Sarasota basketball star uses smarts to her advantage

For someone who was recruited by Ivy League schools, Sarasota senior forward Madison Pack is nonchalant about her achievements.

Studying is no challenge for Pack. She simply loves to learn. Her parents, Tracy and Meg Pack, instilled that attribute in her from an early age. Pack is aware of how much her education will impact her future. Meg Pack said her daughter will beat herself up over anything less than a high-A grade. Madison Pack was born with a desire to be great and do great things, Meg Pack said.

“Academics have always been important to me,” Madison Pack said. “It’s something that will help you through your entire life. It will help me get a better career. Once you learn something, you’ll always have it.”

Madison Pack’s primary interest is in math, because calculations are straightforward once you know the correct formulas and equations, she said. She hopes to have a career that combines sports and math, perhaps in sports management.

Her options are limitless, but Pack is willing to put off her full-time career if it means being able to play basketball professionally, either in the United States or overseas. Her love of basketball overshadows her desire to make a ton of money right out of school. When her parents first signed Pack and her twin brother, Tanner Pack, up for basketball together at age 6, Madison Pack cried on the court. She did not understand the game or what was happening. Once she comprehended the game, Pack was smitten. She has dreamed of playing college basketball ever since.

Pack will make that dream reality at Columbia University. No disrespect to Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania, the other two Ivy League schools looking at Pack, but Columbia made Pack feel at home. The players talked to her like she was already part of the team. The coaching staff, including first-year head coach Megan Griffith, was “amazing,” said Pack, who projects as a guard in college.

The senior is cerebral, but also superstitious. Before games, Pack said she makes sure the bun in her hair is set just right, because “you have to look good to play good.” She eats a banana. She listens to top-40 music on the drive to the gym. Most importantly, she must tie her right shoe before her left shoe. This is something that extends past basketball and into her everyday life. Pack does not remember why she began this routine, but she said she will never break it.

Pack got her superstitious side from her mother. The duo always knock on wood when they see a crow or if anything bad has happened.

In lieu of basketball heroes, Pack looks up to her 69-year-old grandmother, Virginia Doran, who has multiple sclerosis.

“Every day, she always has a smile on her face,” Pack said. “She’s always laughing and having a good time. She always brings us up (in spirit).”

On the court, Pack uses her intelligence to think through situations quickly and make adjustments. She is careful not to overthink things, though. Sometimes, basketball is about reactions, not preparation.

Her combination of a “phenomenal” jump shot and strong post moves makes the 6-foot-3 Pack a dangerous player at the next level, Sarasota coach Wade McVay said. McVay said Pack has become more vocal during practice, a sign that she is becoming the leader the team needs.

“I told her, ‘Put the team on your shoulders,’” McVay said. “‘You’re a senior, a four-year starter. Use that experience and show the younger players what it is all about.’”

Pack said the vibe surrounding this year’s Sailors team is different. They are more relaxed and outgoing in practice, and with Pack leading the way, they have the talent to get back to the Final Four for the first time since Pack’s freshman year.

“We’re happy with what we see in ourselves,” Pack said. “We are definitely going to do great things this year.”