Springdale’s Crawford: “I’ll Do Whatever It Takes to Win.”

 Mytaah Crawford doesn’t take much stock in preseason polls.

That’s a good thing, especially after his Springdale Bulldogs were picked before the season to finish in the middle of the 7A-West conference.

“Being picked to finish in the middle of the pack only fuels us,” Crawford said.  “We don’t let polls and preseason rankings affect our performance; we’re only concerned about the things we can control.”

The Bulldogs have started conference play with a 4-1 record through five games, and Crawford thinks that this team has the drive to compete in the postseason.

“My teammates and I are hungry,” he said.  “We want a conference and state championship more than anything else.”

Hunger and chemistry can be just as important for many teams as actual raw talent.  Crawford believes Springdale has enough hunger and chemistry to be successful.  It falls on the shoulders of Springdale coach Brad Stamps, who Crawford called a “competitor” and “motivator”, to keep his team moving in the right direction.

“He really has a passion for helping others,” Crawford said of Stamps.  “He values coach-player relationships and wants nothing more than to see his players succeed on and off the court.”

Crawford is focused on leading his Bulldogs to a conference title this year, but next season he will become a part of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Lions basketball team, which Mytaah calls “the best fit for me.”

“Coach Newman made me feel as if I were their number-one priority and immediately made me feel like a part of the Lion family,” Crawford said.  “UAFS has a rich basketball tradition that I’m excited to be a part of.”

With the way Crawford’s senior season has gone so far, it seems like UAFS should be just as excited to have him.