For Kouts junior Ellie Nemeth, it takes a village to let her do what she loves.
That’s because she loves basketball, volleyball, soccer and track.
“I really enjoy doing all of the sports, and I couldn’t imagine giving one of them up,” Nemeth said. “With the support around me in the community, I’m able to do it without having to give things up just to play one or the other.”
At a time when specializing in one sport has become common, Nemeth insists on being a multisport athlete. She doesn’t even play one varsity sport at a time. For part of the year, she plays two at once.
In the fall, Nemeth is a middle hitter for the girls volleyball team and a forward/midfielder for the girls soccer team, and she excelled in both sports last season. She was named All-Porter County Conference twice, and she also was named all-district and a Junior All-Star in volleyball.
Nemeth has shifted her focus to the basketball court, where the 5-foot-11 forward has helped the Fillies (18-4, 6-1 PCC) win their most games since 2021-22. As Kouts prepares to play top-ranked Marquette (20-3) in the first round of the Class 1A Morgan Township Sectional on Tuesday, Nemeth is averaging 8.9 points and a team-high 6.8 rebounds and is also one of six players averaging more than one steal per game.
“She is so dedicated,” said Kouts junior Alyssa Twedt, who is Nemeth’s teammate in three sports. “She’s dedicated to her teammates and to the role she’s playing within the team. Her dedication is what allows her to have such a great work ethic. She’s always determined to do her best in everything she does.”
In track and field, Nemeth excels in the throwing events — particularly discus — and also competes in the 400-meter relay and high jump.
Nemeth’s schedule inspires Tim Schwartz, who coaches both the girls basketball team and the girls soccer team at Kouts. Schwartz said he’s a “big proponent and supporter of athletes not specializing in the early ages, even as they get into high school,” and even if it means additional coordination on his end in Nemeth’s case.
“Myself and coach (Matt) Bien on the volleyball side meet each summer to talk about schedules when we have shared athletes,” Schwartz said. “So we can, one, make sure they take advantage of both sports to the fullest, and, two, guard against burnout. We don’t want to burn out a special athlete like that who’s willing to do two sports in one season and help out both teams.
“Because there were nights when she’d have a conference soccer game, for example, and because volleyball started later with the varsity match, her parents could drive her somewhere so she could play volleyball, too, on the same night.”
Nemeth’s parents, Mary and Pete, are a big part of the support system that makes her four-sport commitment possible. So is Nemeth’s sister Kailynn, a Kouts sophomore who competes alongside her.
“My parents are really supportive,” Nemeth said. “They show up at everything. My mom always runs the clock, and my dad is always there cheering us on. And I get to play basketball and volleyball with my sister and do track with her, and I love doing sports with all of them around.”
Nemeth has no plans to give up any of her sports in high school. But she expects to pick one — or maybe two — in college.
“Honestly, I’m still deciding between volleyball, basketball or track,” Nemeth said. “I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be doing, what I would enjoy the most and what setting each sport would put me into.
“But I am considering, depending on where I go to college, doing at least two sports. So there are a lot of decisions to come.”
Nemeth has plenty of time to decide. No matter what she chooses, Schwartz believes one thing is clear.
“I’ve had the privilege, when we have our Kouts Hall of Fame, of reading the bios from those recipients, and it’s amazing what they’ve accomplished in their athletic careers, and Ellie is right up there, I can imagine, just by all the achievements she’s had in all four sports,” Schwartz said.
“I’m not saying she’s a shoo-in. But, boy, a four-sport athlete who achieved at a high level in all four, that is certainly something the Hall of Fame committee will consider.”
Noah Poser is a freelance reporter.