Neilsen is the unsung hero for Niagara-Wheatfield

WHEATFIELD - Kelsey Nielsen can wow the fans even before tip-off.

A senior captain in her second year of varsity with the Niagara-Wheatfield Lady Falcons basketball team, Nielsen has grown into quite a force on the hardwood.

But her talents aren't limited to just basketball as Nielsen also sang the National anthem before the Lady Falcons home games this season.

"I kind of just have to categorize it," Nielsen said of the mind set of singing and focusing on the game."When I'm warming up I focus on the game. Then I'll look at the clock and be like oh my goodness there's a minute left. I have to sing in 30 seconds. So I just try to categorize it. I'm done singing now I can focus on the game. When I'm warming up I focus on the game, and not having to sing."

Nielsen has certainly been focused on her game this season as she blossomed into the Falcons top lockdown defender in charge of shadowing the opponents top offensive threat.

Prior to this year, Nielsen was the classic example of raw talent looking for direction. She was an intense, bundle of energy ready to run through a wall for her team. But while Nielsen is a fine athlete, she wasn't what you would call a pure basketball player. Her incredible drive and determination often led her to taking unnecessary fouls. Nielsen's challenge this season was to learn how to harness her energy in a more effective way and to refine her basketball skills.

"I think I realized my role on the team more this year," Nielsen explained."It's really helped me to be able to play with players like Jess Hastings, Rachel Pawlak and Melissa Smith. Two of those girls I've been playing with since fourth grade, so we've really gotten a good flow as a team. The reason that is, is that those three girls are so offensively minded and they're also great defenders as well. But they play so well on offense that I can just get into my (mode) defensively and not really have to worry about my goal as an offensive player, because I know that they can handle that."

Secure in her role, Nielsen gave the Falcons the presence of a top-tier defender who could match up against the best the Niagara Frontier League had to offer.

"She's always had the energy," Falcon coach Diane Fegatelli said."When she came up from JV she had a reputation of fouling, because she didn't move her feet. Last year she wouldn't move her feet, she had a lot of reaching (fouls).

This year I put her on the (opponents) best offensive player. She's playing their number one player every night and she's moving
her feet. It's a mind set. Now (she knows) she doesn't need to steal, she just needs to keep moving her feet and disrupting their offense and she's done a tremendous job. She's come in and played great defense."

Nielsen also said that having the good fortune to practice against girls like Smith and Pawlak have helped her improve greatly.

"I have the advantage of being able to practice against them everyday," she said."So working hard against players that other teams a preparing to play against, that really helps me."

Nielsen also has that intangible quality you want in a leader. She knows that she is counted on to shoulder a large portion of the defensive load, but she doesn't let the pressure get to her. Nielsen also knows her ability to bring a positive energy to the court is something the entire team feeds off of. And she doesn't let them down in that regard either.

Kelsey Nielsen isn't a hardwood blue chipper. She's just a girl who gives her all every time she steps on the court.

The kind of girl who far too often goes unnoticed.