GOSHEN, Ind. –Preparing to play in her final home game in a Goshen College uniform, senior Katie Sowers looks back on her two-years as a Maple Leaf with no regrets.
Despite growing up in Kansas, Sowers has had a lifetime connection with Goshen College and Mennonite culture. Both of Katie’s parents are Goshen alumni, along with several other members of her extended family. After playing two-years at sister school Hesston College, where her mom now works, it seemed natural for Katie to join the family line and attend Goshen.
While little about Goshen caught her off guard, what surprised her was how much she would miss home. “I didn’t expect to miss it so much. It was the first time I was away from my twin sister,” said Sowers about sister Liz who played with her at Hesston, but now is a senior at Oakland University (Rochester, MI). “It was really good for me to get away, branch out a little bit, and meet new people on my own.”
The Sowers sisters were nearly unstoppable in high school, losing just four league games in four years at Hesston High School. While her collegiate career has been less successful on the court – a combined 54-67 – Katie says that has helped her grow as a person. “I classified myself as a basketball player,” explains Sowers of her high school career. “In college I started to realize that basketball doesn’t make you who you are. I started to define myself outside of basketball.”
Part of that definition for Sowers is as a leader. She is the lone senior on a Maple Leafs team that is jam-packed with underclassmen – eight to just three upperclassmen. “It’s been interesting, but I don’t see myself as any more of a leader than I would have tried to be,” explains Sowers. “I really enjoy being a leader and while being a senior has forced that on me, I would have tried to take that role anyway.”
“She is a natural leader and teacher who has been a tremendous role model and influence on our younger players as a true student-athlete,” said Goshen Head Coach Steve Wiktorowski. According to Sowers, this 2007-08 Maple Leafs team is the closest of any she has ever played on. Some of her best memories of Goshen will be the bus rides, overnight stays, and casual time spent with the team.
Sowers has been a leader on the court as well. Three times this season, the guard/ forward has equaled her career-high 16 points, including a sixteen point, fourteen rebound performance on December 15th against Warner Southern. “She is a great competitor who brings so much spirit and a positive attitude to every practice and game,” adds Wiktorowski. “She really developed offensively her senior year and has been a major reason why we have been a much more competitive team overall compared to last year.”
As for her coach, “Coach Wik” for short, the praise goes both ways. “He is a really good person and has done a great job transitioning from boys high school basketball,” comments Sowers. “He is learning how to relate to women better and improving everyday. He has a way of getting people to buy into his program.”
While there is just one regular-season game remaining, Sowers and her teammates still have a lot to prove. “We wanted to look past moral victories,” explains Sowers. “Pushing ourselves to be the best team we can be. We all know the talent that we do have and I think we can prove it when the tournament comes.”
After her business on the court is complete, Sowers will turn to finishing her physical education degree with eventual plans to combine it with a masters degree in social work. “I tell recruits to come because Goshen College is not only going to help you grow as a person but also as a student athlete, who has more than just athletic abilities.”
“Katie has done a great job in her two years here,” said Wiktorowski. “She will be difficult to replace and very much missed next year. My only regret about Katie is that we only had her here for two years instead of all four.”
While Coach Wik and Maple Leafs fans might regret only getting to see her in action for two years, Sowers has little regrets about her time at Goshen. “I have enjoyed basketball a lot more than I thought I would and enjoyed school related to basketball more too,” concluded Sowers.
Click Here For Complete 2007-2008 Season
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