Beckley girls basketball standout Josie Cross is a throwback player that can dominate a game inside the paint.
A double-double threat every time she steps on the court, it was never a question of if she would play at the next level, but only where.
Monday afternoon, that question was officially answered.
With family, coaches, teammates and friends in attendance, Cross signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball next year at Frostburg State University in Maryland.
“This means so much. I have been working so hard for this my whole life and to actually have this moment means a lot,” Cross said. “When I went on my visit up there, it just felt right. It felt like home. I knew I didn’t want to go real far away from home, so it was the right amount of distance.”
Cross has been a stalwart for the Flying Eagles from the moment she first put on the Beckley uniform.
“She is a special talent that embodies everything that we want to be in regards to our basketball program. God is first and foremost in her life and she recognizes that,” Beckley head coach Brian Nabors said. “Just a magnificent individual. We can talk all day about her basketball abilities, but she a 10-times better person.”
Talent can only take you so far. Cross moved to the top of the heap and became a solid college prospect thanks to a relentless work ethic.
“She has put the work in all four years. You can also see how she has grown physically and mentally. She is a totally different player now than what she has been,” Nabors said. “Last year she was in a position where she had to lead the team as a junior, but that has paid some dividends.”
“I continually go through and watch myself play to pick out things I need to work on to be the best that I can be,” Cross said. “Everyday I am working and I talk to other people to see what I need to work on to get better.”
Mental toughness has been one of her strongest attributes. Life in the paint can get physical and push emotions to the extreme. Cross has always found a way to be calm in the heat of battle.
“I just always have considered myself a calm player. Watching my sister play, she was always calm,” Cross said. “Instead of focusing on myself and getting too emotional, I encourage my teammates and help them stay calm during the game.”
While he hopes that his senior standout can help lead his team back to the state tournament this year, Nabors is convinced she will be a success at the next level in the years to come.
“She is a really focused kid. I know she will be successful in college because of her work ethic. She is a great student with a 4.5 G.P.A. She works hard and has worked on every aspect of the game,” Nabors said. “She played in the post for us her first two years. Through that whole time we worked to develop her to play on the wing and she has been able to do that as well.”
