KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The stigma 'player's coach' gets thrown around different teams in various sports to describe a coach who embraces the individuality of their team and enables players to have a say in how the team operates. Senior
Karen Lapkiewicz (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) of the Kutztown University women's basketball team epitomizes the opposite, a 'coach's player'.
Lapkiewicz did whatever was asked of her by her coaches. She was a hybrid player that could compete at any of the five positions on the court, from the point guard to the center. Head coach
Janet Malouf and her staff needed her to play in a number of different spots, but always wanted to find ways to get her into the lineup.
"Coming into Kutztown from high school was definitely a change," said Lapkiewicz. "High school and collegiate basketball were different in the sense of demand (but not in a bad way). More lifting, running, and better competition every day. That is what made my time here at KU so special; the drive every day to get better and be the best for my team. Eventually, at practice, coaches saw my drive and willingness to play any and all positions for the team, and I became a starter during my freshman year. From then on, I had been a starter. That meant a lot to me because the coaches believed in my ability and gave me confidence. Coaches could just throw me on the court anywhere because I knew all plays in every position, so it was harder for the other team to defend. There have been ups and downs, but that is to be expected, but being a KU student-athlete has helped me in all aspects of my life and I am appreciative of that moving forward."
The Southampton native may not have been highly sought after coming out of a Golden Bears pipeline in Saint Basil Academy, but she worked at every aspect of her game to be able to not only contribute to the team, but be a prominent player the moment she stepped on campus.
"I remember when Karen came into my office as a recruit," said Malouf. "She was visiting our campus with her mom, who had graduated from KU. Karen wanted to be on the team and we took her as a walk-on. I could not have made a better decision. Karen was one of our hardest workers and became one of our top players during her time at KU. She became an all-conference player as a junior and we couldn't have been happier for her. I believe that she would have made all-conference again as a senior were it not for a season-ending injury. Karen was deeply involved with KU as a SAAC member, business clubs on campus and an ambassador of our program. Karen will graduate as a business administration/finance major with a minor in computer science. Karen enjoyed talking about KU to all our recruits and making them feel comfortable. She was an excellent student, team player and captain and she will be sorely missed."
Lapkiewicz, a two-year team captain, became a regular in Malouf's lineup from her first time putting on Maroon and Gold, to her final contest, a game at Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) rival East Stroudsburg on Feb. 12, when she suffered an injury that forced her to miss the remaining five regular season games and PSAC First Round playoff game. She started in all 23 games prior, averaging 9.1 points per game and a career-high 4.2 rebounds per game, while leading the PSAC in free-throw percentage (.870). Lapkiewicz finished her career with 910 points, 405 rebounds, 194 assists and 103 steals in 113 games.
"A career-ending injury is something I would never wish upon anyone and it was really hard knowing that I was that close to 1,000," Lapkiewicz said. "Looking back, I was just more in shock because I have never had a serious injury before. It was really tough for me personally because I didn't want to feel like I let the team down, but I also needed to be strong for my team, being their senior captain. It was difficult on senior day and the playoff game to not to be playing, but it made me realize and appreciate the great games and accomplishments I have had through my four years. Even though my senior season was cut short, I want to thank my coaches for the three years of receiving the [KU] coaches award, because it shows they believed and trusted me as a person and a player."
With graduation this weekend and her career as a Kutztown University student-athlete seemingly in the rearview mirror, Lapkiewicz looks back on her decision as a high school student, knowing she will leave KU as a better person.
"I chose Kutztown because of the business majors and accreditation, along with the computer science program," said Lapkiewicz. "Kutztown is about an hour and 15 mins away from home, the campus was beautiful, and of course the basketball program was the icing on the cake. Also, my parents always told me to pick a school because you like it, not just for basketball, because basketball will eventually end. Even if I got hurt earlier in my career, I still would have picked this school because everything else was the right fit for me."
Off the court, Lapkiewicz kept herself busy and gave the women's basketball program a positive light in public. She was a multiple PSAC Scholar-Athlete and a women's basketball Student Athlete Advisory Committee Representative. Just like most collegiate student-athletes, Lapkiewicz's schedule is jam packed from the time she wakes up in the morning to when she falls back asleep.
"A normal day for me is usually very busy," Lapkiewicz said. "The night before a crazy day I would pack up all of my books, lifting and practice gear, just so I'm prepared. I always tried to have early classes so I could go right from class to lunch. From classes and lunch, I would go to lift and then get any schoolwork done if I could before practice. Once the season gets into full swing, we usually have film before every practice so we can scout our opposition. After, I would ice bath or go right to dinner, then finish some homework before a SAAC meeting, then go to bed. As a freshman I thankfully got used to the busy schedule and enjoyed having a lot to do each day. It definitely made me more proactive with my homework and have better time management skills that I can take with me after college."
Lapkiewicz is now in the process of interviewing for positions in the finance field, and will also be looking into getting some certifications to help broaden her skill set to become a great analyst. She is about two months post-ACL surgery, so she hopes to be running soon and continuing physical therapy to eventually getting back to sports and basketball for fun in the future.