Choosing one sport meant letting go of two others, but that decision ultimately helped shape Keir Sheppard’s future.
After growing up playing baseball and spending years balancing multiple sports, Sheppard realized during high school that basketball had become more than something he enjoyed—it was the sport he wanted to pursue long term. That decision eventually turned into a college opportunity, as Sheppard committed to continue his athletic and academic career at Hesston College in Kansas, where he will compete at the NAIA level while pursuing a degree in Information Technology with plans to specialize in cybersecurity.
Sheppard’s path to college athletics did not begin with basketball.
Growing up, baseball was the sport that defined much of his childhood. It was where most of his time and energy went as a young athlete and remained his primary focus for years.
“My entire life since I was a little kid, I’ve been a baseball player,” Sheppard said.
Basketball entered the picture later.
After being introduced to the game in sixth grade, he quickly developed a connection to it that felt different from the other sports he had played.
“When I got to middle school, I got introduced to basketball in sixth grade and I loved it and it stayed with me ever since.”
Before moving to Pahrump from Texas near the end of elementary school, Sheppard never had the opportunity to participate in Junior Trojans basketball, but sports remained a major part of his life. Along with baseball and basketball, he also played football throughout middle school and into his freshman year of high school.
Eventually, though, he realized one sport continued pulling him back more than the others.
By sophomore year, Sheppard made the decision to focus exclusively on basketball.
Part of that choice came after experiencing multiple concussions while playing football, but it also came from recognizing where his energy naturally went when nobody was asking him to train.
“I had three concussions from football, so it wasn’t really worth it anymore,” Sheppard said. “Basketball is still physical, but not in the concussions.”
More importantly, basketball became the sport he wanted to invest in.
“I just had more love to go work at it, go to the gym, practice it,” he said. “Football, I didn’t really practice as much, or baseball. So I thought it was a better fit for me to try to go to college for that sport.”
Once he made that decision, Sheppard shifted from simply playing basketball to actively building toward the next level.
His recruiting process centered primarily around the platform NCSA, where he created a profile, uploaded game film and connected directly with college programs.
“NCSA is where I did everything through,” he said. “I had all my videos, highlights and all the colleges were on there.”
But sending out a profile did not mean opportunities immediately followed.
Sheppard cast a wide net, contacting multiple schools and supplementing the process with personal emails to programs outside the platform.
The responses were limited, but he stayed patient.
“I messaged over like 50 colleges. I only had like five responses,” Sheppard said. “So you just gotta throw a fishing net out there and see if anything comes of it.”
That persistence became one of the defining parts of his recruiting journey.
While Sheppard handled the communication himself, he said his parents played an important role behind the scenes.
His father helped guide him through the logistics of recruiting, including helping him create a template for reaching out to coaches that Sheppard then personalized for each school.
“My dad helped me a lot with the recruiting process,” Sheppard said. “I don’t think I would have got recruited without him.”
Sheppard also made sure to thank his mom for the support she provided throughout the journey. From encouraging him as he worked through the uncertainty of recruiting to helping him continue pursuing opportunities even when responses were limited, he said both of his parents played an important role in helping him reach this point.
Together, his parents helped create the support system that allowed him to take ownership of the process while continuing to push toward his goals.
As conversations with schools developed, Sheppard knew basketball could not be the only factor in his decision.
One school in California strongly interested him from an athletic standpoint, but after researching academics, he realized it did not offer the program he wanted.
Rather than choosing based solely on basketball, he prioritized building a future beyond the court.
“I was more focused on my academics before the athletics came,” Sheppard said.
That mindset ultimately led him to Hesston College.
The Kansas school offered the Information Technology pathway he wanted and aligned with his interest in entering cybersecurity after graduation.
“Cyber security,” Sheppard said when discussing his future plans.
The field also carries a personal connection.
“That kind of falls in line with my dad’s career.”
The opportunity at Hesston also included financial support. Sheppard earned a scholarship package that will cover approximately half of his tuition.
“I think they gave me about $22,000,” he said.
As he prepares for the transition to college, Sheppard said the team will host a camp later this month that will give incoming players their first look at campus life and team expectations.
The visit will include learning offensive and defensive systems while beginning to build chemistry with teammates.
“We’re just going to go through plays, offenses, defenses.”
While moving several states away is a big step, Sheppard said the environment at Hesston helped make the decision easier.
He was drawn to the smaller campus atmosphere and the relationships students can build with professors.
“The teacher to student ratio is pretty low,” he said. “It’s a small town and the teachers are very helpful. It’s a very good community.”
When asked about long-term plans, Sheppard said he is approaching college with an open mind.
“If I think the college is a good fit for me, I’ll do all four years. If I think I can go to the next level—D2, D1, whatever—then I’ll do it, because I think that’s a chance that you don’t get again.”
Looking back, Sheppard said his basketball journey began with someone who helped create opportunities for countless local players.
His grandfather, Bob Hopkins, introduced him to the game through open gyms that became a place for competition, friendships and growth.
“At a young age, I was introduced to basketball because obviously my grandpa, he’s played such a large role in the basketball community here, always having open gyms for everybody,” Sheppard said.
Those experiences helped build his love for the sport and gave him a place to continue developing.
He also credited Toby Henry for helping elevate his game and giving him confidence during his senior season.
“Toby was a great coach,” Sheppard said. “He set my recruiting process up.”
Sheppard believes his final high school season became an important piece of showing college programs what he could do.
“I had a great senior year. Without him, I could have still got recruited, but without him, I wouldn’t have had the resume to do it.”
He also made sure to thank his friends for staying in his corner throughout the process.
“All my friends—they’ve been great supporters. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.”
Now, Sheppard is preparing for the next chapter—one that will take him to Kansas, allow him to continue competing in the sport he chose and give him the opportunity to begin building the career he hopes to pursue long after basketball.
