Oswego East Student Athlete of the Week-Christine Corpuz

Christine Corpuz has garnered a great deal of attention as both a basketball player and student at Oswego East over the past 3 and a half years, and deservedly so. The talented senior is the first student in Oswego East history to score a perfect 36 on the ACT, has been a four-year member of the varsity basketball team, including being named team captain the past three seasons. The high praise she has received has been well-earned, but Christine's interests and contributions to Oswego East go beyond the court and the classroom, which is why she is this week's Oswego East student-athlete of the week.

Basketball has always been a part of Christine's life. Christine would follow her older sister Carissa to games at the YMCA or recreational leagues, and soon Christine would develop a passion for the sport. She began playing competitive basketball in the third grade, but absent of an all-female team, she joined the Oswego Hustle boys’ team as the only female.

Gennie Corpuz, Christine's mother, could see how Christine's greatest strengths began to matriculate, even as a young child. "Christine is a dynamic, self-starter and goal-oriented individual," says Gennie. She goes on to add, "She puts all her efforts in whatever she does. She is also a great leader who wants to get her teammates involved and always has the best interest of the group in mind."

As a four-year member of the varsity basketball team, Christine is the career leader in three-pointers made, free throws made, steals, and has the opportunity tonight to pass Sydney Schultz as the all-time leading scorer in program history. On the season, Christine is averaging 17 ppg, 3 steals, 3 assists, and 4 rebounds per game.

Head coach Abe Carretto understands just how special Christine is, saying, "[Christine] has been able to do all of this because of the hard work she has put in during the off-season." He goes on by saying, "She has the drive to compete in anything she does, and practices like she would play in a game."

Although the team has not gotten out to the start they were hoping for (currently 7-13), there have been plenty of opportunities to win close games, something Christine believes can happen if the team improves energy. "Energy, attitude, and effort are so important in basketball," says Christine. She goes on to add, "A high-level of energy will help us become more consistent in every aspect of the game."

Carretto agrees with Christine, and also says some key injuries have put the young Wolves in a bind at times. "Katie Jorgensen and Lei Tevaga have been out over a month, and their return should help alleviate the pressure put on Christine and the other guards," says Abe.

As much as basketball is a passion and motivated Christine for personal success, Christine used those self-starting skills to excel in the classroom as well. Oswego East has provided an opportunity for Christine to explore here interest and gain the necessary skills to pursue her goals in post-secondary life.

"I had an opportunity to get acclimated to OE as an 8th grader when I came every day from Plank to take Honors Geometry," says Christine. She goes on to add, "I was also able to earn credits in Spanish and English before my freshman year, which provided me an opportunity to have a flexible schedule and take classes that sparked my interests. I feel fortunate to be at OE because I feel other schools around the state do not provide these opportunities to other students."

Those opportunities included taking multiple advanced placement and honors courses, and pursuing classes in areas of interest, such as Science. Christine's hard work paid off this past summer when she earned a 36 on the ACT, and also helped Christine decide what area she wanted to study in college.

"The courses I took at OE prepared me for the ACT, as the rigor was very challenging and appropriate for what I was trying to accomplish," says Christine. However, it was not just the knowledge and skills accrued from the courses that Christine enjoyed, but the relationship she developed with her teachers.

"I connected with a lot of teachers in my sophomore and junior years, and each of those teachers was diverse in their personality and the way they went about teaching the course," says Christine. She goes on to add, "I know I can go back to any of them, even after having completed the course, and just catch up or seek advice. They are not only great teachers but great human beings."

Gennie echoes those sentiments, saying, "The rigor of [Christine's] classes allowed her to learn time management, develop various study techniques, and hone in on her passions."

It was during Christine's sophomore year when enrolled in AP Biology that Christine started seeing what would interest her for her future career. "When taking AP Biology, [Christine] realized she wanted to focus on Science in college," says Gennie. She adds, "By taking Human Anatomy and Physiology, she became more intrigued. As a junior, she enjoyed the Sports Medicine class. She was able to apply what she learned in the field. She was excited when she was accepted to the Medical Topics program at OE and is currently doing rotations at Rush hospital."

Christine's aunt, Maria Corpuz, works in the administration department at the University of Chicago Medicine, and Christine had an opportunity to shadow the Head of Sports medicine this past summer. Christine visited the Children's hospital and worked as a member of the training staff for the Chicago Sky (the female professional basketball team in Chicago) for a night. "It helped solidify my decision to go into Sports medicine."

Having earned such high accolades in basketball and academics, Christine will attend the prestigious Johns Hopkins University and major in either Biology or Neuroscience on a pre-med track, with the future goal of becoming either an orthopedic or sports medicine physician.

Shay Brown, Christine's Sports Medicine teacher, believes Christine will continue to excel, saying, "Christine is a perfectionist and is all-in on everything she does." She continues by saying, "She wants to be the best always and goes above and beyond. This will help her in the competitive field of medicine, and I can see her becoming an innovator and wanting to strive to have the best reputation as a physician."

As important as the accolades and achievements on the court and in the classroom are to Christine, she is equally proud of how well-rounded she has become as a student at Oswego East, saying, "I've learned that basketball and school are not everything. I've been able to join numerous clubs such as Key Club, Asian Students Association (ASA), numerous Honors Societies, and Girls Who Code. I've been able to step outside my comfort zone and find things I'm not sure I would have liked."

Christine advises future Wolves to do the same, saying, "Do not be afraid to explore your interests in high school."

Although the Wolves are facing a steep hill in the second half of the season heading into the playoffs, Christine's, and others, experience in playing in high stake playoff games will be a huge factor in turning things around for the Wolves, especially since it is her last opportunity to win a regional title, something that has alluded her and her teammates the last three seasons. "On a personal level, it will be tough to see Christine graduate from OE because I have known her for so long, and can't say enough about how grateful I am for the time she has put in for Oswego East as an athlete, a student, and role model for the younger players," says Carretto. Regardless of how the season ends, Christine has made an indelible mark on not only the basketball program but the Oswego East community at large.