Two LDS Seniors and their Coach Honored for 3A Basketball Success


By: Cecily Markland


Named Arizona 3A All-Americans in basketball, LDS players, Brett Haws (l) and Duskin Donaldson (r) say their coach, Chris Matthews (c), who was named 3A Coach of the Year, helped their Round Valley High School team gel and develop the discipline necessary to make it all the way to the state title game this year. Photo by Marcae Matthews




When he was three years old and lost his foot in a lawnmower accident, no one could envision just how far Brett Haws would go in spite of it.

Having to wear a prosthetic foot and suffering the painful blistering and calluses that go along with that, hasn't interfered with Brett's success in sports. Nor has it soured his attitude and outlook on life.

"It's never held me back from anything," says Brett, 19, who was credited with giving his Round Valley High School basketball team the "inside presence" and "outright dominance" that "propelled them all the way to the state title game this past season."

Praised for his tenacity, leadership and dedication, Brett was recently named First Team Arizona All-American in basketball and was honored at the Dairy Council of Arizona's 2009-10 Winter All American Banquet with the "Overcoming Adversity Award."

Also an All-American in football, Brett ran track, participated in his high school's show choir and is an Eagle Scout and avid community volunteer.

"I try to go out and help people, and not just stay home and watch TV."

Brett, of the Eagar Fourth Ward, Eagar Stake, will spend the next few months recovering from his recent shoulder surgery before leaving in October to serve a mission in Tallahassee, Florida. Following that, he plans to play football at Northern Arizona University, become certified to work with special needs children, and eventually go to med school.

He says his testimony of the gospel was solidified when he went to General Conference last year.

"I've always had a testimony, but when I walked into the Conference Center ... the feeling was unbelievable ...then when the prophet walked in and everybody stood up, I just cried my eyes out.

Brett will be first to admit that his success on the basketball court was not achieved singlehandedly. He says he owes much to his family and their support and says he couldn't have done it without other members of the team, including fellow First Team All-American Duskin Donaldson.

While excelling in basketball, Duskin also amassed excellent academic scores, with a 4.0 GPA and an ACT composite score of 26. A member of the Amity Ward in the Eagar Stake and an Eagle Scout, Duskin played in the high school band, was in student council, National Honor Society and Students Against Drunk Drivers (SADD). Duskin plans to complete a semester at Arizona State University before serving a mission.

Point guard for the Round Valley Team, Duskin Donaldson says he and Brett were the "leaders of the team. If we didn't play good, the team didn't play good. When we played with a lot of intensity, the rest of the team would do that too."

As important as their individual roles were, the key was the cohesiveness and discipline of the entire team. Duskin says under the tutelage of Coach Chris Matthews they learned to gel as a team.

Brett agrees, saying, "Coach Matthews gave us a big boost when he came in this year. He helped us learn discipline and we became really tight as a team."

After 11 years of coaching girls, Coach Matthews coached the Round Valley boys team for the first time in 2009-2010.

Coach Matthews, a member of Eagar Third Ward, Eagar Stake, was named Arizona's 3A Coach of the Year.

He says his team was unique. "This team was perhaps not the most talented, but they had good chemistry and they knew how to make things work."

"They played well under pressure," he added/ "The kids really stepped up."

Duskin believes another thing helped their team this year.

"We prayed before every game this year," he says. "I think the Lord blessed us to be healthier as a team and it was just a good atmosphere. Our team had an uplifting, positive attitude and a big part of that was because of the LDS kids on the team."