You could probably count the number of days on one hand in the past year that Boothbay Region senior point guard Kyle Ames didn’t have a basketball in his hand. Since he was a kindergartner, Ames has indulged in an endless pursuit to become a better basketball player.

As a teenager, his training regimen has intensified. Ames is equally motivated to improve his conditioning and his basketball skills. This summer, he ran five to nine miles on a daily basis. He also plays the game virtually on a daily basis. Ames is often seen playing a pick-up game at the local YMCA.  When he’s not playing, he’s practicing.

Ames practices for a couple hours a day. He developed a drill to hone his long range shooting. Ames invented two-ball, a two-person drill in which the shooter is fed a basketball and results in him taking 600 shots in an hour.

“It really prepares you for a game situation. The speed of the drill is great for developing a quick release,” he said.

Ames has also excelled in fall and spring sports as a high school athlete. As a junior, he was the cross country team’s most valuable runner, and in track, he ran the 800m in two minutes and 12 seconds. All of Ames’ achievements on the hardwood, track and cross country trails have earned him the distinction of being the Boothbay Register’s “Athlete of the Month” for October.

As the high school basketball season begins preseason workouts this week, Ames’ focus is on his favorite sport. He began playing in a kindergarten through grade three program. Ames, his friend Cameron Alley and other young hoopsters all began playing basketball in a youth program coached by Alley’s grandfather Neal Verge.

“That’s where I began learning how to play,” Ames said. “It taught me the fundamentals and the game’s core values. It was a really important experience and I still hold onto the lessons I learned from that.”

Ames has been the Seahawks’ starting point guard for the past two years. Last season, he was the leading scorer and most valuable player for a team which finished 12-8 and lost in the Class C South quarterfinals. Ames is optimistic he and several returning players can improve on last year’s result. “I’m very excited about this season. A bunch of us have been playing pick-up at the Y. It’s been some serious competition and I’m sure when it starts for real, it will be a lot of fun.”

Throughout his basketball playing experience, the competition and friendship from his teammates have made him want to excel in the sport, he said.

“The people that I’ve played with have made it a rewarding experience. It’s been great building relationships and bonds with those guys and I also love the competitive nature of the sport. It’s definitely my  favorite,” he said.

After graduation, Ames wants to pursue a career in electrical engineering. He is also interested in studying computer science and business. He likes the electrical engineering program at the University of Maine, but is also considering other colleges.