Shawano Community High School alum Tori DePerry will return to the school as the girls varsity assistant basketball coach.
A former Hawk student-athlete who went on to compete at the collegiate and professional levels, DePerry returns to Shawano with extensive playing experience, a strong understanding of the student-athlete experience and a desire to give back to the program that helped shape her.
“I’m most looking forward to giving back to a program that gave me so many great experiences and memories as a student-athlete,” DePerry said. “It’s exciting to come back to Shawano and work with athletes who are in the same position I was once in. I aspire to help them grow as athletes, teammates and people while bringing positive energy to the program.”
DePerry continued her basketball career at Division 2 Saginaw Valley State University and Division 1 University of South Dakota before playing professionally in Portugal. She will bring those experiences to the Hawks program with an emphasis on fundamentals, teamwork, communication and creating an environment where athletes feel confident and prepared to compete.
Head coach Mike Prey said DePerry’s experience at the highest levels of the game will be an asset to the program.
“I am extremely excited to have Tori join me on the Shawano Hawks girls basketball coaching staff,” Prey said. “Her knowledge and feel for the game, developed throughout her collegiate and professional playing career, is what I am most excited about. She has experienced the game at a very high level, and I believe that perspective will be invaluable to our players.”
Activities director Kayla Brendemuehl said welcoming a former Hawk back to serve current student-athletes makes the appointment especially meaningful.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tori back to Shawano,” Brendemuehl said. “She brings tremendous basketball experience but equally important is her connection to our school and community.
“Tori understands what it means to be a Hawk, and our student-athletes will benefit from her knowledge, perspective and commitment to helping them grow both on and off the court.”
For DePerry, returning home in a coaching role is an opportunity to help provide today’s Hawks with the same positive experiences she remembers.
“Shawano has always been an important part of my life, and it means a lot to give back to a program that helped shape me,” she said. “I’m excited to learn, contribute and help our athletes become the best versions of themselves.”
