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Most athletes will tell you that the greatest victories are the ones few people expect.
So it is with Jefferson’s Lizzy Ziemski, the Class of 2010.
“During the 2009-2010 season, we beat the Geneva Eagles on their home court,” Ziemski, who will be inducted into the Ashtabula County Basketball Foundation’s Hall of Fame Sunday at the New Leaf Event Center, said. “We had played against the same group of girls for seven years and finally beat them on their home turf. Nothing felt better than seeing the look on their faces after we beat them.”
Ziemski began playing basketball when her best friend’s father started a basketball team when she and her classmates were in the fifth grade.
“I initially joined to be with my friends, then quickly fell in love with the game,” she said.
She and her friends were initially coached by Scott Landis.
“I was fortunate to learn the skills of the game through my coach and other parents,” Ziemski said. “Now-retired Jefferson School teacher Mary Ford taught me how to do my first layup.”
When she reached Jefferson High School, Hall of Famer Rod Holmes was Ziemski’s head coach.
“The Legend,” she said. “He was a man of few words, but one of the most knowledgeable coaches of the game. He was famous for his three things he told his players each game and his red sweater.
At 5’8”, Ziemski played the ‘three’ guard for the Falcons.
“I was fortunate to have a large graduating class,” she said. “My teammates included Jillian Kern, Shelly Ford, Joslin Landis, Hannah Francis, Gina Chiacchiero, Courtney Stowe, Clara Hawkins, and Kaylee Cellitti.
“As young kids, we constantly rotated, but as we reached the end of our high school career Shelly and Jill were in the post, Joslin-Hannah-Gina were rotating point guards and shooting guards.
“Courtney and Kaylee were our long-range shooters and Clara also played in the post. I hit my growth spurt between ages 10-15. I played with the above group of girls for upwards of seven years.”
In addition to playing basketball, Ziemski was a fine volleyball and track athlete. She started at the varsity level for three years in volleyball.
In track, Ziemski became the state runner-up in girls high jump in both 2009 and 2010.
Ziemski raked in many athletic awards during her high school career.
In basketball, she was all-county, all-conference, all-district and all-Ohio multiple years.
In volleyball, she was all-county, All-NEC and all-district as a senior.
Ziemski also won district high jump and long jump championships in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Most Division III colleges in Ohio and Pennsylvania recruited her for basketball.
She finally chose Baldwin Wallace College in Berea.
“I played basketball for two seasons prior to tearing my ACL,” Ziemski said. “It ultimately ended my career at the time, but I don’t regret my experiences. I later got my degree in business from Kent State University.”
Ziemski has spent most of her time since working for Pepsico, 10 years in July.
“I’m currently a Regional Transportation Manager in Mountain Top, Pa.,” she said. “I am responsible for distributing Gatorade and Quaker products across the country for nearly $80,000,000 in annual carrier spend.”
Ziemski will soon move, however, since she has received a promotion that will take her to Pepsico Headquarters in Plano, Texas.
“I will be relocating to Texas in the next month or two,” Ziemski said. “My new role will be leading a team of supervisors for Pepsi Driver efficiency projects while managing owned/rented assets, driver behaviors, driver technology, and driver hiring.”
She has been dating her girlfriend for about a year.
“We have no human children, but a yellow lab named Stormy and a Boston Terrier named Kona,” Ziemski said “I’ve recently started running.
“I ran my first half-marathon in Scranton, Pa. last year. Outside of running, I love to cook, go to concerts, and play video games with my friends in the US and Canada.”
Continue reading...
So it is with Jefferson’s Lizzy Ziemski, the Class of 2010.
“During the 2009-2010 season, we beat the Geneva Eagles on their home court,” Ziemski, who will be inducted into the Ashtabula County Basketball Foundation’s Hall of Fame Sunday at the New Leaf Event Center, said. “We had played against the same group of girls for seven years and finally beat them on their home turf. Nothing felt better than seeing the look on their faces after we beat them.”
Ziemski began playing basketball when her best friend’s father started a basketball team when she and her classmates were in the fifth grade.
“I initially joined to be with my friends, then quickly fell in love with the game,” she said.
She and her friends were initially coached by Scott Landis.
“I was fortunate to learn the skills of the game through my coach and other parents,” Ziemski said. “Now-retired Jefferson School teacher Mary Ford taught me how to do my first layup.”
When she reached Jefferson High School, Hall of Famer Rod Holmes was Ziemski’s head coach.
“The Legend,” she said. “He was a man of few words, but one of the most knowledgeable coaches of the game. He was famous for his three things he told his players each game and his red sweater.
At 5’8”, Ziemski played the ‘three’ guard for the Falcons.
“I was fortunate to have a large graduating class,” she said. “My teammates included Jillian Kern, Shelly Ford, Joslin Landis, Hannah Francis, Gina Chiacchiero, Courtney Stowe, Clara Hawkins, and Kaylee Cellitti.
“As young kids, we constantly rotated, but as we reached the end of our high school career Shelly and Jill were in the post, Joslin-Hannah-Gina were rotating point guards and shooting guards.
“Courtney and Kaylee were our long-range shooters and Clara also played in the post. I hit my growth spurt between ages 10-15. I played with the above group of girls for upwards of seven years.”
In addition to playing basketball, Ziemski was a fine volleyball and track athlete. She started at the varsity level for three years in volleyball.
In track, Ziemski became the state runner-up in girls high jump in both 2009 and 2010.
Ziemski raked in many athletic awards during her high school career.
In basketball, she was all-county, all-conference, all-district and all-Ohio multiple years.
In volleyball, she was all-county, All-NEC and all-district as a senior.
Ziemski also won district high jump and long jump championships in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Most Division III colleges in Ohio and Pennsylvania recruited her for basketball.
She finally chose Baldwin Wallace College in Berea.
“I played basketball for two seasons prior to tearing my ACL,” Ziemski said. “It ultimately ended my career at the time, but I don’t regret my experiences. I later got my degree in business from Kent State University.”
Ziemski has spent most of her time since working for Pepsico, 10 years in July.
“I’m currently a Regional Transportation Manager in Mountain Top, Pa.,” she said. “I am responsible for distributing Gatorade and Quaker products across the country for nearly $80,000,000 in annual carrier spend.”
Ziemski will soon move, however, since she has received a promotion that will take her to Pepsico Headquarters in Plano, Texas.
“I will be relocating to Texas in the next month or two,” Ziemski said. “My new role will be leading a team of supervisors for Pepsi Driver efficiency projects while managing owned/rented assets, driver behaviors, driver technology, and driver hiring.”
She has been dating her girlfriend for about a year.
“We have no human children, but a yellow lab named Stormy and a Boston Terrier named Kona,” Ziemski said “I’ve recently started running.
“I ran my first half-marathon in Scranton, Pa. last year. Outside of running, I love to cook, go to concerts, and play video games with my friends in the US and Canada.”
Continue reading...
