Senior Kaitlyn Parker has dominated the Purple Palace on both the court and soccer field for the past four years. During her senior season, Parker led the Lady Trojans Basketball team to a historic run; they became conference champions for the first time since 2014 and completed their regular season with an impressive 28-3 record. Parker then went on to be named to the IHSA All-State honorable mention team.
“Watching Kaitlyn work hard to persevere through the mental aspect of the game and come out on top, shooting the ball with confidence and playing at a high level was a pretty special thing to see as a coach,” head girls’ basketball coach Stephan Bolt said.
During her senior year, Parker wore the captain’s band for the basketball and soccer teams.
“Kaitlyn has a positive presence on the field and knows how to get the whole team engaged and ready for the game,” soccer teammate and senior Annika Isacson said.
Parker was recognized by Chicagoland soccer as a player on the All-State watch list for the class of 2024, and has started in all conference games so far in her senior season.
“She is a hard worker, and she’s always willing to put the team before herself and do anything to make sure the team wins. I’m really proud of her,” teammate and senior Annie Stephens said.
Parker is far from a lucky talent, her hard work and perseverance separate her from competition. Whether it’s for ten minutes or two hours, she will always find a way to train or work on her shot.
“I am sad to leave behind all the bonds I have made throughout playing this sport. I have played with most of the girls on the basketball team since sixth grade so it’s sad to not share a court anymore, but I am excited about the opportunity to compete against top-tier athletes, push myself, and continuously improve my skills at the college level,” Parker said.
Parker will be fulfilling her childhood dreams of playing basketball at the collegiate level and will compete at Roosevelt University next year.
“I believe that Kaitlyn has all the tools to be extremely successful at the next level. I am very proud of her,” Bolt said.
