In the Classroom with Kjersten Bakke
December 19, 2005 | Women's Basketball
While the UW student-athletes take care of finals this week, the women's basketball team is prepaing for its semester-ending last game with Western Illinois Friday at 7 p.m. in the Kohl Center. The following feature offers a glimpse of what the fans don't see before the team takes the court.
She gets up early on Mondays and heads to the Kohl Center for a 6:45 a.m. lift. After a shower and breakfast, she's off to class until 12:30. Lunch and practice from 1:30-4:30 is followed by dinner and then it's straight to the library, where she spends four or five hours. No, she's not Superwoman. It 's women's basketball senior Kjersten Bakke. She works just as hard in the classroom as she does on the basketball court by studying subjects in the field of neurobiology.
What kind of classes do you take as a neurobiology major '
'It's actually a broad-spectrum biology degree with emphasis in neurobiology. I take a lot of the broad biology classes. You know, your biologies, and biochemistries, your chemistries, but in addition to that, there are neurobiology specialty classes with anatomy and physiology, the brain and neuron function that I'm also taking as well.'
What are your plans after you receive your bachelor 's degree'
'It was important for me in my undergraduate degree to get a broad scope of knowledge so that it would allow me to make a decision about a graduate course afterward. There are several options for me. Both my parents are chiropractors, so chiropractic is an option. An M.D. is also an option, possibly being an orthopedic surgeon, and then there's also the option of being an osteopath, which is essentially a medical doctor which also focuses on the body's capability of healing itself. They fix on the major problems of the body and they kind of let the body take over, and fix itself essentially.'
Do you watch a lot of medical shows on TV '
'I am a huge Discovery Channel buff, and I think it came from years of growing up and that's the only channel my parents ever watched. So, I watch it, and as the last three and a half years have kind of progressed, you start to hear terminology on those shows that you actually know what it means and you recognize from classes, so it's been an interesting development. I love those shows. If I 'm going to watch TV, that's usually what I'm watching along with `Desperate Housewives' on Sunday night.'
Have you always wanted to be a doctor'
'I went through a couple phases. First of all, my parents have always been into boating and sailing. So for awhile, I wanted to captain a ship and sail the world. Then there was always the doctor thing. I think there was a plane phase in there where I wanted to be a pilot. Even to this day, I wanted to be three or four different things. It hasn't quite gone away yet. There are so many things that I would love to do. I won't give up on them completely just yet.'
Who have been your biggest influences in life '
'Family and friends have been huge. It's not one of two, but the combination of all the them, and all their words of wisdom. I have a book of inspirational things people have told me. Everyone has been very supportive of me and my goals in life.'
Did you ever think you would become a captain as a senior when you made the team as a walk-on'
'Coming to Wisconsin out of high school was a huge decision for me. I looked at going to West Point and some Ivy League schools, but I really wanted to see what I could get out of myself as an athlete and also as a student. This university gave me the opportunity to explore myself in both facets. I knew it was going to be a lot of work.
'Basketball has taught me so much about life. I can 't exactly put into words just what this whole experience has meant to me. Being a co-captain is incredible to me. It's an incredible opportunity, it's an incredible gift. When I have more time to sit back and reflect on my experience here as a student-athlete, I think it will become a little bit more clear, but until then, I 'm so busy during the day, making sure exams are prepped for and making sure homework is done and making sure that the scout (for the next game) is learned, it 's hard to reflect on right now.'
What are your personal goals this season '
'I just give this team everything I can give. There are people who are more talented than I am, there are people who are taller than I am, there are people who are faster than I am, but I will give everything I can to this basketball team and I think my teammates know that. And with that in mind, personally, I don 't have too many personal goals as far as this team goes, and I don't think any of our captains feel this way. It is a time where we can showcase our capabilities within the context of this team, and we're all prepared to do anything it takes. If that means sitting on the bench and letting a freshman come in and play 20-25 more minutes than we are, then that's what that means. We all have amazing gifts to give to this basketball team and to this town. We will do that in any capacity.'
