by By Dan Ninham
Talented high school varsity athletes have one season that goes into the next season throughout the academic year.
Katie Waukau, 15, is a sophomore three-sport athlete at West De Pere High School (WI).
“I am Menominee and Oneida,” said Katie. “I’m enrolled in Menominee and also part of the turtle clan.”
“When I was little, I was very athletic and active,” said Katie. “I started to play basketball in third grade and fell in love with the game. I also played softball and cross country throughout middle school. I’m a part of the varsity golf team and received second team all conference this year.”
“Back in seventh grade, our team was composed of girls from all different tribes,” said Katie. “Team Wisconsin went to Toronto, Canada and competed in the Native American Indigenous Games. While we had an amazing experience we placed 1st and represented our people. In 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade I went to state and received all state for three of the years.”
“Being Native American I’ve always wanted to honor my people and my tribes,” said Katie. “Whether it was through academics or athletics, I wanted to represent. As I excel in school, my goal is to continue to do my best in basketball. I owe it to myself, as well as the Menominee and the Oneida tribe.”
“One of the first golf stories I remember was after a practice in the beginning of the season,” said Katie. “My coach told me I would be playing in the varsity meet the next day. I was so excited and happy especially since golf has always been a sport I played for fun. It was nice to hear I was on varsity because I loved to compete and was excited to help my team out. I remember my second meet I felt so good about that round and when I added up my score I told my coach I got a 44 and got the best score for my team and the second best of the day.”
“Another story was when I received second team all conference at the end of the season. Balancing basketball and golf, I was proud of myself to have received such an achievement,” added Katie.
“Basketball has always been my passion since I was a kid,” said Katie. “Having older brothers growing up, I’ve always been tough and strong, leading me to play sports. After that my love for the game grew and I wanted to be the best at it as I could be.”
“I’ve had amazing coaches, trainers and mentors along the way but the greatest influence has been my parents, Bridgit Martin and Wade Waukau,” said Katie. “My parents have always supported and encouraged me through thick and thin. My dad recently passed away and it has been difficult on my family and me. This instilled a new determination in me that I didn’t have before. With his strength and power from above, I will honor him and make him proud. I am blessed to know he is watching me from above. Knowing my parents are by my side, I can accomplish anything.”
“Katie is a competitor!” said mom Bridgit Martin. “She has three older brothers and they always pushed her to play tough and win. She played many sports while growing up, but it became very clear that she excelled and loved basketball. She has always taken advantage of open gyms and opportunities to work on her game. Because of Covid, Katie had limited access to a gym all summer. She did all she could to work on her own and seek out individuals who could help her get better. Often finding an outdoor park and working out in hot temperatures. She works on some component of her game daily, whether that is ball handling, shooting, agility or footwork. She has an amazing work ethic and works very hard to achieve her goals.”
“Katie’s first love is basketball, but she also enjoys competing in other sports. She just finished the girl’s golf season for her varsity team in high school. This year she did really great earning 2nd team All Conference. The varsity golf team consists of five players and they became really close. One of Katie’s teammates was required to go into quarantine because she was a close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 and she had to miss two weeks of the season. When she returned the season was over except for one last tournament. Katie felt so bad that her teammate didn’t get a chance to play, that she withdrew herself from competition so her teammate could compete one last time before the season ended. Katie knew that as a sophomore she had more seasons to come, but the other players didn’t. Her sacrifice was for her team, and that showed me her compassion for others and selflessness to the team,” added Bridgit.
“Katie is also a great role model for younger girls who want to play basketball,” said Bridgit. “She often volunteers at camps and practices for younger players in her school district. She knows the younger girls are watching and looking up to her so she will talk to them about work ethic and practicing on their own to get better. When she sees these younger players at games or in the community, she always says hello and acknowledges them. Katie may not be the loudest on the team, but she has a quiet confidence about herself that allows others to want to follow her.”
“Another positive influence in my career has been Derick Denny,” said Katie. “He has been my trainer since fourth grade. He has always pushed me to my limits, knowing that if I push myself to my capacities, I can be great.”
