Tamaqua’s Kuczynski joins elite club

For four years, she was sweet music.

Her style was graceful, and she whizzed up and down the court deftly — sometimes with reckless abandon. She was fearless, too, but always under control when she needed the most at the iron.

The only thing that stopped her was a referee’s whistle and the clock.

Emma Kuczynski was a very special basketball player for Tamaqua, which seems to breed some of the finest players in the area and the Schuylkill League — in both the boys and girls programs.

On Saturday afternoon, Kuczynski scored her 2,000th career point against Central Catholic in the District 11 Class 4A consolation game. The moment occurred at one of the most popular postseason venues — Pottsville’s Martz Hall. It was fitting for her to accomplish this milestone at the place many have come to know as ‘The Mecca.’

The feat, however, wasn’t foremost on her mind.

She said she was more happy when her teammate, Emily Titus, scored her 1,000th point a week earlier at the same site.

“Our team was so excited for Em,” Kuczynski said. “It was so nice, and very special to see her get the 1,000 points. I was totally thrilled she got it. Every one of us were rooting for her.”

Kuczynski has written her name alongside some of the legendary and immortal greats — including her head coach Erika (Barron) Davis, who finished with 2,317 career points. Cindy Miller, the terrific all-stater, is second on the school’s list with 2,155 points. And next is now Kuczynski with 2,010 points.

“Emma is so special; she never looked for the attention and is a humble basketball player,” said Davis.

In other words, she is quality as well as quantity.

When this exceptional talent burst onto the scene, even the novice hoopster could see the potential greatness she had within her play. The game has always been fun for Kuczynski, and she got a taste of playing thanks to the father of Jamie Zuber, another teammate.

“He was my first coach,” said Kuczynski. “Once he taught me the game, I really started to love playing.”

Kuczynski never thought, or had a dream, of scoring a certain amount of points. Her first thought was only winning.

“I really wanted us to win,” she said. “It is something that makes me compete. We came up short (Saturday), and that was disappointing. But as far as scoring points, I’m lucky to have the ability.

“I give a lot of credit to my brother Ethan. He really pushed me and made me the player that I became. If it weren’t for Ethan, I don’t think I would have been as good as I became.”

It also helps to have good genes. Her dad, Zigmond, was a standout football player at Mahanoy Area and could run the ball with such an acceleration that once he got into the open field, it was tough to run him down.

“I guess I get that from him,” she chuckled. “I know my mother was more of the cheerleader-type. My parents gave me all the opportunities. It was always study first, and then go play later.”

That direction has paid dividends.

“It’s student, then athlete,” she said. “That’s what my parents always emphasized and instilled in all of us growing up. I’m so appreciative of that direction. It has pushed me down the right path.”

Her basketball prowess — and her studious acumen — has enabled her to attend a top-flight college. Kuczynski is headed to Division 2 Thomas Jefferson in Philadelphia.

“I want to be a PA (Physician’s Assistant), and Jefferson had what I wanted in terms of a career,” she said.

With that drive to succeed in the athletic arena, it surely will push her to a successful professional career.

“I’m excited to be moving on, and I’m excited to not just play basketball, but to see other things.”

In other words, Kuczynski sees the outside as the world being her oyster, and she is one of many pearls that can shine as she grows into her next chapter in life.

She’s already written the first chapter — a rather successful one at that.