Harter wrapping up hoops career at Lions All-Star Series
Apr. 26—STEELE, N.D. — In a matter of just a few months Kidder County's Kennedy Harter will be going from participating in high school track and field to participating in the 2023 North Dakota Lion's All-Star Series back to training with North Dakota State University track and field.
"My body is definitely not going to be in basketball shape," Harter said. "But I think preparing myself, getting some shots up after track practice, trying to stay in the groove of basketball instead of cutting it completely will help."
Harter said she found out in early February that she was named to the roster. Harter emphatically said that one of her goals while she was going through her senior season was to make it to the all-star games.
"Everyone that gets the honor of being selected, it's special being their coach," Wolves head coach Dan Welder said. "You see behind the scenes a little bit how much time they put in during the season, outside of the season and stuff like that. But you take it, it's special that one of your players made it. I'm very proud of her."
When Harter does play for the Class B squad in the two games, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, July 10-11, she will be doing so with many of her friends.
"I think we'll do very well because we all know each other pretty well and our connection will be pretty good," Harter said. "...I think our comfortability with each other and knowing what everyone is going to do and feeling out our game. We all have similar ways of playing so I think we'll connect very well like that."
Harter remembers going to see former teammate Maddie Schmidt play in the game in 2021. Welder said he will continue the tradition of going to the games when his players are playing in the games.
"I'll make a point to go to the games," Welder said. "It's nice to see them in their last games and having fun."
During her senior season, Harter averaged 13.6 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game, 2.8 steals per game and 3.4 assists per game and recorded 53 total blocks.
"She's one of those girls that you build your team around," Welder said. "She's there in the middle and defensively she's a presence, and teams gotta account for her shot-blocking ability and then offensively she's a really good athlete who can score inside the paint. She's meant a lot to us, she's developed more of a leadership role the last couple years, at practice, being more vocal and getting after the younger girls if they're not doing something right."
As of April 24, the Wolves are expected to have two seniors on next year's roster, Kylee Rohrich and Grace Nicholson.
"Looking into the next couple years, down the road, you hope some of the girls look at it and say, 'I can do it too.' (play in the games) It's a nice honor, it's something that hopefully they work for in the offseason to get better and improve," Welder said. "So, I really do. I think Kennedy probably looked up to Maddie when she made it and hopefully somebody will look up to Kennedy from these younger girls, hopefully, it's something to shoot for."
Before she committed to run track and field with the Bison, Harter said she was exploring playing basketball and jumping in college but decided to just sticker with track and field. Due to the fact that the club and intramural basketball seasons are at the same time as indoor track season, Harter said she will be unable to play basketball in college.
"I think it's going to be a little sad but also happy, we did it, it's done, officially my basketball career is over," Harter said. "So, it's going to be filled with many different feelings but I think I'll be very joyful and happy that it happened and I got through it and happy with everything over my career."
