01/04/2026
We couldn’t be more proud of Kenzie. 👏 Having a front-row seat to her comeback has been incredibly inspiring! Her work ethic, resilience, and heart are second to none. What a remarkable young lady! 🏀
St. Joseph Catholic School
MADISON ST. JOSEPH GUARD KENZIE WARD RECOVERS FROM BACK TO BACK ACL INJURIES, AVERAGES ALMOST 20 POINTS PER GAME IN HER SENIOR SEASON
St. Joseph Catholic School
Capital Ortho
Community Bank
Performance Therapy MS
Photo by Brad Bridges
Story by Robert Wilson
Madison St. Joseph guard Kenzie Ward is having an outstanding senior season, averaging almost 20 points per game and leading her girls basketball team to a 17-5 record, the best start in many years at the Madison County Catholic school.
But there is so much more to this story.
Ward has not only fought her way back from one ACL knee injury and surgery, but two of them in consecutive seasons.
Ward missed her entire sophomore and junior seasons at St. Joe. While her teammates were practicing and playing games, Ward was going to physical therapy, doing follow up visits with doctors, and recovering from surgery during a grueling nine-month rehab period.
Twice.
But Ward has impressive traits of dedication, passion, persistence, drive and perseverance and didn’t miss a game or practice unless she was going to the doctor or physical therapy.
“We all face adversity in life, we have to try to find a way to use it to make us better,” said St. Joe girls basketball coach Tommy Groves, who is in sixth year at St. Joe, and has been coaching for 45 years in various sports at Forest Hill, Hillcrest Christian and St. Joe. “Kenzie has a passion for basketball, She never missed a practice unless she was at therapy. Kenzie stayed part of the team. She used that time to see the game from a different perspective. She wants to understand the breakdown of the game. Why and what makes things work. At games, Kenzie would keep stats and made suggestions to teammates.
“Once she was finally released, she worked at our workouts and averaged about four extra workouts each week. I’ve opened the gym for Kenzie countless times for her to get workouts by herself. I made a point to never suggest the extra workouts because I wanted it to be something she was wanting to do. Kenzie is a special young lady with a burning desire to continue to improve.”
“I’ve known Kenzie since she was probably in the sixth grade and have seen her develop over the years,” St. Joe athletic director and boys basketball coach Michael Howell said. “Her natural athletic ability and work ethic has always been there. I’ve seen how hard Kenzie has worked and what she has gone through with the two ACL injuries. I think any other kid, girl or boy, would have quit. But she doesn’t know what that word is. I knew Kenzie would come back better than ever, not because of her talent but because of her work ethic. Not only has she came back but she is thriving, averaging almost 20 points per game every night while also guarding the other team’s best player. To do that is phenomenal, but it you ask her, she knows she can do more. That’s just who she is. She inspires not only her teammates but everyone around her.”
As difficult as it might be for most people, Kenzie has been able to keep an incredibly positive attitude throughout her injury battles,” St. Joe assistant girls coach Todd Yates said. “She attended every game during her time away and was always very vocal in supporting her teammates on the bench, even coaching them up during timeouts. She has an uncanny ability to see the game in a way that most high school players don't see it. The game just slows down for her. As hard it was for her to just watch, I also think that time was beneficial from the standpoint of seeing how the game unfolds and understanding what needs to be done to be successful.
“As Kenzie’s senior season has unfolded, she has realized that she needs to be more aggressive, not only creating more shots by getting to the basket but creating opportunities for her teammates. She also is one of our best defensive players and always has a tough assignment on that end. As hard as it is to be relied on so much on both ends of the floor, her hard work every day in practice and on her own make us as coaches feel very comfortable giving her that responsibility.”
The 5-foot-8 Ward is averaging 18.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.5 steals and shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 74.1 percent from the free throw line, including making 17 in a row, and has led St. Joe to 17-5 record, a huge turnaround from last year’s 10-22 season, one of the biggest improvements in Mississippi this season. Pretty impressive stats for Ward, especially not having played since her freshman season three years ago.
