Selfless Gerber enjoys role with CU
The easy route for Sophie Gerber might have been to go to a small school, where she could have displayed the basketball talent she showcased in high school.
Or, she could have been the latest in her family to go to UCLA, the school she grew up loving.
Gerber found her home in an unexpected place, however, after she was offered an opportunity to walk-on with the Colorado women’s basketball team three years ago and then visited the Boulder campus.
“I liked the whole team and liked the coaches, obviously; they were a big part of it,” the 6-foot guard said this week. “They made you feel, like, really at home.
“Once I started to get recruited, I was like, ‘You know what? I’ll go be a Buff,’ because I really liked it here.”
As the 20th-ranked Buffaloes (23-8) gear up for a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, Gerber is still enjoying the ride and is one of the most loyal Buffs around.
Gerber, who was placed on scholarship for this year, goes into most games knowing she likely won’t play. This season, she’s been on the court for a total of 18 minutes, checking into six different games. The last time she played was on Dec. 16 against Alcorn State.
Her impact on the team is much more significant than her playing time, however, as not only a positive influence, but a willingness to do everything asked of her in practice.
“I think she embodies the selflessness that we want in our team,” CU head coach JR Payne said. “She’s someone that takes a lot of pride in working and working to be better, regardless of the glory that comes with a lot of minutes and things like that.”
As a senior at Desert Mountain High School in Scottsdale, Ariz., Gerber was the 5A player of the year after averaging 15.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. She set a single-game scoring record at her school with 41 points.
She has yet to score a point as a Buff, but hopes that is coming.
“I would love to get a bucket,” she said. “I know I’m a capable scorer. I hold a scoring record at my high school … so, I’m absolutely capable, and I give them buckets in practice every day. I will eventually I’m sure.”
Going from high school stardom to rarely playing can be difficult for an athlete, but Gerber has embraced her role with the Buffs.
“All 15 of us on the team were probably the best at our high school or even in our state maybe,” she said. “Going from being the player to not playing at all is tough at first, but I think JR has done a good job and all the coaches of telling me my role and how valuable that is to the program. … Just doing my best at my role every day is what I do.”
Gerber’s love for CU and this team was enhanced during her first season, 2020-21.
Starting college in a new state during the COVID-19 pandemic was tough enough, but Gerber developed myocarditis as a result of her bout with COVID. The months-long recovery caused her to sit out the entire season.
“That’s probably when I found my love for being a Buff because everyone, even though I wasn’t on the court or participating in that sense, everyone kind of rallied around me and made me a better person,” Gerber said.
Gerber said there wasn’t physical pain that came with myocarditis, but at the time there was some uncertainty about her future, especially with basketball.
“It was a challenge, just not knowing what was gonna happen, and then being away from my family and there was no one to talk to, because nobody else had gone through that yet,” she said. “I was one of the first people and just lucky that it didn’t turn into something bigger.”
It brought her closer to her teammates and coaches, however, and she’s grateful to be a part of the program. In fact, a year ago, she briefly entered the transfer portal before deciding she didn’t want to leave the Buffs or her academic program, as she pursues a degree in integrative physiology.
Although she doesn’t play much on game day, Gerber is excited for a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament and for at least one more season with the Buffs.
“I love being a Buff and I love the people around me,” she said. “These are my best friends that I get to come with and play the sport that I love every day.”