Rylie Dyer Helps Lead Surging Fayetteville Lady Lions Teams

Fayetteville basketball player Rylie Dyer is a multi-sport athlete who has contributed heavily to the Lady Lions success as she currently leads the team in assists and field goal percentage. Dyer was also a member of the 2021 state championship volleyball team.

“Rylie, she actually stepped up in volleyball this past season and the season before on our state championship team,” said Fayetteville head girls basketball coach Marcus Sodek. Sodek was also an assistant on the state volleyball team and still holds the same position in 2023. “This year in volleyball, she came through big for us. We had a good year. This year in basketball, she’s actually picked up a lot of slack and did some things she doesn’t want to do, but she’s had to do them for us as far as handling the ball more and scoring more for us. Unfortunate things happened with injuries and other things, so she’s been a big part of our basketball team, big time this year. We’ve won eight in a row now and we’re starting to play a little better and she’s been a big part of that.”

Dyer’s bigger workload has given her more opportunities and she’s taken full advantage, making her our selection for this edition’s Athlete of the Week.

Question: What does it take to be a good ball distributor in basketball?

Answer: “You have to work hard. You have to practice as much as you can. You have to bond with your teammates and be able to connect with them.” Question:What would you say was the most special component of the 2021 state championship volleyball team?

Answer: “We had a very good connection. All of us were best friends. We had a really good bond.” See Question: How do you practice your shooting when not in competition?

Answer: “We do different drills in practice to help us all around the court. All in different spots.”

Question: Who’s a teammate you spend the most time with?

Answer: “Probably my friend

Peyton (Jurecka). We’re really good friends.”

Question: If you could go on a shopping spree, what’s the first thing you would buy and why?

Answer: “Probably some new shoes. I don’t have that many shoes and I really like shoes.”

Question: Where’s a place

you’ve been to that gives you the best memories?

Answer: “Probably when we went to Costa Rica with my family and some of my friends. We had a really good time there. It was a really nice place to visit.”

Question:What do you like to do when you’re not playing sports or in school?

Answer: “I like to hang out with my friends and just hang out with family and do random stuff.”

Question: How did you celebrate the new year?

Answer: “I went to a party with my friends and we just all hung out.”

Question: Who’s your favorite sports team and why?

Answer: “Probably the Golden State Warriors because I like Steph Curry.”

Question: What’s something you really like to do in Fayetteville?

Answer: “In Fayetteville, there’s not really much to do, but just like driving around the town and hang out in the square. There’s some good places to eat.” When her teammates went down, Dyer took on a bigger role and has flourished for a rolling Fayetteville team.