Every time she steps foot on the court, senior Lindsey Kapanoske is motivated by a strong bond with her teammates, striving to excel not only for herself but for all of them.
Like many, she was encouraged to play basketball — along with a myriad of other sports — by her parents at a young age, sticking with it after her other sports and participating in several club teams before joining La Salle’s basketball program.
Ultimately, it was the basketball community which helped Kapanoske stay committed to the sport, along with how she felt that, on the court, she played not just for herself as an individual but for the entire team.
“[Basketball] is not like any other sport,” she said, emphasizing the open, tight-knit team environment. “Even if we sometimes have fights and things like that, we know that [we’re] family, you’re going to fight with them, but you’re still going to love them no matter what.”
Besides initially encouraging her to participate in basketball, her mother has also played a crucial role in inspiring and motivating Kapanoske through her journey.
“My mom, she doesn’t really know anything about basketball… but that’s okay, because she’s kind of learned how to play the sport with me, and she’s always encouraged me to do it,” she said. “I think that’s just made me want to keep playing, because I know that I have somebody supporting me.”
Family is extremely important to Kapanoske, and even though there is a significant age gap between her and her two siblings, they have always been the people she is closest to.
Whether it be spending time watching professional or college-level basketball, traveling with her family, or hanging out with her 200 lb dog Lewis, she has deeply treasured all of her time spent with her family.
Kapanoske said that in her experience, juggling academics has been manageable. While her difficult schedule consists of practice after school for most of the year, she tries to delegate her time wisely, bringing home little schoolwork after having used class time effectively.
During freshman year, she took Guitar 1, expecting it to be an easy class as she has been playing the guitar since a young age. However, this year Kapanoske was convinced by Choir, Guitar, and Religious Studies Teacher Mr. Otto Wild to take the Advanced Guitar course, which has quickly become one of her favorite classes.
“He’s like one of the best humans on the entire Earth, and he’s just such a chill guy, and he makes class fun,” she said. “It’s a class, but it’s [also] a nice break in the middle of a hard day, and he always just makes my day good.”
Her personal goal this year was to be a leader on the court, hoping to make a positive impact on her teammates. She feels that in her new role as a point guard, she has found success as a leader.
For new people considering getting into basketball, “I would just say enjoy it and push through because the seasons are really long,” she said. “And you just got to recognize that the people around you are your family, and everybody wants you to be there.”
Though she dearly loves the sport and its community, she recognizes its challenges.
Personally, the obstacles she has faced include a myriad of injuries over the years that have forced her to take extended breaks, each of which she has pushed through with the support of her teammates.
“I would say on the court, my teammates keep me motivated,” she said. “You’re not playing for yourself, you’re playing for the good of others, and you should be giving… everything you have, every time you go out there, because you never know when it’s going to be your last time.”
And with the perspective of a senior in her last year at La Salle, Kapanoske said that she has focused on trying to make the most of every moment.
“I feel like the more I go through high school, the more I realize, four years have gone by really fast,” she said. “And [I] just [have] to remember that I should be thinking about the next day not a month ahead or a year ahead, but trying to just live every moment I can, because [I’m] graduating soon, and life’s going to change a lot.”
