Niva Cohen
Editor In Chief
I grew up playing soccer with the Singer girls. Jessie and Eden played up front, Marc and Leah were our coaches, and Noa was our mascot. The whole family was made for the field – speedy, strategic, and sportsmanlike – but Eden was unique. She ran with the grace of a gazelle and played with gumption. Beating her to the ball was nearly impossible, and stealing it from her a lost cause. Ten years later, I wasn’t surprised to hear that Eden had scored her thousandth “career point” on the basketball court. How could I be? With my fond childhood soccer memories ignited, I asked Eden a few questions about her time as a Barrack Cougar.
Q. What athletic experiences have been the most meaningful to you at Barrack?
My most meaningful experiences have been building communities within my various teams at Barrack and using those bonds and that camaraderie as a foundation for our play in games. I think sports at Barrack are unique in the way they rely greatly on teamwork and relationships on and off the field/court. This camaraderie translates to our play and greatly contributes to our success. In terms of actual experiences, winning championships in multiple sports has been a highlight of my time as a Barrack Cougar. It is such a fun and memorable experience to win a competitive championship game and represent Barrack in doing so.
Q. This winter, you scored your thousandth point on the girls’ basketball team. Tell us about that experience.
It was an extremely fun, memorable, and special experience to score a thousand points. It felt like a nice way to culminate my Barrack basketball experience. However, rather than just celebrating my statistics, I feel as though I greatly owe this accomplishment to my various teammates over the years. Whether through beautiful passes by Jenna Ufberg or support by Talia Erlbaum, every single one of my teammates played a substantial role in my success.
Q. Your mom also won a place in the Barrack Hall of Fame. How did that affect your experience?
I have been playing sports with my parents and my sisters since I was little. My parents coached Jessie, Noa, and me on various sports teams for many years and taught us not only skills but a love for the sports we played. I grew up playing one-on-one basketball with my mom (I can finally beat her), and she helped me improve my basketball skills. My mom always raves about her strong relationships with teammates and coaches at Akiba that still exist to this day. It felt extremely special to continue this legacy.
Q. Does people’s focus on your athleticism ever bother you?
Since I play team sports and am a strong advocate of them, substantial attention on me and my accomplishments makes me somewhat uncomfortable at times because my teammates play such a vital role in my athletic success. However, I love being an athlete and am proud to be a part of the Barrack sports culture.
Q. What advice can you give younger students hoping to one day reach the thousand-point milestone?
The biggest advice I have is to actually not make the thousand-point milestone a goal. I didn’t know I was close to a thousand points until a couple of games before I hit it, and this allowed me to focus more heavily on the team aspect of the game rather than my personal accomplishments and statistics. My other piece of advice is just to have fun and enjoy yourself while playing. Get lost in the sport and enjoy every minute of the journey.
Q. Are you planning on playing any sports at Penn next year and beyond?
I am hoping to join various club sports programs at Penn. I would love to play club soccer and basketball and continue playing sports in whatever ways possible for as long as I can. I get so much enjoyment out of playing sports, and they play such a large part in my life and identity, so I will always cherish and play them to the best of my abilities.
My interview with Eden only reinforced what I’ve already learned about her as a teammate and as a friend: she’s generous, humble, and supportive. She has never basked in the spotlight but accepts it only shyly. And she’s always been like that – not a ball hog, not a bragger, just a mighty good player and good person.
Photo Credit: https://www.jewishexponent.com/2023/03/01/barrack-student-athlete-scores-1000th-career-point/