By Dylan Kalkoske Posted December 20, 2016
The Steph Curry of the girls’ varsity basketball team, Brooklyn Backus, was chosen as December’s Student-Athlete of the Issue.
Backus is a two-sport athlete who participates in golf in the fall and basketball in the winter.
Backus started playing basketball when she was young. When she entered high school, she was on the freshman team her first year, JV her sophomore year, and varsity her junior and senior years.
Backus also started golfing when she was 8 years old. At that time, her family lived across from the golf course, so she spent most of her time there learning the sport. Backus has golfed for the varsity girls’ team all four years of her high school career.
Her senior golf season didn’t go as she had planned.
Backus said, “Golf didn’t go as well as we had hoped, but it wasn’t terrible.”
When Backus was asked which sport she preferred, she said basketball.
Lowry girls varsity basketball coach Chelsea Cabatbat said she is very proud of how far Backus has progressed as a player throughout her four years of playing for the program.
“Brooklyn Backus is a very hard worker,” said Cabatbat. “I have been very impressed with Brooklyn’s leadership skills this season. She is always very positive and encouraging to her teammates. She plays a very important role on our team. Over the last four years, she has really improved in every part of the game. She is a hard worker who puts in time to better herself and the others around her.”
Backus thinks this year’s season will be a great season for the ladies.
“I think the season will be great, we have lots of potential,” said Backus.
Backus’s parents played a large part in her active and sports life.
“My parents have definitely influenced my love for sports, and they push me to do my best.”
When Backus isn’t at school or at practice, you will probably find her taking a nap. But sometimes it might not be too easy to take a peaceful nap with all five of her younger siblings running around the house.
After high school, Backus had a better idea than staying at home and napping. Backus is a senior and has plans after this year to attend Brigham Young University and major in Exercise Physiology. After college, she wants to pursue a career as a physical therapist to follow in her father’s footsteps.
As well as pursuing a career in physical therapy, she wants to travel the world, see new places, and adventure to places she has never been.
