Cameron Buonocore ’20
Photo Courtesy of Alex Conroy ’19
February’s Girls’ Athlete of the month is junior, Raleen Keffer-Scharpf. The class of 2020 member is currently competing in her third season as a varsity basketball player. The power forward’s passion for the sport began at a young age. “Basketball is a huge part of my family; my mom was my first coach in rec. league and at St. Bernadette’s. Her experience at the pro level and passion for the game is what started my love of the game. My whole family lives and breathes basketball so I don’t recollect a time in my life when basketball wasn’t apart of it.”
The passion for basketball in Rae’s blood shows as she displays skills that only a naturally talented player could have. Though, even with her raw abilities, Rae has a work ethic that goes far beyond what people typically expect out of high school athletes. “Raeleen is a hard worker, to say the least. She is constantly giving 100% whether that be in a game or in practice.” states teammate Cara Harty ‘20.
After first coming to Episcopal in 9th grade, Keffer-Scharp’s talent was quickly noticed by Coach Charles Simmonds, allowing her to make an impact on the girls’ basketball program very early on within her career here at EA. “Raeleen was a key contributor off the bench as a freshman on our 2017 Inter-Ac Championship team, stepping into key minutes and contributing to some big wins. She has been a starter the past two seasons, and she comes from a basketball family, so she was raised as a student of the game.” explains the Head Coach.
As an upperclassman, Rae’s job on the team has switched from purely being a player into serving as an example of dedication and motivation. Coach Simmonds explains, “Raeleen’s game continues to evolve, and we are counting on her as a leader and a contributor on the floor. She often draws the responsibility of guarding the other team’s top post player, and we depend on her rebounding ability.”
Her constant training and commitment to the sport have shaped the path the star athlete is on today; a path quite admirable to her teammates. “My favorite part about Raeleen is that whenever she loses the ball or misses a shot she makes sure she gets it back in the next possession and scores a basket.” comments fellow player Lola Quigley ‘20. “Her passion for the game is something I hope to mirror in my own life.”
Raeleen’s future looks promising, already having multiple games in which she scored in the double digits under her belt this season. Though, what makes Rae so remarkable is her utter devotion to the team, and lack of selfishness. As she talks about the upcoming season, her goal is not focused on how many baskets she will score or how well she will play, but on the team’s success. Keffer-Scharp explains how, “The season this far has been pretty challenging with multiple injuries and only two returning starters, Olivia Dirks ‘19 and myself, but this year has also been the most fun. As for the future season, we’ve faced tough competition in the league but we have about four games left and we’re really looking forward to showing how much we’ve improved as a team since the beginning of the season.”