Antioch’s Enza Nawrocki isn’t a typical multisport athlete.
The senior guard is in her fourth varsity season in basketball but has participated in a different fall sport in each year of high school. This past fall, Nawrocki ran cross country, and she has also played field hockey, tennis and golf.
“It’s definitely part of my personality,” she said. “I like to try new things, but I didn’t plan on this at all. In my freshman and sophomore year, I just ended up switching sports. But by my junior year, I figured I might as well try them all.”
Nawrocki said she has learned things about herself.
“Putting myself in uncomfortable situations helped me,” she said. “People usually don’t want to pick a new sport in their senior year. It made me grow, being in uncomfortable situations. It was important to me. I met so many more people. It gave me confidence to say I can pick up something and do it well if I work hard at it.”
Nawrocki knows she can do well if she sticks with a sport too. After three left ankle injuries slowed her last basketball season, Nawrocki is playing both guard spots for Antioch, hitting 3-pointers and providing leadership for the younger players.
“This year, everything has kind of come together for me,” she said. “I’ve always had moments of success, but this year I’ve been more consistent. Most notably, I’ve improved my shot. I’m finally consistently putting in threes in games.”
Nawrocki is averaging 5.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals for the Sequoits (9-9, 6-2), who have won four straight games and moved into third place in the Northern Lake County Conference.
“She struggled to work through her ankle injuries last year, but she’s come back stronger this year,” Antioch coach Jamie D’Andrea said. “She is our highest-percentage 3-point shooter, knocking down a team-high 23. She has developed a strong understanding of the game over her time in our program.”
D’Andrea said Nawrocki, a captain, plays multiple roles for the Sequoits.
“She is the one I go to in order to understand the team’s mindset,” D’Andrea said. “Enza is the player I count on to relay information to the team. She is someone I can talk to honestly about the team’s progress, as well as her own. She is receptive to feedback and her game because she is always looking to improve.”
Antioch junior guard Heidi Rathmann, who is averaging a team-high 16.8 points, said Nawrocki pulls the team together.
“Enza is a leader at the school, and it’s something she naturally brings to the court,” Rathmann said. “She leads our school spirit squad. She’s been in the underclassman mentoring program for several years. We all naturally look to her for basically everything.
“‘Cohesion’ is the word I would use to describe what Enza brings to the team. She helped ease my way into the varsity program. She included me in Starbucks runs with the older girls and made me feel welcome.”
Antioch junior small forward Addie Webb, an integral part of the softball team’s run to second place in Class 3A last year, understands Nawrocki’s importance too.
“Enza is a great team captain,” Webb said. “She not only thrives on the court, but also behind the scenes. She does so much for the team that no one knows about.
“Enza is always looking out for her teammates and always brings a positive mentality to the team. On the court, she is a great ballhandler and is an offensive threat.”
Nawrocki isn’t planning to play another sport after basketball season, but she’s a member of the school’s newspaper staff. She specializes in lifestyle and sports writing.
“Interviewing people and learning about different topics I’m going to write about is fun for me,” she said. “Sports has really helped me talk to different people.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