“I knew Coach Brehm since I was in elementary school because he was a gym teacher and still my gym teacher today,” said Katie. “He’s always been very supportive and motivating to me. He pushed my teammates and I to be better and gave good speeches before matches. I remember he’s always asked me how I was doing and how my sports were going. Coach Brehm was a great coach to me as well as a person.”
“Katie Waukau came into this season as a sophomore with her mind set on becoming a varsity player,” said Charles Brehm, head girls’ golf coach at West De Pere HS. “Her summer preparation in the weight room and early performances on the golf course solidified her role early on the WDP varsity golf team. Katie’s inner drive and stoic sense of competitiveness are two of her strongest traits. On the outside Katie always looks calm and cool, but deep down she is immensely focused on the task at hand, whether it be a drill during practice or on the final hole of a golf competition.”
“After shooting her season best 44 this past season at Golden Sands Golf Course in Bonduel, I was preparing to leave school after we had returned home and I had completed some work in my office. I left the building through the weight room and Katie was there going through a workout program with our strength and conditioning coach. That is the type of dedication that separates Katie from other high schoolers. I am very excited to see Katie progress over her final two years at WDP,” added Charles.
“My high school basketball coach Chris Abaray has been a great coach and mentor to me,” said Katie. “Coach has always believed in me and made me want to push myself harder.”
“We have a lot of depth this year at the guard spot,” said Chris Abaray, head girls’ basketball coach at West De Pere HS (WI). “Katie will factor in to that depth. We return most of our core from last year’s Bay Conference championship team. With Imani Ninham being out indefinitely this season, due to offseason knee surgery, there will be some battles for spots in our rotation. The opportunity is there. Katie’s ability to shoot the ball in space and breakdown off the dribble are definitely things that we need our guards to be able to do.”
“We have a large senior class this year with eight players,” said Chris. “While she will certainly compete in our rotation this year, her role will continue to grow and the expectations will continue to grow. Our program is now in a good place where we have girls competing for spots. It makes for fun practices.”
“Katie had a productive offseason. Between playing with the Purple Aces, playing in showcases, fall leagues, skills workouts, the weight room, and open gyms, she has played a lot of basketball. Her skill set continues to improve. She needs to continue working on adjusting to the speed of the game and sharpening her defensive IQ. I believe with her positive attitude and desire to get better that those things will come,” added Chris.
“One thing that really stands out to me about Katie is how detailed she is in sharing her experiences,” said Chris. “She is just as excited to tell you that she is running for class president as she is about how she played in a basketball game.”
“Last year we did a leadership development program with our varsity girls,” said Chris. “We discussed all sorts of different topics relevant to high school-aged kids. Katie was always actively involved in the discussions. For her to be a freshman sharing her own thoughts and opinions with older girls in the room was awesome to see. I also think it is pretty neat to see when kids have an idea of what they want to do when they get older. I learned this past summer from when she was telling me about her trip to Washington DC that she wants to be involved with Congress when she gets older. She loves the idea of being involved with the idea of change. That’s a lot of insight from a sophomore to be in high school. It’s important to acknowledge kids for all that they do. They are much more than the sport that they play.”
“Katie is a great kid,” said Chris. “She has potential to do some awesome stuff on the basketball court and in her academic career.”
In the classroom, Katie also excels in the classroom currently holding a 4.15 GPA and just recently earning Academic All State Honors.
“With all these people by my side I am able to discover who I am and what I’m capable of,” added Katie.
“During these difficult times I know there is no excuse for getting out and work out and working on your game,” said Katie. “Specifically, I’ve been taking runs to stay in shape and also going to workout and lift. I’ve been working on my handle, doing dribbling at home, going to the shooting cages to perfect my shot, and doing drills at the gym or at home to simply get better.”
“Basketball has always been an outlet and something I’ve continued to work on,” said Katie. “With goals and dreams in mind, I don’t ever plan to stop working.”
Photo Credit: D.King of Images and Charles Brehm
WOW, awesome. Wishing you the best in all that you do. Plus good health and happiness. Keep on keeping on my dear.