Student-Athlete of the Week-Madison Tajchman

The 2021-22 Niwot girls basketball team is on the path to redemption after posting just two wins during the prior two seasons. Helping lead them there is senior captain Madison Tajchman, a second-year varsity guard and natural leader, according to Cougars' new head coach Jon Hill.

"Maddi represents our program and Niwot as a whole in a positive light, and is probably our biggest voice, along with Carly [Toothaker]," Hill said after a recent win. "She's an amazing student, on and off the floor. She's a lot of fun to be around, and cares a lot about other people, and sacrifices a lot of things for others. She's just an awesome girl."

Tajchman is one of five veteran starters on this year's squad, which is off to a 2-1 start in its first three games. So far, both she and the team are performing well above their statistical averages from last season, a result, she said, of Hill's emphasis on conditioning and moving on from the past.

"We run two 17s every day, and, it sucks in the moment, but being able to consistently run so fast and so much has definitely made a huge impact on our team," she said. "And Coach Hill believes so much in us, and we're leaving last season behind. And obviously, it showed up this weekend, proving that pushing forward and putting in major work...has allowed us to really show up on the court and give our entire hearts."

Tajchman recently wrapped up her senior season on Niwot's varsity volleyball team, which ended with a loss in the Class 4A state semi-finals, an atmosphere she described as "intense."

"It was crazy fun, but it was go-go-go the entire time we were there," she said. "It was a huge huge rush of emotion, and we always had to be on our feet and going."

Tajchman comes from an athletic background, and got her start in track and gymnastics during elementary school. She made the switch to court-based sports in middle school, and credits her family's support for helping her get to the high school varsity level in both. When it comes to picking a favorite between the two, however, Tajchman gives basketball the edge.

"I love watching both," she said. "I think playing basketball is a lot harder, but it gives you a lot more satisfaction when you make shots."

When she's not on the court for Niwot, Tajchman is one of the school's top students, with a course load full of advanced STEM classes, including the dreaded IB physics. With some urging from Mrs. Ewing, Tjachman's recent academic focus has been on computer science, and she is excited to learn Python and other programming languages in an independent study class next semester. She also plans to pursue the field in college, and was recently accepted at the Colorado School of Mines, much to her delight.

"My top school was Mines, and I applied back in September," she said. "For me, it lessens the pressure to have that done."

For the busy senior, balancing homework and sports is "tough," and the 30-minute commute between school and her home in Firestone doesn't help. But it has made her an expert in time-management, and taught her the value of making thoughtful choices.

"When I get home, even though it's a long drive, and it's 11 o'clock at night, I do an hour's worth of homework, or I wake up early in the morning to do homework," she said. "You have to, if you want to pursue all of these different things- if you want to get the grades, and, in sports, if you want the acknowledgements, you have to put the time into it."