photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Free State junior Addie Fulscher calls out a play at Shawnee Mission South Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Overland Park.

For the last three years, the Free State girls basketball team has had a trial by fire as young players stepped into prominent roles against tough competition.

Rising senior Addie Fulscher is one of those Firebirds, and she has risen to the challenge each year. Since she arrived, Fulscher has played an important role for the Firebirds both on and off the court. She’s been a leading scorer and playmaker, developing her skill as a ball handler as the rest of the Firebirds develop their own skills.

Now, approaching four years of development with the team, Fulscher wants to finish strong and maximize her remaining time with the team.

“I feel like we competed in a lot more games, and we kind of learned how to play with each other and what certain skills everybody has that contributes to what we can do as a team,” Fulscher said.

Basketball has been a part of Fulscher’s life since she and her older brother would play together as kids in the driveway. She had to learn how to be savvy and competitive, given that he never let her get any easy buckets. That competition pushed her to keep working on her game and become the player who has led the Firebirds.

Fulscher is a point guard with Free State, although she plays more shooting guard with her AAU team, the Missouri Phenom. Having both experiences has helped her become a more well-rounded player. She can shoot and play off-ball, or she can be a distributor and a ball handler. While Fulscher said she prefers being the shooter, she just wants to help the team in whatever way she can more than anything.

“I feel like I get a more perspective on the game as a whole,” Fulscher said. “It’s really different, and it helps me see the game and its different aspects.”

Fulscher still shoots the ball at a high level with the Firebirds. When the team needs a bucket, she can create her own space or use her speed to get open looks on catch-and-shoot opportunities.

Shooting is something Fulscher has worked on for a while. She focuses on shooting off of screens and making snap decisions on when to shoot depending on the situation in a game. But, as the point guard for the Firebirds, she’s had to focus on a whole other aspect of her game, and it’s made her a smarter player.

As much as Fulscher has developed in her on-court play, she’s taken on a bigger challenge to grow as a leader.

“I’m not always the loudest — I’ve always been more of a quieter kid,” Fulscher said. “But I’ve really leaned into trusting the people around me and that they trust me, so I have to make sure I’m being a good leader and doing the right things. I’ve grown more and more into that role as I’ve experienced more with the team.”

While this will be Fulscher’s last season with the Firebirds, she’s working to continue her basketball career in college.

“I’ve been looking into colleges and reaching out and whatnot,” Fulscher said. “I’m trying my best to navigate the recruiting process.”

Wherever she ends up, Fulscher hopes to stay within three hours of her family in Lawrence. From initially getting her into the sport to helping her through the travel-heavy AAU season, the Fulscher family has supported Addie in her basketball journey, and she hopes she can keep playing the game she loves in front of the family she loves.

“They’ve always been super supportive — they’re always at my games,” Fulscher said. “They’ve put their fair share in me getting to where I want to be.”

Fulscher’s upcoming AAU and high school season can be one last showcase to future colleges about what she can do at the next level. With her game and leadership continuing to develop, Fulscher can position herself to leave Free State with all the tools to succeed at the next level.