Photo by Kyle Parmley.
Mountain Brook's Libby Geisler (10) shoots a 3-pointer during a game between Mountain Brook and Woodlawn on Jan. 14 at Woodlawn High School in Birmingham.
Libby Geisler is calm and steady—one of those reliable, consistent people who give the same energy and effort on a daily basis.
She provides great leadership for the Mountain Brook High School girls basketball team as the only senior on a Lady Spartans squad looking to cap off this season on a high note.
“Being the lone senior is not an easy task, but she’s handled that challenge,” Mountain Brook head coach Sara Price said. “She’s handled that pressure really well and also stepped up in ways that you wouldn’t think.”
Geisler has virtually seen it all, having played on the high school team since eighth grade. She has observed differences in the teams she’s been part of, witnessed various leadership styles, and seen what successful teams look like.
“It’s different being the only one that’s been here and known the standard for a really long time,” she said. “The juniors are stepping up, and everyone is gaining a voice.”
Knowing that standard, Geisler feels her role is to continue passing it along and ensuring it remains intact.
“The biggest thing is to hold everyone to the same standard that we’ve set the past couple years,” she said. “There’s the expectation to come in and work hard. Even if you’re having an off day, you’ve got to play for each other.”
Geisler is a recent Spring Hill College signee. She called it a “big relief” to find her future college home.
She has long been known as a sharpshooter but is working on taking her game to the next level. This season, she has been forced to hone her ball-handling and court vision as she takes on point guard duties.
Geisler and freshman Avery Davis have been an effective tandem in the backcourt this season for the Lady Spartans.
“There’s a lot that goes into that spot that she’s been handling well,” Price said. “Is there still room for growth? Yeah, there’s always room for growth. This year, her ball-handling and her court decision have set her apart even from last year.”
As of press time, Mountain Brook was in the midst of area play and looking to make another postseason push. Last season, the Lady Spartans made it to the sub-regional round. They last advanced to the regional tournament in 2022, when Geisler was a freshman.
Back then, Geisler was able to observe and absorb. She looked up to the older players, who fostered relationships and showed the younger ones what it looks like to compete at a high level. Now, Geisler is doing the same for a promising younger group of players set up for success at Mountain Brook.
“It’s like I had the big sisters, and now I’m being the big sister,” she said.
The area tournament is set for the first week of February. If Mountain Brook advances out of Class 6A, Area 10 — which also features Huffman and Woodlawn — the Lady Spartans would take on a team from Area 9 in the sub-regional round, with hopes of returning to the regional tournament at Jacksonville State University.
