A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: Caity Stec, Springdale

By: Abby King
Monday, January 2, 2023 | 1:42 PM

Now that all the presents are unwrapped, high school basketball is back and ready to dig into section play.

Springdale began the pre-holiday portion of its schedule by winning two of its first three games, and among the talented players on the roster is senior center and captain Caity Stec.

“I think our success level comes more from talent than the roster size,” Stec said. “In some years, we did good, and in others we did bad. Honestly, it’s just the talent and mentality coming into the roster that helps us do either better or worse.”

Caity is the daughter of Henry and Katherine Stec. She also is a member of the soccer team. She has been playing basketball since her freshman year.

“My dad and I used to play when I was younger,” Stec said. “We’d go out and shoot hoops. The team needed more players my freshman year, and I did it for fun. And from there, I found a love for it.”

Stec took some time out of her schedule to sit down and answer some questions for a senior spotlight Q&A:

What did the team do in the offseason to get off to a quick start?

In the summer, we practiced three times a week. Many of us also play soccer, and we try to make it work with our schedules.

What are the team goals for the season?

As a team, we want to grow and get better. Every game, we see more and more of the team we can and want to be.

How do you view your role on the team?

Even though I am a center, my main role is to serve as a leader. It is important to make sure that everyone knows what is going on at all times and to help the younger players with anything they need.

Tell me a little bit about soccer and how it prepares you for basketball.

This past soccer season was the most memorable season. It was very surreal and had a lot of memories that I will always remember. It prepared me in terms of conditioning as the coach had us running every day.

How do you feel about your final season starting?

It’s very sad knowing I will never get these memories back, but I’m going to keep going and try my best this season.

Grace Gent is one of the top scorers in the area. Tell me a little bit about what it’s like to play alongside her.

Grace is the most wholesome person I have ever met. She will help you through anything, and, on the court, she takes control and tells us what we need to do to make us better.

How do you feel about taking on teams such as Greensburg Central Catholic and Ellis School in section play this year?

It might be a challenge, but if we have the mentality that we can win, we have every fighting chance against anyone in the section. Our mentality is key.

What are your future plans?

Right now, the plan is to attend CCAC and play basketball. The head coach is one of our teachers at Springdale, and I’ve been talking to him about playing there.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to leave with your teammates?

Give it all you’ve got. Never give up. You got this.

Tags: Springdale