Senior Spotlight 2021: Sophia Wisotzki
In our new series, senior spotlights we are excited to share with you features on VK Basketball's class of 2021 high school grads, all of whom have plans to continue their basketball careers while at post-secondary this fall. These seniors had many things taken away from them and we are excited to take this opportunity to celebrate them and all of their accomplishments. We hope you will follow along as we share them with you!
After a two-year break from being on the court with her sister Jessica Wisotzki, Walnut Grove graduate Sophia Wisotzki will suit up in red and white to join her big sister once again. Playing on top of Burnaby Mountain for Simon Fraser University, Canada’s only NCAA team, Wisotzki is excited to study Kinesiology.
In high school, Wisotzki was unstoppable; from dropping a career-high 49 points or winning back-to-back defensive player of the year at the AAAA provincial championships, she was a force on both ends of the court. Although she knows players at the university level will be stronger and the game more intense, Covid has given her more time to focus on individual skills and take weightlifting seriously. By working out with her sister, she has been able to get a head start on the SFU program, better preparing her for September.
Wisotzki credits VK basketball for much of her development as a player and all the opportunities that came with it. Her favourite memories are traveling to Philadelphia and New York, where her team faced tough competition yet brought home many wins. Memorably, her VK team won their division at the prestigious Run for Roses tournament in Louisville, Kentucky.
VK coach Anthony Beyrouti has always been impressed with the younger Wisotski, and when asked about her, he had this to say: “Not only a lockdown defender, Soph is a drop-dead shooter who can hit from anywhere. Who she is on the court is surpassed only by the force she is off the court. I expect big things from her on and off the court and can’t wait to see the many great things ahead.”
Wisotzki has been building a relationship with Simon Fraser head coach Bruce Langford for the past several years. When asked about her potential impact on the team, Coach Langford has said: "Sophia's athleticism fits nicely into our goals of being more aggressive on the defensive side of the ball," and that "She is quick and one of the best on the ball defenders in high school. She can play an aggressive full-court style."
You will be able to spot her signature hesitation move this fall as the GNAC conference hopefully returns to regular play this fall. Sophia is excited for the level of competition it will bring and is counting down the days until her career at SFU starts.
Thank you for following along and celebrating the class of 2021 with us, be sure to check out the other features all on our website, bcsportshub.com .