Wally Is Not Alone!
Also, Sandy and his sister were both state champion in the triple jump. How many times has that happened before?
Southwest guard Hiedeman deciding her futurehttp://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/sports/high-school/basketball/2014/07/07/southwest-guard-hiedeman-deciding-future/12321257/Natisha Hiedeman will make one of the biggest decisions of her young life by the end of this summer.
The 5-foot-8 standout guard on the Green Bay Southwest girls basketball team plans to make several visits to colleges next month, putting in as much work off the court as she does on it in order to secure her future.
There already have been text messages to deal with. Phone calls, too. It's part of the recruiting process, and something Hiedeman has gotten used to.
"You kind of just have to make time for it all," Hiedeman said. "But it's good. It's a good feeling when a college really wants you. It's been fun so far."
Hiedeman just completed a standout track and field season last month, which ended with her winning gold in the WIAA Division 1 triple jump. But track and field — she also helped the Trojans go to state in tennis — is just something to keep her active and in shape for the sport she loves most.She left last week for a two-week trip to Ohio, Illinois and Indiana to play in basketball tournaments for both her AAU team and Team Wisconsin. It's another chance to impress college coaches, but Hiedeman realizes she doesn't have to put on a show to get noticed. She figures as long as she plays her game, everything else will take care of itself.
Of course, Hiedeman already has done enough to leave positive impressions during her past two seasons with the Trojans.
As a junior, the slick-shooting lefty was a first-team all-conference pick in the Fox River Classic Conference, finishing third in league play with 17.1 points per game. Hiedeman shot 47.7 percent from the field — she struggled from the free throw line at 49.3 percent — while also finishing fourth in both rebounds (102) and assists (51) and leading the league with 57 steals.
She improved significantly from her sophomore to junior seasons, being able to do more things when she has the ball and learning how to adjust to new teammates on the court. She's had to face box-and-ones and triangle-and-twos, but still has found ways to be successful.
Perhaps the scary part is that Hiedeman is far from a finished project, which will include adding muscle to a skinny frame in order to help with the rigors of a college season.
That became clear to Hiedeman when she made a visit to West Virginia. When she arrived, it was as if she had entered a land of giants.
"I was standing there and looking up at people," Hiedeman said. "They were just huge. I was like, 'Oh, my gosh.' They told me that these girls walked in looking like you are, so I'm not really worried about it. I know when I go to college, I will get bigger."
The only question now is where?
She could play at Marquette and join her half-brother, former Seymour star Sandy Cohen, who will be a freshman on the men's team this season.She also could end up at a place like the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a Horizon League team that competes against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay at least twice per season.
The Phoenix has not made an offer to Hiedeman, and she isn't sure what they think of her. She has attended games in the past and would seriously consider an offer if UWGB coach Kevin Borseth presented one, especially with how convenient it would be for her family and friends to be able to watch her play.
Hiedeman at times looks at the roster configuration of a team to see how she would fit in. But in the end, it's about finding the right place and letting her play do the talking.
"Marquette offered me, and I looked right at their roster," Hiedeman said. "They have literally guards on guards. I was like, 'Uh, oh. I might not see the floor there.' But then I took my visit there and they told me they always play four guards and one post.
"A lot of other coaches say that if you are good, it doesn't really matter if you're a freshman. If you can play, you will be on the court. Hopefully, I can go to college and get better and play. It's all up to me."
