Standout athlete freshman Kaylee Stiffler joins girls varsity basketball team
CCHS student-athlete Kaylee Stiffler ‘19, who led the girls varsity basketball team this year as a freshman, hopes to play professional basketball one day. Pictured from left to right are Stiffler’s brother-in-law Dan Nelson, sister Christina Stiffler, mother Liliani Stiffler, dad Mark Stiffler, and sister Carolyn Stiffler.
March 1, 2016
This season, the Cathedral Catholic High School girls varsity basketball team has a new addition: Kaylee Stiffler ‘19. Her stats are off the charts thanks to her athletic abilities, which helped the team’s overall and league records.
Her childhood story is an interesting one, as she was adopted by her own aunt and uncle Mrs. Liliani and Mr. Mark Stiffler after her biological mother gave birth.
“If anything, I’m extremely thankful that I was adopted,” Stiffler ’19 said. “In a way, I feel lucky.”
She stays in touch with her biological parents through Facebook and phone calls. She visited them back in 2012. Though this may seem complicated, Stiffler says she is grateful for the family she came from and the family she is a part of now.
She was the sixth out of 10 children born to her biological parents, but she was the only one to be adopted. She now has two older sisters in her adoptive family.
Stiffler began her basketball career at the age of 11 years old at the YMCA, where her love for the sport grew. Since then, basketball has been her primary sport.
On the girl’s varsity basketball team, Stiffler starts as a power forward and center. But when she began to play basketball, some arrangements had to be made.
“I was the only one who could dribble, so I had to play point guard,” Stiffler said.
Because her older sisters Christina and Carolyn Stiffler, went to USDHS, she decided to attend CCHS , which is proud to welcome such an amazing athlete into the community.
Stiffler is also a volleyball player, competing on the freshman team this past fall. Being a two sport athlete, she enjoys playing both sports equally. Though basketball is her primary sport and comes most natural to her, Stiffler says that volleyball offers her a nice break from basketball.
“Kaylee is a great athlete and person,” CCHS student Patricia Niu ’19 said. “During the volleyball season she was fun to play with, and now during basketball season it’s fun to watch her play”
A goal of hers is to play in college.
“I definitely want to try even though it’s hard to balance everything,” Stiffler said. “I’m going to see how it goes in high school and try to decide then.”
Her high school experience has started off great, and Stiffler cannot wait for her next three years as a Don, she said.
