United Community Bank Athlete of the Week: Garrison’s Karli Klein

GARRISON, N.D. (KMOT) - What type of work goes into scoring one thousand points?

“She really deserved it. She works the hardest on the team,” said Mia Gehring, a senior at Garrison.

Karli Klein would know best.

“It takes a lot for your body and your mental health, just to get there,” said Karli.

In the eighth game of her senior season, Karli counted her one-thousandth point.

“When you’re trying to change culture in a small town, you want someone like her,” said Matt Chase, the Garrison girls basketball head coach.

The “straight-A student” has been essential to the Troopers’ undefeated season.

“She always pushes us to do good in the classroom and on the court, which I really appreciate,” said Mia.

With a smile that just won’t go away.

“If you know Karli, you know she’ll never stop smiling, no matter what. She smiles about anything,” said Mia.

“It just never goes away,” said Karli.

There are a few ingredients for this golden milestone.

It starts with sweat.

“Everyone in our town loves her. She is what every student-athlete should strive to be,” said Chase.

Blood...

“A girl hit my arm, it went straight into my head, and (I got a) bloody nose,” said Karli.

“She is tough,” said Mia.

And a few tears.

“You grow up always thinking that you have to be the best, or making your self-purpose in the sport. If you have a bad game, you feel crappy about yourself. For me, growing up and realizing that my self worth isn’t just in the sport. It’s outside of the sport, in school with my friends and family,” said Karli.

The perfect recipe for one thousand successes.

Karli is committed to running track at Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D., and says she would like to study biology.

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