This summer, we lost a cherished Spartan.
Leslie Brassfield—known lovingly as “Muffin” to her friends, family and fellow Lady Spartans—was best known for her accomplishments on the basketball court. She played with the Lady Spartans all four years of high school, and with fast feet and great ball skills, Brassfield was a “natural athlete,” according to her coach, Bill Gibson.
Off the court, however, she also made a difference in the lives of those around her.
“She was this little lanky ‘string bean’ with the absolute bubbliest personality. I remember her always having the laugh and smile that brightened up the room,” said Amanda Pearson, one of Brassfield’s closest friends from the Class of 2011. “She really just taught me to live my life to the fullest and not to worry about what anyone has to say.”
Pearson, who’s engaged to be married in 2017, had asked Brassfield to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. Despite being a tomboy who hated wearing dresses and high heels, Brassfield was “so freaking excited” to be in her best friend’s wedding. She did show her true tomboy colors, however, when she asked if Pearson would mind if she wore her Doc Martin boots with her dress.
Brassfield’s ever-present positivity also stood out to Danielle Mazzuchi, another one of her friends and classmates. Mazzuchi fondly remembers how her friend would always greet her with a “Dougie” or “Stanky Leg” between classes.
“She and I were always dancing,” said Mazzuchi, who graduated in 2011. “No matter what was going on in her life, she had the power to make people smile.”
A firm believer in staying true to herself despite criticism, Brassfield always held her ground in the face of conflict.
“She never changed who she was to please others,” said Mia DeSantis. DeSantis, a friend from the basketball court and the Class of 2009, also spoke of how much Brassfield’s positive energy affected others, calling her a “little ball of infectious energy.”
“You couldn’t help but feel excited around her,” said DeSantis.
Brassfield’s impact on the people around her wasn’t limited to just her friends. Gibson, Brassfield’s coach during her four years with the Lady Spartans, fondly remembers how much she loved to dance and joke around with her teammates during practices.
“She seemed so quiet and everything, but then when she got around people she felt comfortable with, she would loosen up,” said Gibson. “She liked to dance and be crazy when I wasn’t looking and then straighten up as soon as I turned around. But her smile always gave her away.”
Gibson organized a celebration of Brassfield’s life in Spartan Hall last July. Following the service, a candlelight vigil was held at Huntsman Lake, where her body was found.
“It’s tough,” said Gibson. “You spend a lot of time with some of these players, and it becomes personal.”
From the basketball court to the classroom, from dance battles to spontaneous road trips with friends, Brassfield made the world around her a happier place to be. Despite facing some hardships in her life, she remained a positive force, brightening the lives of all she touched.
“She had a fun, caring, and loving spirit,” said Nora Osei, a Lady Spartan who became friends with Brassfield during their freshman PE class in 2007. “She had a way to always make people laugh and feel welcomed.”
Brassfield’s energy and fun-loving personality were Osei’s inspiration to try out for the girls basketball team her freshman year, despite never having played the sport before. Such was the magnitude of her ability to encourage and inspire those around her.
“As basketball season arose, I remember seeing her hang out with the Varsity team and they looked like they had so much fun together,” said Osei. “I thought to myself, ‘I want to play with Les some day on Varsity!’”
Osei said that Brassfield is to thank for her pursuing college basketball, eventually getting recruited at a States game to play at Eastern Mennonite University.
“Without Les… I would have a lower standard on what a good friend actually is. Without her I wouldn’t be the person I am today,” said Osei.
Underneath Brassfield’s constant jokes and crazy antics, there was a girl with a deep sense of gratitude and passion for what she believed in. Fiercely protective of her friends and not afraid to stand up for herself, she inspired others through the example she set each and every day.
“It takes a really special person to leave behind such a positive impact on people’s lives,” said Pearson. “I can truly say that she was a best friend like no other.”