FHS point guard to play for MLC

For Courtney Kavan, the best place to continue her athletic career was right in her home town.

Kavan, a 5-4 senior guard from Fremont High School, has decided to accept an offer to play basketball at Midland Lutheran College. Kavan was a Fremont Tribune All-Area second-team selection in her final season with the Tigers.

“She is a quality point guard with an outstanding work ethic,” Midland coach Joanne Bracker said. “She understands the game well ... is a tremendous competitor and a highly unselfish player. She’ll be a definite asset to Midland both on and off the basketball court.”

Kavan, who was also a second baseman on the FHS softball team, considered an offer from Dana College for that sport. However, it was an easy decision to make for the daughter of Kevin and Julie Kavan.

“As I got older, I decided that basketball was my first love,” she said. “I really couldn’t see me not playing it competitively. It wasn’t that hard of a choice to make in the end.”

Getting the chance to remain in Fremont and also play for Bracker appealed to the FHS senior.

“I thought it would be an unique opportunity to play for Coach Bracker because she is one of the winningest coaches at the NAIA level,” she said. “I thought that would be a great experience. I also didn’t want to go very far from home and that was a factor, too.”

Kavan was able to watch Bracker’s team play in recent seasons. She said she believes she’ll fit in well with the Lady Warriors’ style of play.

“When we weren’t playing, I’d try to get over there and watch them,” she said. “"I liked Coach Bracker’s energy and she coached a style that was similar to what Coach (Tony) Weinandt had us run at Fremont. It is an upbeat style.”

Kavan credited Weinandt with helping her develop into the player she is today.

“He’s definitely the reason I’ll be playing college basketball,” she said. “He helped me every step along the the way over the years.”

Kavan said there are areas she hopes to improve on as she heads to the collegiate level.

“My endurance and ballhandling are strengths, but my weakness is shooting,” she said. “That has come a long ways since my freshman year, but I still need to work on it. I also need to be more aggressive on the defensive side of the ball.”

Kavan hopes that her experience of playing at the Class A level will help her adapt quickly to the NAIA level.

“I think that is a huge advantage because we played the best of the best,” she said. “Playing against that type of competition should help my confidence.”