Valley’s Stroeter’s Long Road Ends on Basketball Team

There is a book whose title features the phrase "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff," although Valley senior Sandy Stroeter probably hasn't read it. That's because Sandy does sweat the small stuff, learning throughout her vast travels in life that recognizing the tiniest of things can make a big difference.

Sandy, the only senior and a forward on the Valley girls' basketball team, has experienced more than most her age as she calls the likes of Germany, Clinton, Norwich, and now Valley, her homes. Having played under three different coaches during her high school basketball career, Sandy has learned to take things in stride, becoming an emotional leader for the Warriors who says the small stuff should always be commended.

"My role is sort of the moral support and the sprit of the team," Sandy says. "The little things that don't get noticed on the court, the small achievements, you have to make them big things. If you commend them on small achievements, it brings up their spirit and energy."

Originally from Germany, Sandy is well-traveled as she's played travel basketball in Clinton and then as a freshman at Morgan. As a sophomore, she transferred to Norwich, where she took a year off from hoops before returning to the hardwood as a junior at Valley. Now under first-year head coach Matt Needleman, Sandy has found a warm environment in her latest home with the Warriors.

"Coach Needleman is a blessing for us and the girls here are so nice," she says. "We are a tight-knit group of friends."

Needleman sees Sandy as the glue of his team, keeping the Warriors positive and upbeat.

"The thing about her is you'd never know she is having a bad day," said Needleman. "She is always upbeat. If someone on the team is having a bad day, she is the first one to pick them up and make them feel better. Her attitude is infectious."

However, Sandy admits there were nerves when she drove up Kelsey Hill for the first time a year ago. Being the new girl in school and the new girl on the team was a less than desirable position, yet Sandy's teammates helped ease the transition.

"It was intimidating at first, but we had a really long preseason last year and we did a whole lot of team building activities, which was really nice," she says.

Now that she has settled in, Sandy's focus has turned on becoming a better basketball player. Working on her ball-handling skills was a key area of focus as a senior and Sandy says that she's started to see the results under Needleman. Yet as much as Needleman has helped her along, Sandy has learned hoops isn't a game just for the winter; to get better takes year-long dedication.

"I'm 100 times better than last year," Sandy says. "I'm not the most skilled basketball player, but last year in a new program I was nervous. This year, I'm more confident and comfortable with our coach and we are all working on the same page instead of working individually."

Still, Sandy admits the thought of what could have been had she made her way to Valley sooner remains in her brain.

"I'd definitely be a lot further progressed than I am now because [Needleman] is a great coach and the team will only get better because a lot of them are younger," says Sandy. "It is too bad I'm a senior and won't be coming back."

But even though she won't be coming back next year, there is one way the Warriors can send off Sandy in style: beat her former teammates from Morgan. Sandy has been keeping a watchful eye on the schedule for when the Huskies and Warriors do battle again. Valley lost the first match-up between the two schools at Morgan earlier this season.

"It wasn't easy; it was actually difficult to go to my old school," she says. "The whole time before the game I had to tell myself 'you are here as a part of Valley, now you are going to play your heart out.' [Beating Morgan] would mean a lot; it would definitely mean a lot, absolutely. Plus, Valley and Morgan are big competitors so we are going to go in there with fire."

Graduation isn't far off for Sandy, which means she'll soon be making another big change. Having moved as much and as far as she has over her years hasn't made change any easier on the senior, although it appears Sandy landed where she was meant to be.

Says Sandy: "I'm completely content where I am now. I love this team, I love my coach, and I wouldn't trade it for anything."