The four MAIS losses - the other loss was to MHSAA Class 4A Louisville - has come to four of the best teams in the state (defending Overall Tournament champion Parklane Academy, Class 4A state championship contenders East Rankin Academy and Simpson Academy and Class 3A favorite Leake Academy).
There were flashes of Ward’s talent in the first game of the season against Tri-County Academy when she had 18 points (5 of 6 from the field, 1 of 1 from 3-point range and 7 of 10 from the free throw line), 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals in a 44-32 victory in the Canton Academy tournament. She still had that quick first step, high basketball IQ to find the open man with passes, solid defensive pressure, and outstanding form on her shot. The rust from missing two seasons was there, but gradually it has come off.
Ward had a career high of 33 points, 20 points in the second half, in a win over Bayou Academy Dec. 12, 32 points in a wins over Heritage Academy Dec. 8 and 28 points in a win over Calhoun Academy and she continues to get better as the season goes along. She also season highs of six steals against Hillcrest Christian and six assists against Tri-County and Hillcrest.
“You’ve got to remember that it is like she is a sophomore playing because she missed those two seasons,” Groves said. “But she is much, much better since that first game against Tri-County. Each week I’ve seen her regain some of her explosiveness. Her mom (Kim Ward) and her aunt (Ann Ward) who both played for me at Forest Hill, have given her good advice about moving forward and finding ways to use her time injured as a way to work on the mental side of the game.”
“When I found out that I had torn my ACL, I thought I had mentally prepared myself to hear the worst,” Ward said. “I wasn’t. The first thing I asked the doctor was can I still play on it? The moment he said I couldn’t, I immediately thought of how my teammates would need me for the upcoming season and what it would be like to not play because I had never sat out a season before. Dealing with the news was tough but my aunt once told me that ‘it was ok to push pause and be noticeably sad and down but only 24 hours, then you have to get back in the game,’ so after I had processed it the next step was focusing on my recovery and how to get as soon as possible to the game I love.
“Personally, this was the most traumatic thing that had happened to me. As for my family, I was raised that there’s always going to be adversity, the thing is would I let it stop me from doing what I want or would I overcome it and be stronger at the end of it all. I’m personally a very faithful person, so just knowing that God always has a plan for me really helped me lean onto my faith and my loved ones and helped me get through it. Coach Groves and I talked a lot throughout my injury and once again the main focus was just trusting in God’s will. Everything happens for a reason and not only would I become a better player, but my team would also have so many gains as well.”
After surgery and then nine months of physical therapy, Ward was back playing again but then she suffered a torn ACL on her other knee while playing AAU.
“My emotions on the second injury were more complex,” Ward said. “I felt like I had put myself in a bad situation to be injured. Going into my junior year, everyone always says it’s one of the most important years for recruiting, so I was very uncertain on my athletic future if I wouldn’t have been playing and I was not looking forward to another six plus months of another painful recovery. I also didn’t want to put my team at a disadvantage.”
Ward was put in a rare situation but her attitude made a big difference.
“I would say I’ve had a tremendous amount of drive and dedication my whole life,” Ward said. “I’ve always wanted to win and hated losing. I’ve always wanted to be the best. You can only be the best if you have dedication and the will, but I’ve always liked the process because that’s what makes the results worth it. That undoubtedly comes from my family who are very competitive in al that we do. And I’ve always been taught play to win in all that I do.”
“Kenzie is a competitor and although she wouldn’t let you know, she was obviously upset and disappointed after the first injury,” said St. Joe trainer Matt Weisenberger, who works for Capital Ortho. “Of course, healing and rehab didn’t go as fast as she wanted, but she did everything that her doctor, therapists, and I asked her to do. She worked with me in the training room on the days she didn’t go to therapy and would do home exercises on her own as well. Once the strengthening and return to sport phases of her rehab kicked in there was no holding her back. Watching her get back to full speed was a joy. Then the second injury happened. And you’d think most kids would have just hung it up, but Kenzie isn’t ‘most kids.’ Once she got past the anger and frustration of the same injury on the other leg it was business this time and she was focused on getting this behind her and proving that she would still be a force on the court. This time Kenzie knew what to expect and she knew that she could do it. She also had a teammate (senior guard Abby Myles) dealing with the same injury so now she had someone to push and motivate during her recovery. Kenzie’s attitude, determination and work ethic stood out the most to me throughout her recovery and return to basketball. She handled it with a maturity that you don’t see in an average teenager.”
