Freshman bringing new game, familiar name to varsity squad
CHS9 freshman guard Landry Sherrer shoots a free throw against Richardson Pearce at Coppell High School Arena on Friday. Sherrer is on the varsity as a freshman and has a twin sister, Mallory Sherrer who plays on the junior varsity team.
December 8, 2021
She used to toss the ball, smiling at her sister to shoot.
She now tosses the ball to her teammates, with her sisters cheering her on.
She used to practice with her dad on her driveway.
She now plays with the varsity basketball team at CHS Arena.
CHS9 freshman guard Landry Sherrer has been playing basketball since seventh grade at Coppell Middle School East, but is now a varsity player on the Coppell girls basketball team.
“[Being on varsity] is a really great opportunity for me to grow as a player,” Sherrer said. “It’s been a lot of fun. As a freshman there isn’t a ton of pressure. It’s just for me to go out there and try my hardest and just learn from it, because I have three more years left to grow and develop as a player.”
But the name Sherrer appears not once, but on two backs of jerseys on the Coppell basketball, as Sherrer has a twin, CHS9 freshman point guard Mallory Sherrer. Mallory plays on the JV team whereas Landry is on varsity.
“I mean, it’s definitely more her,” Mallory said. “[Landry] works really hard, so I’m really happy for her. We’re both good at different things.”
Landry has been a key player since she joined her first basketball team. At CMS East, Landry showed her true potential as a player. According to Landry, beating the record for most points scored in one game at 30 points was her biggest accomplishment.
“She’s competitive,” Coppell girls basketball coach Ryan Murphy said. “That’s probably her number one [quality]. She’s really competitive which allows her to not be scared of the older kids. She’s a good ball handler, she’s a good shooter. Her defense for the game is constantly improving [and] she’s got a good feel for the game.”
Landry and Mallory both follow the footsteps of CHS 2021 graduate and Oklahoma State University freshman Emma Sherrer, who was also on the basketball team during her time in high school.
“It’ll be really good for [my sisters] to experience being on the team and being part of the team atmosphere,” Emma said. “It’s really cool that they’re going to get to be friends with some of the people that I got to be friends with and get to know really well because honestly, a team is really what brings you together.”
Landry’s dedication to basketball comes from Emma, when they played together as children, and again, watching her perform on the court.
“When I first watched her, I knew that was something I wanted to do,” Landry said. “She just has such a passion for the game and you could tell by the way she played that she just gave it her all, and I wanted to do just that.”
Emma thinks Landry’s path doesn’t just mirror hers, but goes beyond it.
“I’m really proud of her,” Emma said. “She’s worked really hard [and] put in more effort than I did. [She’s] always out shooting [in the] driveway and putting up shots. I’m really glad that she made varsity.”
Both Mallory and Landry are competitive with each other, which served as an advantage to both twins.
“I love playing basketball with my sister,” Landry said. “We’ve always been super competitive. I love that about it and just playing with her. It’s a really cool experience because not a lot of people get to do that.”
No matter the challenge, Landry continues to try her hardest and play her best.
“[Landry] has had to learn a different role,” Murphy said. “In middle school, she had the ball in her hands the whole game and she got every shot and she was able to do whatever she wanted. Now she’s got to play within the system because she’s our fourth or fifth option out there on the court.”
Landry continues to persevere and grow as a player despite any obstacles that come her way.
“There’s going to be ups and downs,” Landry said. “It’s not always going to be easy. But if this is something that you’re really passionate about and you care about, continue to go at it and don’t give up even though it’s going to get hard.”
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