Acworth Teen Chosen for U16 National Team

While many students are enjoying the much-needed time off during their summer break, junior forward Sydney Umeri from Acworth, is busy at work taking her game to the next level.

Umeri is competing this summer on the 2011 USA Basketball Women’s U16 National Team.

Umeri, who helped her team to a 20-10 record and a Sweet 16 berth in the state playoffs last year, was one of 12 selected to the team, which will compete in Mexico June 13-18 to qualify for the 2012 U17 FIBA World Championship.

“She was pretty excited,” Lovett coach Liz Kennedy said. “She’s worked really hard for this for the past two-and-a-half months since she was selected (to try out for the team). I’m really happy for her.”

The Acworth resident, who also plays in Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) competition for Peak Performance, was one of 37 athletes invited to the try out at the Olympic facilities in Colorado Springs, Colo., where more than 100 athletes competed for a spot on the roster. Of the 12 who made the roster, nine different states are represented, including two apiece from Georgia, California and Indiana.

“I'm just tickled to death,” said USA head coach Jill Rankin Schneider, according to a press release. “They're really a great group of players. I think we've got an exceptional amount of versatility. We've got good size across the board. I'm just so pleased with the humility of them. There was genuine excitement, and I think they've got the base ingredient that we have to have to come together as a team in such a short time, which is that certain degree of humility, and I think that's going to be real critical.”

The selections to the team were announced in alphabetical order, a fact that made Umeri groan with anticipation, Kennedy said. She was the second to last name to be called. She will be the first student to represent Lovett with USA Basketball.

“She plays very hard,” said Kennedy, who has coached Umeri since the eighth grade. “She’s very physical, a great rebounder; she’s great on the low block and the high post, she can shoot the three and bring the ball up the floor. She’s good at all positions, but she’s such a solid four.”

Although she’s only a junior, she’s already receiving offers from colleges including Duke, Stanford, Notre Dame, Florida State, Auburn, Miami and North Carolina.

“She’s pretty open,” her coach said. “She wants to go pre-med, so the academic program is the most important thing to her. She’s a wonderful student as well.”

So while many students are baking in the heat and enjoying their time off from school, Umeri is back in Colorado Springs for two-a-day practices, and the chance of a lifetime.

For more information and complete schedule, visit usabasketball.com/womens/u16.