Yoder signs to play basketball at next level

Suzanna Yoder does not yet know what she wants to be when she grows up, but she does know what she wants to do for the next four years.

Wednesday Yoder‘s family, coaches, teammates and some of the student body at IMS gathered in the Iowa Mennonite School library to celebrate her accomplishments. Yoder signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Goshen College, a nationally-ranked Christian liberal arts college in Indiana known for leadership in international education, sustainability and social justice.

Goshen women's basketball coach Stephanie Miller was also there and was excited about the guard who was second in the state of Iowa in scoring this past season joining her team.

'Suzanna has a beautiful shot and she is a great player,” Miller said. 'She has a well-rounded game and she is the type of player that every coach wants.”

IMS coach Kari Heusinkveld played for Miller her senior year, which was Miller's first year. In Miller's fifth year, the Goshen Maple Leafs were 27-9 and made it to the national semifinals of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

'Kari was my first captain and I know she elevated Suzanna's game,” Miller said. 'I know Suzanna has spent a lot of hours working on her game. She is a gym rat and it shows.”

'Suzanna worked hard to get where she is and she loves to put in the extra hours,” Heusinkveld said. 'Coach Miller knows how to elevate her Suzanna's game. She's a great coach. She knows how to do things right at the next level”

Yoder debated where to spend her time at the next level, visiting Grinell, Graceland and Cornell.

'It was mostly between Goshen and Grinell,” Yoder said. 'Both of my brothers went to Goshen so I know how good of a school it is. A lot of people from here have gone there and it just felt like home. I visited there two years ago, going on the basketball court and wondering if I would be able to play there. So it's pretty cool to be able to sign today for the chance to go there.”

Yoder has also been thinking about aspects of her court game.

'I've been asking myself since the season ended what the weak parts of my game are and I think I need to work on midrange jumpers,” she said. 'I want my shot to be more automatic from three. I want to work on more moves.”

'I think she will fit in really well,” Heusinkveld said. 'There is a lot of strong guard play in the Crossroads league. I think her ability to get her shot off really quick will serve her well in college. A lot of kids struggle in the transition from college to high school just to get their shot off because the pace of the game is so much quicker. That's where I think that the quick release we have seen from her, especially this past season, will serve her really well.”

While the next level is always an adjustment for athletes, it helps when there is support.

'Goshen is a lot like IMS with the community aspect and being faith based,” Heusinkveld said. 'One of the first things we talked about after her going for a visit was how natural and comfortable it felt for her to be there. That goes a long way when you are transitioning from high school to college and being comfortable will help her with the basketball as well.”

Yoder has excelled in other sports at Iowa Mennonite and has considered the possibility of playing them.

'I thought about doing track there, but I don't know if that can happen because basketball is a full-time job in college. It would be nice play volleyball, but I have never talked to anybody about that. I think basketball at the next level will be a handful.”

She was second in the state of Iowa in points per game as a senior and if she advances her game, she will be a handful for Goshen opponents.

'Miller knows how to develop players and get the most out of them,” Heusinkveld said.

Yoder has no idea what she is going to major in, but she is interested in sociology and international studies. She is unsure of the job she wants.

'I know I want something that requires a lot of traveling.”

Her new coach wants some of the IMS faithful to travel and come watch Yoder play.

'The last visit I had there convinced me,” Yoder said. 'It wasn't so much about whether I would enjoy basketball, it was more about deciding between there and Grinell because Grinell is a really high-caliber school. My last visit to Goshen was a really good experience and it was a lot of fun. So I thought that would be a place that I could call home.”

'The more comfortable you are with your decision the easier it is to adapt,” Heusinkveld said. 'I am really excited for her.”