Rohde Excelling in Multiple Sports for Fayetteville ISD
Fayetteville sophomore basketball player Marissa Rohde had a superb game in a dominating win vs. Buckholts last Saturday, splashing in 17 points and securing 11 rebounds for the district champion Lady Lions. Rohde was also a starter on the volleyball team and won a state title this year. “Marissa’s been one of the easiest girls to coach,” said Fayetteville head girl’s basketball coach Marcus Sodek. Sodek was also an assistant coach on this year’s volleyball team. “She listens very well. She’s not one of those girls you got to keep harping on to do the right thing. Honestly, we couldn’t have done it in volleyball without her. In basketball, she’s continuing her same role. She’s a team player and everything’s about the team.” Rohde has proven herself on the biggest stage and is on pace to do so for basketball as well, making her our selection for this edition’s Athlete of the Week.
Question: How does this basketball team relate to this year’s volleyball team?
Answer: “We all have really close team bonding. We all love each other. I think that’s what helped us win state. I’m hoping to carry it on. I hope we go far in basketball too.”
Question: What was the coolest part about competing at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland (at state)?
Answer: “It was really cool how big it was and how open. How only the teams were allowed on the court. It was just the feeling of being on the state court. It was just crazy and it felt unreal. It was just amazing.”
Question: What’s your favorite restaurant and why?
Answer: “Probably Whataburger even though it’s fast food. I love their chickentenders, chicken nuggets, and their ranch is so good. And their fries. It’s amazing.”
Question: If you could have dinner with one of your idols, who would it be?
Answer: “Probably my mom because she’s always there for me and she’s really fun. We always have a good time whenever we’re together.”
Question: How do you prepare for a game?
Answer: “I think about what I’m going to do during the game. How I can go out there and do my best instead of get down on myself if I do something wrong. I just stay focused before the game and I listen to music. I just go out there and do what I can do.”
Question: What would you say is your strongest area in basketball?
Answer: “Probably the wings. I can dribble, I can be a point guard, but it’s not my strongest because I just get a little bit nervous whenever people come and attack me. Other than that, I’ve always been a point guard. Being a guard is probably one of my strongest.”
Question: Where’s a place you can say you’ve had the greatest memories?
Answer: “Probably at state because being there with my new team, because I just moved here, was amazing. We were like family and we always had team bonding. Being there and staying the night with them, winning state and being on the court with them was amazing. Probably the best memory I’ll ever imagine.”
Question: What are the perks of being a dual or multisport athlete?
Answer: “You get a lot of new people. In volleyball, there’s a different team. In basketball, it’s still kind of the same people, but there’s still some new people to it. Making the relationships with those people is really good to have.”
Question: How is Fayetteville able to have so much success in athletics?
Answer: “I think everyone’s just like a team player. Everyone’s really, really nice. We don’t argue, so whenever you go out there and you want to do good, and everyone else wants to do good and you don’t argue, it really does help a lot.”
Rohde has elite experience as an athlete, which obviously has carried over and been put on display for Lady Lions hoops.
Fayette Co. Record’s Athlete of the Week
A Weekly Feature by BRIAN PIERSON
Recent FCR’s Athlete of the Week
Dec. 3: Seth Brock, RTC basketball
Dec. 10: Aysia Grant, La Grange basketball
Dec. 17: Luke Law, Flatonia basketball
Jan. 7: Jaxon Cooper, La Grange basketball
Jan. 14: Phillip Arceneaux, La Grange soccer
Jan. 21: Jessalyn Gipson, Schulenburg basketball
Jan. 28: Duke Sodek, Flatonia basketball
Feb. 4: Trey Cunningham, La Grange swimming
* Read about the new honorees in our Friday editions and then watch their interviews on our Facebook page a few days later.