St. Joe girls basketball player Jordin Keys and St. Joe boys basketball player Chase Cox learned a lot from watching Ward overcome her injuries.
“I learned the true meaning of wanting to become the best version of yourself no matter the circumstances,” Keys said. “It’s hard to come back from injuries with confidence, but every game and practice Kenzie shows me that she wants to become the best not only for herself but for her team. Her amazing performance this season shows it’s not about the injury, it’s about your want and will to do.”
“Watching Kenzie battle through two injuries was one of the bravest experiences I’ve ever seen,” Cox said. “It showed me how hardworking, gdetermined and mentally tough she really is. A lot of people don’t see the work Kenzie puts ins behind the scenes. Even when she was injured, she stayed motivated, and on the sideline, stayed coaching and talking to her teammates, and kept pushing herself every single day to get better. She never made excuses or felt bad for herself, she just kept her head up, blocked out all the noise and outworked everyone. This season is showing off all the extra time Kenzie spent in the gym. No one could tell her she can’t. Coming back from one injury is a hard struggle for anyone, but doing it twice and still outplaying people at a high level says so much about her. Kenzie outworks everyone, is a leader to all her teammates, and brings a spark every time she steps the court. To me, she’s the most determined and hardest working person I know and she is proving right now to everyone watching. Kenzie is the definition of resilience, discipline, and love of the game.”
First-year Central Hinds Academy head coach and longtime Jackson Academy assistant coach Ronnie Rogers has been knowing Ward for a while and is impressed with her comeback.
“I’ve known Kenzie for many years as a friend of her mother's (Kim) and Tommy’s (St. Joe Coach Groves),” said Rogers, who was an assistant coach for legendary JA coach Jan Sojourner, the third winningest coach in Mississippi history, for 19 seasons before taking the Central Hinds position. “I lost track of her as a player due to her injuries. I quickly became reacquainted when we matched up in early December. After the game, I immediately called a college coach I know and told him about Kenzie. Being injured has not allowed her to be seen by coaches at the next level. She just looks different when she plays. Kenzie’s strength and size as a guard is the first thing you notice. She squares up so well on her shots around the basket and while she is quick, she never appears to have hurried. The game is really slow for her, which allows her to make good decisions and keep her teammates involved. Kenzie commands the other team’s best defender and often two, but she doesn’t force it but surgically either creates her own shot or gets a teammates at a good look. On top of her on the court skills, her best attribute is her sweet spirit. She never complains and always plays with a smile on her face. I imagine after tearing her ACL two times, she is grateful to be playing. If I had to pick an all star team of opponents we have played, Kenzie certainly would be on that team.”
“This season playing against has been very rewarding,” Ward said. “I’ve improved in tons of ways. I’ve watched so much basketball and learned so much. I”ve talked to so may people who have gone through smilier things or have been in positions like mine and I feel more mature as a player. I’m a better teammate and leader. I can make reads quicker and I’m more intentional on the way I play. Most of all, I’m even more dialed in, I have more drive. I desperately want my senior season to last as long as it can.”
Despite not playing for the past two seasons, Ward has offers from Millsaps College and Mississippi for Women.
Ward’s mom is Kim Ward, who played basketball for Coach Tommy Groves at Forest Hill. Ward’s aunt, Ann Ward, also played basketball at Forest Hill. Ward’s siblings are sisters Kybrin, Ava, and Deone and brother Jayden. Ward’s grandmother, Lula Ward, is very important part of her life. Ward is Groves’ goddaughter.
St. Joe has two important MAIS Class 4A, District 1 games at home this week, Tuesday against Pillow Academy and Coach Durwin Carpenter, the second winningest girls basketball coach in Mississippi history, and Friday against Jackson Academy and first-year JA coach Henry Gantz, who replaced legendary coach Jan Sojourner, who retired after 45 seasons, the last 40 at JA.
