#1StudentNWI: Marquette Catholic Blazers Push Forward

#1StudentNWI: Marquette Catholic Blazers Push Forward

Recently happened

Now that there is snow on the ground, basketball season can begin. The Lady Blazers have already started their season and hold a 14-2 record. To start off the basketball season for both girls and boys, an event called “Marquette Madness” was held. MQT Madness consisted of both teams playing against each other, fan contests, and introducing the players of both teams.

One player, Emma Nolan, commented, “I really enjoyed the games at Marquette Madness.”

Another player, Jorden Goodwin, said, “Marquette Madness just shows how much Blazer pride everyone has. It is heartening knowing that what we do, we do it for a reason. We win these games for the Blazers.”

The event was a great success, but more importantly, was able to help out the less fortunate at the same time. Fans attending the event had two options: donate two canned food items or pay $5 to enter. Most fans chose the first option and over 300 canned food items were collected for the local Sacred Heart Food Pantry. This is a wonderful example of how sports and service can be intertwined.

Student Spotlight

1Student-Marquette-Jan-2018-03You may have heard her name before: Mackenzie Marovich, outstanding Lady Blazer basketball player at MQT. She plays as a shooting guard and forward. Basketball hasn’t always been in her blood, although she did start playing at age 3.

Marovich said, “Soccer was always the main sport in my family, so when I decided to branch off and play basketball I thought I’d get disowned. I fell in love with the sport. My parents joke because a family friend put a small basketball in my hands when I was 18 months old.”

Sports isn’t the only important thing for Marovich, she also takes her studies seriously. Most student athletes know how hard it is to manage both academics and athletics. The key, according to Marovich, is time management.

“I had to learn how to balance my homework and utilize my free time away from basketball. It’s important that I am a STUDENT athlete, student coming first,” said Marovich.

Marovich’s future plans include attending a college where she can play basketball and also major in English with a double minor in creative writing and education. But referring to this basketball season, Mack is “looking forward to playing top competition and making the most of my last season with my family (aka the team).”

Her favorite part of Marquette is being able to play the sport she loves while representing the school she loves.

Staff Spotlight

1Student-Marquette-Jan-2018-02Although she may not be a teacher, athletic director Mrs. Katie Collignon has a immense impact on many of the students at MQT, especially the athletes she coaches. Known as Coach K to many, Mrs. Collignon coaches the Lady Blazers basketball team and cross country. Her daily agenda is a plethora of things: scheduling and working on the logistics of the sporting events, manning the Scholl Center, checking up on the equipment, and the most importantly, communication between athletes, parents, and coaches.

Mrs. Collignon also has the opportunity to work with her husband, Mr. Brad Collignon, who works in public relations. They are both really compatible and similar which makes working together easier.

Collignon said, “Having Brad by my side working events, games, meetings, etc. really is a blessing and makes everything more enjoyable.”

How did she end up here? After graduating, Collignon moved out east to work in a health and fitness club.

Collignon said, “Although I did work a lot with the general population, I gravitated toward training athletes or athletic teams.”

Collignon then became an assistant coach at Valpo University and began her masters in Sports Management. Her passion for sports began when she was 5 years old as a soccer player. She loved it a lot, but basketball began to take over; she loved the excitement and magic of the game.

Collignon said, “Basketball is just an absolutely beautiful game. It is a game that embodies teamwork, energy, excitement, and competitiveness.”

This lead her to be the coach for the Lady Blazers, who’s 2017 season ended in double overtime at semi-state. Luckily all 5 starters returned.

“Two of our players surpassed the 1000th point mark for their career this season and we have many others that are leading the state in assists, rebounds, and steals. As a team, we are up in almost every category from last year which is definitely something to be proud of," said Collingnon.

The team is “constantly improving so that we are playing our best basketball come February.”

What’s coming up

1Student-Marquette-Jan-2018-01The Lady Blazers schedule:

  • 1/13 @ Home vs Bishop McNamara High School @ 3pm
  • 1/15 @ Marian Catholic High School @ 1:30pm
  • 1/16 @ LaLumiere @ 7pm
  • 1/19 @ Home vs South Bend St. Joseph @ 6:30pm
  • 1/25 @ Culver Academies @ 7pm
  • 1/27 vs Gary Lighthouse College Prep Academy @ 1:30pm
  • Sectionals begin on Tuesday, January 30th.

The girls’ basketball team is a family. Having traveled all over Indiana together, the team are extremely close.

Morgan Crook, who plays a guard, said that the biggest lesson she has learned from basketball is teamwork.

“All players on the court have to work together or the outcome won’t be what you want, and that is exactly like life,” said Crook.

Crook also remarked how lucky she was to have her team who have the “biggest hearts.” The postseason this year is what most people are waiting for.

Emmery Joseph, point guard, expressed what she is looking forward to is the possibility of a great postseason.

“I think if we stay focused we can have a lot of success this year,” said Joseph.

The fans are important, and the basketball team doesn't let that slip from their sight.

Jorden Goodwin added, “This season, I am looking forward to tournament time. I am looking forward to all the support by the boys’ team and the rest of the Marquette

The Lady Blazers have 6 more games until their post season so come out and support them. As Mrs. Collignon said, “Our goal is to play as hard and well as we possibly can, as a team, until there is no more Indiana H.S. basketball left to play this season.”