“I knew that going to Wartburg West was something I wanted to do, and I was willing to find a way to do it.”
– Katie Sommer ’18
CLASS YEAR: 2018
HOMETOWN: Marion
MAJOR: Physical education
INVOLVEMENT ON CAMPUS: Basketball team, Student Athlete Advisory Council
WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO FIND A WAY TO ATTEND WARTBURG WEST: I love to travel. I feel like there is so much out in the world, and I want to explore as much of it as I can while I can. It was important to me because I plan on living in a big city, and I think it is so important to live and experience it before committing to it. That was a big reason why I lived in Nashville, Tenn., this summer. I knew that going to Wartburg West was something I wanted to do, and I was willing to find a way to do it.
HOW DID YOU APPROACH THE TOPIC WITH YOUR COACH: I first mentioned it to Coach Amsberry while I was sitting in his class (Theory of Basketball). I didn’t really talk seriously about it, but just sort of mentioned it to him. Once I realized that this opportunity was possible, I sat down in his office and told him what my plans were. He was very supportive of this because he knew it was something I wanted to do. He trusts that I will put in the work and get shots up while I am in Denver and is excited for me!
HOW DID YOU MAKE WARTBURG WEST WORK FOR YOU: It is hard to travel for school when you are involved in athletics, but after many phone calls, emails, meetings, and compromising we finally found a way to do it. With student teaching you are required to fulfill two, seven-week placements at different schools. With basketball season not starting until Oct. 15, I knew that I had the free time to travel the first two months of school and complete one of those seven-week placements.
WHAT CONCESSIONS, IF ANY, DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE TO GO TO DENVER: I will miss pre-season, but Wartburg West does offer a gym and weight room so I will be able to fulfill my preseason workouts there. Pre-season is a good time to meet the new freshman on the team, so I will have to make an effort to get to know them through text messaging and other forms of communication.
HOW WILL YOU PREPARE FOR THE SEASON WHILE IN DENVER: I will be getting a membership at the YMCA in downtown Denver. That facility allows me to get some shots up and use the weight room. It is a very nice facility. I also plan on connecting with a buddy I met on the Brazil trip to get some workouts from him. He plays for Colorado College, which isn’t too far from where I am staying. Coach also gave us a workout packet that we can do to improve our game. I will also be receiving a workout/lifting packet from our strength and conditioning coach, which will help me keep up with what the team is doing.
WHY HAS YOUR WARTBURG EXPERIENCE BEEN WORTH IT: I am a part of something bigger than myself when playing basketball. I have grown so much not only as a player, but as a person. A lot of that has to do with my teammates, coaches, and the Wartburg community. Wartburg has given me the opportunity to travel. I have been to Florida for softball, Barcelona for basketball, and I am heading to California this year for basketball. Wartburg has also prepared me for what I want to do after college, and I am forever grateful for all the connections and opportunities I have gotten while at Wartburg.