which further increased her enthusiasm for aiding. “I really like the students that I work with [and] also the other student coaches too, [because] everyone’s so nice and welcoming,” Maas said.

She enjoys her time with the kids because she loves seeing their smiles as they do something they’re really passionate about.

“I thought the kids were really fun to be around because they usually were never negative. There was never a dull moment… It’s just a fun environment to be around,” Maas said, as her smile grew even brighter.

Being involved in other school activities like NHS, Blue Crew, JKB and Superfans; Maas said that “nothing compares” to working with the special needs kids.

In the future, Maas would like to continue working with the disabled. She’d like to pursue nursing or occupational therapy so she can stay close to what stays true to her heart.