With four starters back, the Stilwell Lady Indians have high hopes for the upcoming basketball season. And one of those reasons is sophomore Snowda Watie who started as a freshman last year.

“She’s a great athlete that I’ve been watching since sixth grade,” said her coach Glen Cone. “She averaged 7.7 points a game last year and was in the top three of all other statistics. She’s the hardest working player I’ve been around in my coaching career and the other girls feed off that and it makes us a better team.”

Watie says she started playing when she was three years old and had a good role model helping her.

“My brother Shade played basketball and so I followed along. When I was in middle school he got to play up to varsity and I thought that was so cool. I saw how hard he worked in the gym and always gave 100 percent. I loved how he was so mentally strong and he’s always been my role model,” said Watie who will alternate at the guard positions for Stilwell this year.

When she’s not on the court you can find Snowda playing outfield for the softball team or on the track where she runs the sprint events and the 4X100 relay or as a member of the cheer squad. In the summer she plays AAU ball which has been a big benefit to her game.

“AAU ball gives you exposure to so many different situations and you have to learn to adapt quickly because you never really know much about the teams you’re going to play. My shooting, rebounding and passing have all improved this past year with the help of summer ball.”

Watie credits her parents with always pushing her to be better and giving her great support and says her favorite subject in school is biology and her teacher Mr. Hendrix.