Alarie Mayze has traded the cheer of the crowd and the adrenaline of pushing her way down a basketball court, for the excitement of her students and the thrill of teaching.
Mayze is the new seventh-grade English teacher at Duncan Middle School and coaching girls basketball at Duncan High School. She left a career as a professional basketball players to become a teacher.
“So I could settle down and start a family one day,” Mayze said.
Mayze was born Sept. 3, 1996, in Arlington, Texas.
She is a former D1 Conference USA League basketball player, who only played overseas in Ireland and Iceland.
She had an average of 7.9 points per game as a 5’10” swingman (also known as a “wing” or a “guard-forward”) for Armann in Iceland. She played for four years in the CUSA League before quitting and moving to Duncan.
Mayze went to the University of Southern Mississippi for college in 2020, before moving to Duncan. She said a family friend gave her a recommendation to move and live in Duncan.
She said she also felt the town’s amazing, welcoming and beautiful atmosphere throughout the community and in the environment she was in and surrounded by.
Mayze said she was excited to come to the Duncan Middle School because she has a passion for education.
“I love to learn and help others,” she said.
She pursued her career path in education because her heart was in teaching children.
J’Hari Dorn, a seventh-grade DMS student, said she likes Mayze and enjoys her class. Dorn said she thinks the class is interesting because of Mayze’s past experiences playing professional basketball overseas.
She said the class is fun.
Jantz Link, another seventh-grader, said his favorite thing about Mayze’s class is her willingness to teach English. Although he isn’t a fan of the homework, he still enjoys her class.
For some highlights from Mayze’s basketball career, check out this video.
