When Kaia Waldrop saw her name go up on the school’s all-time scoring board, she didn’t just make history; she surpassed the legacy of one of her biggest supporters, her coach.
Waldrop, a senior, recently committed to play basketball at Grand Valley State University in Michigan.
“It is truly a privilege to be in this position and to show others that with determination and focus, anything is possible,” said Waldrop.
The coach she passed in scoring is Assistant Varsity Head Coach Eliza Campbell, who played basketball at UW-Oshkosh.
During her junior year, Waldrop tore her ACL, which was a major setback during her high school career.
“Coming off her ACL injury, she needed to trust her knee again, and I think that has shown game by game this year,” said Varsity Head Coach Sara Rhode.
“One of my goals this year was to improve my preparation to reduce the risk of re-injury and perform at my best,” said Waldrop.
A major figure during both of these athletes’ careers is Coach Rhode.
“Coach Rhode sets you up for success, but you also have to do your work and keep getting better,” said Campbell.
Every player except one who is on the top scoring board has been coached by Rhode.
Waldrop is recognized on the team as being a leader and being very vocal on the court.
She does not rely solely on being more athletic but recognizes her teammates as a major step in this athletic achievement.
During Waldrop’s basketball career at Notre Dame the team has won two back-to-back state championships.
The senior standout also wanted to recognize her AAU coach and her mother among those who have had a major impact on her journey.
“We have spent countless long days, weekends, and conversations together, all of which helped shape who I am today and supported me in reaching this goal,” said Waldrop in praising her mother.
Coach Campbell sees small aspects of herself in Kaia’s game but also recognizes that they are very different players.
“I think Kaia and Eliza are competitive by nature, which always pushes others to be their best,” said Rhode.
