Erienne Lauersdorf, Watertown
Dennis Semrau
Wissports.net
Erienne Lauersdorf, Watertown, senior
Erienne Lauersdorf learned at any early age that being busy kept her on track.
“If I didn’t have sports I’d procrastinate like no other,” said Lauersdorf, who is planning to graduate from Watertown High School as a 12-time letterwinner and is ranked first in her senior class with a 4.138 grade-point-average. “They keep me on course.”
Lauersdorf said playing volleyball, basketball and softball in high school have been possible because of the time management skills she learned at an early age.
“When you get home from practice and know you have hours of homework, you have to get it done. There is urgency,” she said. “There is no time to procrastinate.”
Lauersdorf credits the support of her parents, Glen and Bonnie, for allowing her to participate in anything she had an interest in.
“My parents are the ones who said whenever I wanted to try something that they would get me on a team,” Lauersdorf said. “They let me do what I wanted to do. They took me to practice all the time and were there for all of my games.
“Now when I have practice until 6 p.m. and when I get home have three hours of homework, they’re the ones who will stay up and quiz me for tests and stuff. It’s really nice.”
Lauersdorf began playing volleyball, basketball and softball in fourth grade and soccer in fifth grade.
“My favorite sport is the one I’m playing at the moment,” she said. “I plan to compete in a sport in college. I have a few options but I’m not sure what I want to do or where I want to go. But I want to play either basketball or volleyball.”
Lauersdorf said she is planning to study physical therapy or become a physician’s assistant. She is also thinking about doing a double major in Spanish.”
Watertown athletic director Mike Daniels said Lauersdorf is one of those rare student-athletes that make everyone around her better.
An outside hitter in volleyball, she earned Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association second team all-state and Wisconsin Little Ten first team all-conference honors as a junior. A two-time co-captain, she earned third-team all-state and honorable mention all-conference recognition as a sophomore.
A three-time state tournament participant, Lauersdorf helped lead the Goslings to the WIAA Division 1 state championship her sophomore year.
Lauersdorf will be a three-time co-captain in basketball as a guard this winter. She earned honorable mention all-state and first team all-conference honors as a junior and second-team all-league honors as a sophomore and freshman.
In softball, Lauersdorf will be a two-time co-captain. She earned second-team all-state and first team all-conference honors as a junior, first team all-conference recognition as a sophomore and second team all-conference honors as a freshman. She was also all-district as a sophomore and junior.
But Lauersdorf is not just involved in sports. She is a member of the National Honor Society and International Club and volunteers for her youth church group at St. Peter’s in Lebanon. She has also assisted at several basketball and volleyball summer camps and enjoys water skiing and tubing She couldn’t imagine specializing in just one sport.
“I’ve never had any second thoughts,” she said. “I love playing three sports. I wouldn’t change it at all. It is who I am. Most of my close friends are three-sport athletes. My advice is to try everything. It’s so much fun. It’s not going to hurt you. It will only make you better.”
Lauersdorf admits that she is an intense and an extremely competitive person.
“I love to win. But I just love playing. I like being on a team. That’s my favorite part. All of the teams I’ve been on have gotten along really well and your teammates become your closest friends.”
Time out with Erienne Lauersdorf
1 – Words to live by: “The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle.”
2 – Role model: my sister, Chelsea, who is a senior at Drake University where she plays volleyball.
3 - My family also includes: my parents, Glen and Bonnie, and brothers, Raymond, Brandon and Zach.
4 - Favorite opponent: Oconomowoc
5 - Favorite movies: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
6 – I wish I could play: tennis
7 – Favorite subjects: Anatomy, Mathematics
8 – Favorite athlete: Steve Nash
9 – Dream car: silver Lexus
10 – Favorite food: spaghetti
