Emilee Lang began playing soccer and basketball at an early age in Seymour, and has continued both sports at Trinity Lutheran.

“I always kicked the soccer ball around the house with my dad, and I always played basketball so I’ve been playing basketball with him since a young age, too, so being able to play basketball with him here at Trinity is important and special,” Lang said.

Mike Lang is head varsity basketball coach of the Cougars, and Emilee said she has enjoyed having him as her coach.

“It’s been a great experience,” Emilee said. “Sunday evenings are when we come into the gym, just us two, and get lots of shots up. At home we watch film of the other teams and go over scouting reports. We break down film a lot. We watch film on myself to see what I can improve on.”

She suffered knee injuries her sophomore season in basketball, and missed her junior year of soccer and basketball.

She began playing basketball as a fifth-grader at Immanuel Lutheran, and works as a forward for the Cougars.

“Most of the time I will go to the corner to look to shoot, or assist the ball to Hannah (Sabotin) or Sydney (Jaynes) as they come off a curl as they’re posting up on the block,” Lang said. “I would rather shoot from the top of the key just because it’s a chance for us to go for rebounds and put it back up. I’m more of a person to shoot and assist, but when it comes to driving I will do it sometimes if I’m open.”

Lang said she feels the Cougars are successful against both zone and man defense, and they work against both during practice.

On the schedule, Lang looks forward to the games at the Bollinger Athletic Complex.

“I love the home games,” Lang said. “I like the environment that Trinity gives off, and the motivation we have protecting our home court.

“I feel like we work well together. We know our personnel and how we can all bring our talents to the court each night and what our strong suites are together, and they fit well together. We have good match ups with (Savannah) Harweger, Jaynes and Sabotin. The transition game is fun.”

Lang started playing soccer in the Seymour rec leagues when she was six. She then played with the Seymour Cyclones travel team before playing at Trinity.

She played at the center of the defense for the Cougars.

“You’re in charge of the defensive line so you run the field,” Lang said. “You can see the whole thing and deliver the ball into where the forwards could shoot the ball into the goal, and keep the other team from scoring.”

Lang said she did get the opportunity to play some offense.

“I got to play center some at midfield, and when I was at midfield I could shoot a little bit, but I mostly liked to assist to Flossie (Cooper) and Sidney (Hoene), and that’s what I did most of the time,” she said.

The senior feels that communication led to success on the pitch.

“Communication is key because when your making your run to the goal, and you have to communicate as to where the other people are and what you’re going to do with the ball, and whenever you’re communicating you know where to pass the ball to the people that are going to score if you’re getting the assist, and as a captain it’s important to communicate,” Lang said.

She said she enjoyed filling the role of captain this fall.

“It was an honor because the players vote for the captains, and it was nice to be able to come back and lead from not being able to play my junior year,” Lang said.

She said you have to have a strong mindset in athletics.

“You have to have confidence in yourself and believe in your teammates to succeed in any game you’re going to play,” Lang said. “That’s the most important part of it.”

The senior glad she chose to attend TLHS.

“I’ve enjoyed the friendships and bonds that I’ve made, the memories I’ve made with my classmates throughout the years, and how close everyone is,” Lang said.

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Name: Emilee Lang

High school: Trinity Lutheran

Parents: Mike Lang, Krista Foster

Siblings: Tori, Hudson

Sports: basketball 4 years, soccer 4 years

Athletic highlights: basketball: 2018 sectional champions; soccer-two-time sectional runner up, Cougar Award

Organizations: drama production, student ambassador, student government, D.A.R.E. role model, youth group, Riley dance marathon

Plans after high school: attend Indiana University Southeast

Favorite food: pizza

Favorite TV show: One Tree Hill

Favorite musician: Luke Combs

Favorite team: Indiana Hoosiers

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