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Triple Threat of the Week: Ariel Spillner, DeForest

04/27/2017, 10:45am CDT
By Norbert Durst

The Triple Play Triple Threat of the Week is brought to you by the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center. Cutting-edge, personalized sports performance and injury prevention programs, training with world-class experts, state-of-the-art facilities and technology.

Triple Threat is an honor given on WisSports.net to the top senior boys and girls three sport athletes in the state.

Name: Ariel Brooke Spillner    
School: DeForest
Year: Senior 

Basketball Honors: Three-year letterwinner for the Norskies, last two playing for coach Jerry Schwenn...first team all-Badger North as a senior...Team Captain as a senior...,Senior Award...highest free throw percentage senior year...represented DeForest in Badger Conference All-Star Game...Player of the Game at Brookfield Central Thanksgiving Shootout as a senior against Notre Dame...averaged 8 points and 2.1 steals per game as a senior...scored a career-high 18 points in a win over Reedsburg...shot 73 percent from the free throw line...committed to play at NCAA Division II Lake Superior State University.

Soccer Honors: Four-year letterwinner for coach Tim Esser and the Norskies...four-year starter...Rookie of the Year...Coaches Award as a sophomore...second team all-conference as a junior...Team Captain as a senior...played every position as a freshman, including goalie.

Cross Country Honors: Varsity letterwinner for coach Christopher Smith as a senior.

Volleyball Honors: Varsity letterwinner for coach Sussanah Sasman as a junior. 

Favorite Sport (and why): "I love the game of basketball. It’s a fast pace game and it’s fun to play as well as watch. There will always be a winner and a loser, where as in soccer you can tie. There are times when your individual play stands out, and then there's are times when your team chemistry stands out."

Best Part of High School Sports: "Playing them with my friends, and meeting new ones along the way. Getting better as an individual and the competitiveness of it all. You get to play others in your conference and understand their style of play. You see their weakness and their strengths and get to use that to your advantage."

Best Advice from a High School Coach: "To play every game like it’s your last game and to give it your all, because before you know it, it’s over." 

Most Memorable Moment in High School Sports: "Going to state in basketball my freshman year. The experience and excitement of being in that atmosphere was overwhelming. Was so exciting I still remember it like it was yesterday. Another memorable moment was  beating Waunakee in the playoffs my Junior year in soccer. First time in program history we beat them."

Best Part of Playing Three Sports: "Getting to meet new friends and playing with new people. I had the same teammates in all three sports along with different teammates in each sport. It kept me in shape year round. Helped me to always manage my time so that I would have my work done to focus on the sport I was in." 

Toughest Part of Playing Three Sports: "Having time to do other things besides sports as well as getting all my school work done on time. I’m always busy doing something and very little free time to just chill and relax, but I wouldn’t change it for the world; love being active." 

Favorite Opponent: "Waunakee is my favorite opponent, because they are Deforest’s main rivalry. When we beat them, it’s the best feeling in the world." 

Favorite Professional Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

Favorite Professional Athlete: LeBron James

Favorite College Team: North Carolina Tar Heels

Cumulative GPA: 3.354

Toughest Individual You’ve Competed Against: "Kayla Goth, even though she was my teammate I had to guard her in practice, and I had to be at the top of my game and she made us all better players."

Most Admired High School Teammate: "Kayla Goth because she made every player better and look good when playing. She gave everybody the confidence they needed and to play at the top level."

College Plans: "I'm attending Lake Superior State to play basketball and will be studying pre-pharmacy." 

Activities Outside of Sports: "Hunting, karate, spending time with family and friends." 

I Find it Relaxing to: Listen to music 

Favorite TV Show: Prison Break

Favorite Movie: Hunger Games 

Favorite Musical Artist: Lil Uzi Vert

Favorite Subject: History

Favorite Restaurant: Olive Garden 

Favorite Website: Twitter or instagram

Other Family Members: Mom- Hope, Dad- James, Sister- Courtney 

Tag(s): Triple Threat AOTW  News Archive  GBB News  News  Norbert Durst