After meeting Emily Koziol for the first time, Hinsdale South senior guard Sydney Kopp was immediately impressed by the then-junior high basketball star.
“She was in seventh grade going into eighth,” Kopp said. “I thought, ‘We could use her. She has skills — dang, this kid could be really good.'”
Now a 5-foot-8 freshman on the Hornets, Koziol has counted on senior teammate Kopp to be a mentor.
“Emily is way better than I was as a freshman,” Kopp said. “If she continues to work hard, she’ll be an amazing player.”
That’s saying something, because Kopp is having her best season while averaging 23.8 points per game. When Kopp scored 40 points on Nov. 27 against Plainfield South, she tied the single-game scoring record of her own mentor, Toni Romiti, who was a senior when Kopp was a freshman.
“Sydney has been my role model,” said Koziol, a Darien resident. “Before I was a freshman, I would come to watch games to see Sydney play. I remember Toni and the seniors on that team.”
Koziol played at Darien Eisenhower in junior high and on a feeder team coached by her father, Mark. She joined the Lady Hornets beginning in fifth grade with freshman teammate Andrea Nkansah, who is another varsity reserve.
More Top Picks Best Flameworking Torches For Glass Bead Artists
“She is very poised out on the floor,” Love said. “She’s calm, relaxed and can shoot with the best of them. Defense is her strongest part — defense and shooting.”
Before the season, Love asked Kopp if she could look out for Koziol, who is one of three freshmen on the varsity but the only one who plays regularly. When teammates go out to eat, Kopp said she makes sure Koziol is included.
“Everyone knows that Emily next year will play varsity. I wanted someone to help her,” Love said. “Getting out there on the court, I think she could be more aggressive, but part of that is being a freshman. It’s OK. We’ll work on that next year.”
Love said Koziol must avoid the mental mistakes typical of inexperienced players. For instance, Koziol took an ill-advised shot late in a game when the Hornets (15-7, 6-2) had a lead.
“The biggest challenge knowing you are a freshman on the team, is getting that offensive mind,” Koziol said. “I already have a basketball IQ, but sometimes on the court, I blank out. I’ve got to get to thinking in every game.”
Koziol started a couple games this season. She scored a season-high 17 points on Dec. 15 in Hinsdale South’s 73-68 West Suburban Gold victory at Willowbrook. In that game, Kopp scored 26 points.
“At the beginning of the season, my main goal was to get as much time as I was capable of playing,” Koziol said. “Starting would be a huge thing for me, but I’ve got that goal.”
Twitter @geomwilcox