Family a key theme for Estupinan, Ott and Cedar Park
Photo credit: Scott W. Coleman
Sarai Estupinan was in 4th grade when her older brother joined a basketball team. Naturally, her parents signed her up for the same team where she would compete against the boys.
If basketball was the sport she wanted to play, then she was going to give it her all.
“I was blessed with the ability to play basketball, and I was blessed with parents that saw my ability and didn’t let me sit on it,” Estupinan said. “They wanted me to see how far and how much I could improve on that talent.”
Estupinan's parents immigrated from Colombia. Now, she is the most experienced varsity player on the No. 1 team in the state, set to compete for a state title against Frisco Liberty on Wednesday night. When her Cedar Park varsity career ends on Wednesday, she accepted a full-ride scholarship to play basketball at St. Mary’s in San Antonio next year.
That’s quite the journey from her brother’s YMCA team.
“It’s crazy how much they sacrificed for me and my brother,” Estupinan said. “They uprooted their whole lives to come to America. They didn’t know the language, the culture or anything, but they came here in order for me and my brother to have the opportunities that we do.
“When I got the St. Mary’s offer and accepted, or when I get to play in the amazing game on Wednesday, it feels like in some ways I’m paying them back for all the sacrifice they gave to me.”
The Estupinan family has been able to bring a little Colombian flair to the Timberwolves.
Her mom gave Cedar Park head coach Donny Ott a pack of Colombian Arepas one time, and Estupinan said he asks about them all the time. So her mom quickly says they need to make some and her dad stays up until the wee hours of the morning making them for everyone.
“My parents are fluent in English but they have an accent,” Estupinan said. “But the fact that they’re comfortable around all these other people that are perfect at English, and that these people embraced my family culture and our crazy Colombian-ness, it’s super special and I’m super grateful.”
Stressing the importance of family is an important theme at Cedar Park, whether it's an individual blood relative or the family bond on the court.
Ott has been in charge at Cedar Park for four years. In that time, he's won more than 100 games, four straight undefeated district titles and qualified for three regional tournaments and now one state tournament.
He said the addition of high-quality female assistants Kami Williamson and Rebecca Zabel-Brewer to the coaching staff has only strengthened the bond between players and coaches.
Ott also sets the example with his own strong family connection.
“They see the love I have for my seven and five-year-old daughters and my wife,” he said. “They see that the family aspect is important to me and my family, they understand it’s important. With this team, their success is a direct correlation to their bond.”
Frankly, winning on the court isn’t the most important thing for Ott.
Twelve seniors have graduated since he became head coach, and all 12 of them have been accepted to college, whether for athletic or academic achievements. Estupinan, Alisa Knight and Amesley Davis will continue that tradition this year.
“If all the kids I coach could go to college and be successful, I’d give any state championship back in a second,” Ott said.
Estupinan said it’s been an amazing blessing to play at Cedar Park, especially to be a freshman when Ott was first hired. She said she also has the utmost gratitude for her parents because everything she does is because of them.
“The fact that I get to compete in a state championship and my parents get to go to that game and see me compete,” Estupinan said. “I know they’re proud of me regardless, but to win that gold medal and to win that ring would be everything.”
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Originally published at https://www.hillcountrynews.com/stories/family-a-key-theme-for-estupinan-ott-and-cedar-park,84747?