Winter Haven's Francisco Excels On and Off Court

If her players broke rules, got in trouble or didn't keep their grades up, former Winter Haven High girls basketball coach LeDawn Gibson would make them do extra running in practice.

On occasion, Kiara Francisco had to do that extra running. Her crime? She got a B on a test.

"That was crazy," she said. "It was just for me. Everyone else, it was for D's and F's. I guess she knew what I was capable of, and she always pushed you to do your best. But I love her for that."

Francisco rarely did that extra running for one simple reason: She rarely got a B on a test. One of the top girls basketball players in the state, she also graduated with a 4.36 GPA and is The Ledger's Girls Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Francisco has excelled in both athletics and academics throughout her high school career. She was on varsity for four years, a reserve as a freshman on the 2005 team that won the state title, then started the following three years, winning another state title in 2007 and playing for a state title all four years.

In class, Francisco had just three B's in high school and never scored below a B - ever, in high school, middle school or elementary school.

Francisco has high goals. She likes working with children and wants to be a doctor, specifically a pediatrician. She is attending college at James Madison, having left earlier this month to take summer classes.

After originally signing with Memphis last fall, she changed her mind after the Memphis coaching staff was fired following the season, and James Madison offered her a scholarship.

"They saw me play and liked my style, and I took a visit and I loved it," Francisco said.

It was a challenge for Francisco to keep her grades high as she balanced basketball and academics.

"It's harder during the basketball season with all the practices," said Francisco, whose favorite classes are math and science. "Just having the energy to go home and do homework."

Because the girls team often took the later practice in the gym, Francisco had the opportunity on practice days to get some homework done during study hall. But anything she didn't get done would have to get finished when she got home after practice.

It wasn't that bad, she admitted, as she often got a head start during class and finished during study hall. She also, at least this year, arranged her schedule so her hardest classes were at the end of the year. She took three AP classes this school year in the second semester.

Francisco won't be in class all summer. After the first summer semester, she'll be back in Florida for a few weeks before returning to school in August, getting one last break before the basketball and academics balancing act starts again.