The Seventh Annual Bill “Mr. Wildcat” Keightley Award will be presented to Garrett Stearns from Madison Central High School during the 2024 Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony on March 17th at the Lexington Griffin Gate Marriott Resort.
Nominations were submitted from across the state for this prestigious award which honors a Kentucky high school senior basketball team manager, who exemplifies the essence of “team player”. Someone who supports their team with passion, dedication and enthusiasm while also performing well off the court, in the classroom and in the community.
Garrett Stearns, a senior at Madison Central High School said, “When I think of my time as manager with the Madison Central basketball program, there are certain skills that I learned that stand out. The first, and possibly the most important, is how to reflect positivity on others. As human beings, we’re destined to have bad days. This is especially true for a basketball team with a long competitive season. There will be games that are lost, and turnovers that are made. In my role as manager, I’ve taken it upon myself to always keep a positive attitude, and spread it upon others. For me, all it takes is a smile. No matter what position we’re in, I always keep a smile on my face when talking to my teammates. This not only works around the basketball team, but also in the classroom, at home, and out in public. I’ve also learned the skill of taking pride in what you do. On a team, everyone has their own role, and no matter what your role is, you should take pride in it! Whether it’s your defensive ability, or for me, my various duties as manager, it’s a skill that builds confidence, and is something you can apply to anything you do.”
As well as managing for four years, he’s also been an Honors AP student all four years of high school, he was selected as a member of the 43rd annual Kentucky Youth Salute in 2022 and has maintained a 4.162 GPA. Garrett is also a member of the Madison Central Marching Band, a member of the Madison Central Wind Ensemble, an officer for the Madison Central Madrigals Choir and has completed community service through FCC Richmond Youth Group and is a member of the Madison County Superintendent Teen Task Force.
William “Mr. Wildcat” Bill Keightley played basketball at Kavanaugh High School in Lawrenceburg, KY where he graduated in 1944. He then attended Eastern Kentucky University until he entered the U.S. Marine Corps to serve his county in World War II.
Mr. Keightley served as the Equipment Manager for the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team from 1962 until his death in 2008. He served under coaches Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall, Eddie Sutton, Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith, and Billy Gillespie. Keightley was part of three NCAA Championship teams and 12 South Eastern Conference Championship teams in his 46 years of tenure.
All sports fans are welcome to attend or view the 2024 Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony. To learn more about the event visit www.mrandmisskybasketball.com. For questions please email JenniferHunt@kylionseye.org or call 270-999-4887.
The 13th annual Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony serves as a fundraiser for the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation, who has announced Mr. Kentucky Basketball since 1954 and Miss Kentucky Basketball since 1976. To learn more about KLEF’s mission and our programs and services please visit http://www.kylionseye.org.