Renee Sturm, right, of Williamston knocks the ball away from Mariel Bruxvoort of Grand Rapids South Christian on a steal attempt in the 4th quarter of their Class B regional semifinal game Tuesday March 8, 2016 at Wayland Union High in Wayland. Sturm, a three-sport athlete her senior year, has been named the State Journal female athlete of the year.
WILLIAMSTON – Shortly after leading the Williamston girls basketball team to a district championship, Renee Sturm got that itch again. It was the same one that drove her to becoming an Associated Press first team all-state selection on the court in the winter and an all-conference volleyball selection in the fall.
She finally had a spring where she was commitment free, and she teetered between joining the school’s soccer team or track team.
She picked soccer, a sport she hadn’t played competitively since eighth grade.
“I am very competitive, and I like playing sports, so I didn’t want to get complacent at all this spring,” said Sturm, who finished her senior year at Williamston last month. “I was just hoping to come in and play some.”
“I wanted to do something different because playing different sports helps me grow.”
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And with the help of her teammates and coaches, along with her God-given athletic abilities, Sturm quickly became a focal point for one of the top teams in Division 3. As a forward, she went on to score a team-leading 26 goals for the No. 3-ranked Hornets and was selected to the honorable mention all-state team.
Sturm’s been named the State Journal’s female athlete of the year.
“What surprised me was how much skill she had having not played high school or at the club level,” Williamston soccer coach Jim Flore said. “If you see her in practice, she’s a very hard worker. She soaks everything in.
“She just has really, really good athletic talent.”
In the fall, Sturm led the Hornets’ volleyball team in kills. The team finished second in the CAAC White. In the winter, she averaged 16.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 2.9 steals for the basketball team, which finished the season ranked No. 6 in the state and reached the Class B regional semifinals.
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Sturm’s volleyball coach, Sarah Conklin, who has been with her since her sophomore year, said she isn’t surprised by all she’s been able to accomplish.
“She’s very competitive, and she forces the people around her to be good,” Conklin said. “That has a lot to do with it.
“She’s just a really hard worker and a leader. She puts in a lot of time in the offseason, and, during the season, she’s going 100 percent.”
The three-sport prep athlete will move on to Ferris State University this summer where she’ll be a member of the women’s basketball team. She’ll join Abby Nakfoor, a 2015 graduate of DeWitt High School, and recent DeWitt grad Lilly George this season. The local ties in Ferris’ program made her decision a little bit easier, she said.
“I was very comfortable (on my visit) there,” said Sturm, who plans on studying pre-pharmacy. “I went there and met the coach and got a really good feeling. I went to the elite camp, and there were so many girls I was familiar with … and I think having so many girls that I’m familiar with will bring comfort.”
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Contact James L. Edwards III at jledwards@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @JLEdwardsIII.