Tyler Hertzler

Writer

Dribbling her way through her senior year at Marlow High School, Elaina Kuhlman has been playing basketball at Marlow since her seventh grade year.

She started playing in third grade before playing at Marlow.

Thinking back through all her years playing basketball, Kuhlman described her biggest accomplishment in basketball.

“Last year we had a whole brand new team. We did not have any seniors, so all the juniors had to step up and be the seniors, and we only really had two players that had a bunch of experience,” Kuhlman described. “We made it all the way to the second game of the Area Playoffs which was a big accomplishment for us.”

 Through Kuhlman’s many years of playing basketball, she has learned many different life lessons from basketball.

“I have learned that not everything goes your way; you still have to keep working, keep fighting, even though everything is going to go wrong even when you don’t want it to sometimes,” Kuhlman explained.

Not only has Kuhlman learned many life skills from playing basketball, but her fellow teammates have learned how to strive for excellence from her.

Junior Lyvia Bateman described her experiences with Kuhlman.

“I have learned from Elaina to stay strong and keep pushing through whatever life throws at you,” Bateman said. “Elaina is a big defensive player, and she helps the team with that a lot.

She shoots the ball from the outside very well.”

While Kuhlman has learned many lessons through basketball, including perseverance, she has made memories along the way, with members of the basketball team, including the managers.

Sharing some of her fondest memories, team manager senior Madison Contreras told of her experiences with Kuhlman.

“My favorite memories with Elaina always include her spirit. As a manager, I have a thankless job, but she always comes off the sidelines and pats me on the back or thanks me for being there,” said Contreras. “Even when the players are given gifts for making playoffs or regionals, she has always thought of the managers. She has always been a big part of keeping the team spirit alive, even in those outside of the players.”

After high school, Kuhlman plans to study forensic psychology, forensic science and criminal psychology at a college of her choice.