Athlete Profile: Senihseah Wayka

MIHS senior helping during recent surge on court

KESHENA — The Menominee Indian High School girls basketball has suffered its fair share of tight losses this season, but the team is starting to find its groove since the start of the new year.

Senior Senihseah Wayka has been an impact player for the Eagles during the stretch. Wayka, the team’s point guard, scored 12 points during the team’s first Central Wisconsin Conference-East Division win on Jan. 21 against Iola-Scandinavia. Wayka had eight points in the team’s CWC crossover win against Gresham on Jan. 14.

The senior is a solid 3-point shooter, but also is willing to take on contact on drives to the hoop. She’s also active on the defensive end, forcing bad passes and shots while also pulling down a few rebounds and tallying a couple steals per game.

“Senihseah is our leader in so many ways,” said Menominee Indian coach Michael Skenadore. “The first thing she does is set the tempo in terms of effort. She always works hard and is high energy. The next thing she does for us is to provide a steady ball handler. We start almost all of our offense through her and she has accepted that responsibility even though it has sometimes led to fewer scoring opportunities for her.

“She has also grown quite a bit this year as our play caller on offense. She has accepted my challenge to diagnose what’s going on and get into the proper set for the matchups or tendencies we are seeing in the defense.”

Q: When did your interest in basketball begin?

A: My interest in basketball started ever since I can remember. My mom (Jamie Loudbear Wayka) saw my potential in the sport and has been pushing me ever since.

Q: What is your favorite part about the basketball season?

A: My favorite part about the basketball season is playing with my teammates and competing.

Q: When you step on the basketball court, what do you hope to accomplish to help put your team in a good position to win games?

A: When I step on the court, I tell my team to play up to their full potential and play with confidence to get us in a better position to win.

Q: Do you have any individual goals you’d like to accomplish in your final season?

A: My individual goal I would like to accomplish in my final season is to show the conference we are in (CWC-East) how much my team improved during the season.

Q: What’s your favorite memory of competing on the Menominee Indian girls basketball team?

A: My favorite memory of competing on the Menominee Indian basketball team was my sophomore year when I got CWC honorable mention (all-conference honor).

Q: What are you going to miss most about high school basketball?

A: What I will miss about school basketball is playing with my teammates and competing.

Q: Favorite TV show, movie and musical artist?

A: TV show — “The Office.” Movie — “Step Brothers.” Artist — Drake.

Q: Who is your favorite athlete, and why?

A: My favorite athlete is Sue Bird (professional women’s basketball player for the Seattle Storm) because she inspired me in becoming a leader and pushing myself in basketball.

Q: Name one thing about yourself that not many people know.

A: One thing no one really knows about me is that I am clumsy.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do when you are not in school or competing in a high school sport?

A: My favorite thing to do when I am not competing in ball is hanging out with family and friends.

Q: What’s the greatest piece of advice you have ever been told?

A: The greatest advice I ever had was anything my mom told me when it came to ball.

Q: What are some things you hope to accomplish after graduating from high school?

A: After I graduate high school, I hope to attend college and get a degree in Native American studies and come back and assist my community.

AT A GLANCE

Athlete: Senihseah Wayka

Sport: Girls basketball

Position: Point guard

School: Menominee Indian High School

Year: Senior