Never Give Up: The Tenacity of KD Hainsworth

Mountain View Preparatory is only in its 2nd year of operations, but in the short time the football program has been around, it has helped to elevate the talents and skill of several players that were already well-renowned..

This year, the Stars feature a key wide receiver that has been with them since year 1 after transferring from Dorman whose story and personality can be summarized in one word – tenacity.

Webster defines ‘tenacious’ as “someone who is determined and does not readily relinquish a position, principle, or course of action; one who is persistent in existence and not easily dispelled.” In essence, it means somebody who sticks with their guns and does not give up easily. Sort of like Rocky Balboa said – “It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

For senior Kadarus Hainsworth, that persistent spirit that says never to give up is something he has been shown all his life and it shows in every aspect of his story.

“The biggest influencer in my life is my mom”, said Hainsworth. “I am very close with my whole family and they all play very important roles . I would not be where I am without them. But I am closest with my mom, and she has always been persistent. She never stops trying no matter how hard life gets and has always taught me to never quit no matter how hard the obstacles are.”

That no-quit attitude is what ultimately led Kadarus (who goes by “KD”) to leave Dorman for Mountain View in a time when he was struggling.

“I was not really excelling academically when I was at Dorman”, KD said. “One of the biggest factors that played into my decision to transfer was that I heard about how hard Coach {Grey} Ramsey cares about you as a man more than a football player and how he pushes you to do hard things to be the best person you can be. I also heard about what MVP can do for you academically and it was a chance that I ultimately could not pass up.”

“The classrooms are  smaller to focus more with the kids one on one. Tutoring is there when it’s needed, and even when it’s not needed.”

Hainsworth, who grew up as a Kansas City Chiefs and Ohio State Buckeyes fan and saw his love for the game grow exponentially when he witnessed Odell Beckham Jr’s famed one-handed leaping catch against the Dallas Cowboys back in 2014, draws a lot of inspiration from his favorite athletes – even crediting what he feels as his best character trait – to one of them.

“I am highly motivated by people doubting me”, KD said emphatically. “Something about being told I can’t do something just makes a switch flip inside me that makes me aggressive – especially on the field – as I work hard to try and prove them wrong. I feel like I get that from George Pickens (Cowboys’ wide receiver).”

That also ties in to the advice he would give to any aspiring young athletes – a piece of wisdom that stems from lessons Grey Ramsey has taught him over the last 2 years.

“Don’t let anyone tell you what you can and cannot do”, said Hainsworth. “If you set a goal, put your mind to it, and work hard to achieve it, you will eventually get there. Something Coach Ramsey has taught me that I will always take with me is that you are capable of doing anything in life that you want to. For example, if you are in a class of 22 students, one of them is going to end up in jail and one of them is going to end up a billionaire. You have the choice. You have the ability to make something of yourself and create your own future.”

One cannot argue that Hainsworth has worked hard to become one of the most prolific receivers, not just in Spartanburg County, but possibly the entire state. He currently leads all wideouts in the coverage area with 42 catches for 724 yards and 10 touchdowns through 8 games this season. That persistent effort has paid off for him in the form of several division 1 college offers – including Coastal Carolina, Liberty, Charleston Southern, East Tennessee State, UNC Charlotte, East Carolina, and James Madison.

Of those, KD is currently verbally committed to Charlotte. But, he knows that there is much more to life than football and while he hopes to be able to play at the next level and make the League, he is looking to make more of an impact as a family man.

“Football is not forever, and after it is all said and done, I want to have a family that is centered around God”, said Hainsworth. “I want a beautiful wife and kids all living happily together in a nice home.”

Going back to the present – after a tough loss to Woodruff this past week, KD will look to channel his tenacity and hunger to prove his doubters wrong once again as he and his teammates travel to Broome looking to bounce back against the Centurions. You can catch him and the rest of the MVP Stars in action at 7:30 Friday night at Royal Stadium.