GREEN BAY, Wis. — Hailey Novitski does not shy away from hard work. Green Bay Preble High School head basketball coach Lyndsey Seela, who calls Novitski a silent assassin on the court, noticed her soon after taking over the head job two years ago.
What You Need To Know
- Hailey Novitski is basketball captain for the Preble Hornets and runs cross country and track
- She also is a 4.0 student that volunteers for youth sports and at the school store
- While she hasn't picked a college yet, those around her think she'll thrive wherever she goes
“She stood out right away with her work ethic,” said Seela. “She would go for rebound after rebound after rebound, and when you see a kid do that, you know that they have effort engrained in their soul.”
She’s a team captain for the Preble Hornets.
“Every day, she shows up. Every day, she’s a leader. Every day, she’s going to bring something to the table that you didn’t think she could bring. She always reaches new levels,” said Seela.
Novitski said she enjoys basketball, but she loves running.
David Haller coached Novitski in cross country and said she would excel at any sport.
A two-time state qualifier in both track and cross country, Novitski battled through leg injuries as a junior.
“It’s a testament to her. She talked about commitment and doing things she needs to do. A lot of that is from rehab, stretching, maintaining and doing cross-training when she can’t do the runs. If you don’t tell her to do something, she’s going to do it to the nth degree. You can’t coach that,” said Haller.
Novitski owns the school’s 5K record and won the citywide cross country meet.
She’s five seconds away from the school’s mile record and said she hopes to break it this spring.
“Every time I trained, that’s in the back of my head. That’s my event. I love it. I train for that moment,” said Novitski.
But Novitski’s injuries weren’t all in vain. They inspired her to pursue physical therapy as a career.
“I actually had a lot of physical therapy appointments for myself with dry needling and just rehab and different things, and it really sparked an interest in me because I love sports so much. I want to be able to help others,” said Novitski.
The 4.0 student also helps her community by volunteering for youth sports and at her school’s store.
Marketing teacher Mark Bonetti said Novitski sets the bar high for other students.
“As a teacher, I want to be around kids who have a positive attitude and want to be here. They care about themselves and their friends, and their peers. That’s Hailey. It’s an honor for me to know her,” said Bonetti.
Novitski’s still undecided on her college next year, but folks at Preble think she’ll thrive wherever she lands.
“She’s gonna make it. I expect her to move mountains,” said Bonetti.
Someday Novitski may even help athletes overcome injuries, just like she did.