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By JEFF DEAN Times Leader Sports Correspondent
Tuesday, January 25, 2000 Page: 1B
After playing just a handful of minutes in two varsity games last year,
sophomore Jamie Kauczka came into this season with a simple goal: to start on
the varsity squad before the end of the season. Halfway through the season,
the Wyoming Valley West forward has done that – and a whole lot more.
Averaging 14.9 points per game, along with six rebounds and six steals,
Kauczka looks to have a strong hold on her starting spot. In a 77-44 rout of
Mahanoy Area last week, Kauczka led her team with 17 points. In December, in
an 80-45 loss to top-ranked Abington Heights, the 5-foot-10-inch player scored
22. And though it seems that Kauczka has come out of nowhere, coach Rich
Nemetz isn’t surprised by her performance. “We’ve been watching Jamie for a
while,” he said. “She was a good player in the elementary and middle school
programs. And last year, as a freshman, she learned from an experienced team.
Now it’s her turn, and she’s making the best of it.” Nemetz said she has been
the team’s go-to player ever since some players were injured earlier in the
season. “Jamie’s right-handed,” he added, “but at times I think her left
hand is stronger than her right. She has moves that college players don’t
have.”
Asked about the transformation from deep bench to starting five, Kauczka
credited her coach and an off-season spent playing basketball. Last summer,
Kauczka worked as a counselor at a basketball camp in Pittston, played on the
championship team in a regional three-on-three tournament and played in the
junior national tournament with her AAU team. “I knew I would have to work
hard to start,” said Kauczka. “If I wasn’t playing tournaments, I would go
down to the rec center and play five-on-five with the guys there. I’m
surprised to be in this role, but I’m very happy with the way things have
gone.” Getting to Know: Jamie Kauczka Age: 15 Family: Parents Joseph and
Dorothy; brother Jason, 17. Hometown: Kingston Favorite Book: “Chicken Soup
for the Teenage Soul.” It deals with problems real people have. I find that
inspiring.