Athletics are a popular extracurricular activity in high school and Marquette Catholic High School is no exception. The girls basketball program has always had a large presence in student life, and in the past few years, the team has gone from just another high school team to a successful, well-known team.
This group of players were coached into becoming not just a team, but a hardworking family. In 2018, the team made it to state and won. Instead of just sitting back and taking in their success, the team’s win made them push themselves even further. They practiced and practiced, working together all the way. In 2019, they found themselves back at the state championship at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse with the earned slogan, “Back to Bank.''
After a grueling game, they won the state title again. The team rejoiced, but knew that it would be their last championship together. The seniors on the team that year then graduated, signing with well-known colleges to play women’s basketball at a higher level. Marquette is extremely proud to have helped with the success of the students and to have prepared them for their success to come.
Marquette has a fresh set of faces on the girls basketball team this year. Although they have not made it to state yet, they appear to be a very promising team. They are described as gritty, young, and resilient by their head coach, Katie Collignon.
The girls on the team have not only found a team, but a family. For them, basketball is about more than just winning; it is about the relationships you form and the skills you learn from the game. Basketball at Marquette is not just a sport, but a learning experience. Through the team, girls learn teamwork, self-discipline, multitasking, and leadership skills.
Coach Collignon claims that they are the fastest team she has ever coached at Marquette. The team has a lot of underclassmen and beginners, but with a bit of hard work, she believes that they will bring Marquette back to state once again.
Collignon has coached at Marquette for five years, and previously coached at the college level for four years before coming to Marquette.
“I have been playing basketball most of my life, but I did not start ‘officially’ playing until the third grade. I haven’t stopped playing since,” Collignon said.
Before landing her coaching job at Marquette, Collignon had a job as an accountant and then as a trainer. She believes that both of these positions led her to grown into the coach that she is today,
“I have to be well-organized, communicate at a high level, and look at all the details all while having a positive, motivating personality and managing my time wisely,” Collignon said.
Collignon loves coaching because she gets to motivate the athletes to be their best. She believes Marquette cannot just be described by one thing, and that it has a family-like atmosphere. She said Marquette pushes people to be the best that they can be and provides them with the means to do so. Collignon hopes that the team will make it back to state and continue to go year after year.
Freshman Shena Fleming is one of the most promising young players on the girl’s basketball team at Marquette. She started her basketball journey in the fourth grade, and fell in love with the game. Fleming sees basketball as not just a high school sport, but as an opportunity.
“It has the ability to teach me more than just basketball related things,” Fleming said.” “It teaches me different ways to prepare for my future beyond basketball.”
Basketball has taught her time management and how to work as part of a team. Fleming balances her homework, social life, freshman class representative duties, basketball, and participation in the Amateur Athletic Union, a youth sports organization, during her summers.
“When I know that I have a game or practice, I make sure that I am ahead in every way possible,” Fleming said.
Her favorite things about Marquette are how close everyone is, and how she never feels afraid to ask a question or talk to someone new. Fleming’s advice to incoming freshmen is to try new things and set aside their worries.
“Marquette is a very wonderful place and has people who will welcome you with open arms.”