MONROE - Before Sydney Hilliard started in the Dribbling Dinosaurs basketball skills program in first grade with the Green County Family YMCA, she would work on shooting and ballhandling with her father in the driveway.
That served as her playground where she learned the fundamentals of basketball and the foundation for her future success.
Hilliard, now a sophomore at Monroe High School, received six Division I scholarship offers to play college basketball before the Cheesemakers tipped off their season. Hilliard has scholarship offers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Marquette, UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, South Dakota State and Northern Colorado.
"It's definitely an honor," Hilliard said. "It really just shows that hard work pays off. I definitely couldn't have done it without my teammates helping me out on and off the court."
She attributes a lot of her success on the court to her father, Greg Hilliard.
"He made me go out and do these drills and go out and shoot with him," Sydney said. "I give him a lot of credit."
Hilliard said she's not sure where she will play college basketball. She still has two years before she has to make a decision and select a school.
She has visited Wisconsin, Marquette and UW-Green Bay. She also has attended a basketball camp at North Dakota State and drew recruiting interest from the school.
"I don't feel like I have to make a decision right now," she said. "I want to make some college visits and see if I fit in with the team and school."
Monroe girls basketball coach Sam Mathiason isn't surprised by Sydney Hilliard's success on the court or the increased interest from college recruiters.
"She's clearly very skilled," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "Those schools believe she can handle the next level. It speaks to how hard she has worked and how talented she is."
As a freshman starter at point guard last year, Hilliard averaged 15.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Mathiason sees an uncanny ability in Hilliard to make her teammates better.
"I think Sydney Hilliard has a unique ability to drive to the basket," Mathiason said. "She has the ability to find the seams in the defense, get to the basket, and she can finish."
Greg Hilliard could tell early on that his youngest daughter had a knack for basketball. When he would take her out to the driveway to shoots baskets, she displayed a passion for the game early on.
"I could tell early on because she had good hand-eye coordination," Greg said. "She had that look in her eye that she wanted to learn about the game and study the game."
Hilliard also has received motivation early on from her older sister, Lexi Hilliard, who is a senior on the Monroe girls basketball team.
"It's really special being on the court and same team," Sydney said. "She has definitely helped me a lot. She makes sure I eat the right things so I can be a better player on the court."
When Sydney isn't playing in a basketball game, practicing or doing homework, her hobbies are watching action movies and comedies on Netflix, spending time with family and hanging out with friends.
Her big breakthrough with many college scouts came during her Wisconsin Academy basketball season in which she played in eight tournaments last summer across the country. Hilliard said playing on a national AAU team helped her get more exposure with some college recruiters.
With Lexi by her side this season, Sydney is looking forward to a successful high school season.
"They are each other's biggest fan," Greg said of his daughters. "There is no sibling rivalry. They both like to see each other do well. Both my wife and I feel really lucky. You have to have two kids similar in age, and everything has to work out."
That served as her playground where she learned the fundamentals of basketball and the foundation for her future success.
Hilliard, now a sophomore at Monroe High School, received six Division I scholarship offers to play college basketball before the Cheesemakers tipped off their season. Hilliard has scholarship offers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Marquette, UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, South Dakota State and Northern Colorado.
"It's definitely an honor," Hilliard said. "It really just shows that hard work pays off. I definitely couldn't have done it without my teammates helping me out on and off the court."
She attributes a lot of her success on the court to her father, Greg Hilliard.
"He made me go out and do these drills and go out and shoot with him," Sydney said. "I give him a lot of credit."
Hilliard said she's not sure where she will play college basketball. She still has two years before she has to make a decision and select a school.
She has visited Wisconsin, Marquette and UW-Green Bay. She also has attended a basketball camp at North Dakota State and drew recruiting interest from the school.
"I don't feel like I have to make a decision right now," she said. "I want to make some college visits and see if I fit in with the team and school."
Monroe girls basketball coach Sam Mathiason isn't surprised by Sydney Hilliard's success on the court or the increased interest from college recruiters.
"She's clearly very skilled," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "Those schools believe she can handle the next level. It speaks to how hard she has worked and how talented she is."
As a freshman starter at point guard last year, Hilliard averaged 15.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Mathiason sees an uncanny ability in Hilliard to make her teammates better.
"I think Sydney Hilliard has a unique ability to drive to the basket," Mathiason said. "She has the ability to find the seams in the defense, get to the basket, and she can finish."
Greg Hilliard could tell early on that his youngest daughter had a knack for basketball. When he would take her out to the driveway to shoots baskets, she displayed a passion for the game early on.
"I could tell early on because she had good hand-eye coordination," Greg said. "She had that look in her eye that she wanted to learn about the game and study the game."
Hilliard also has received motivation early on from her older sister, Lexi Hilliard, who is a senior on the Monroe girls basketball team.
"It's really special being on the court and same team," Sydney said. "She has definitely helped me a lot. She makes sure I eat the right things so I can be a better player on the court."
When Sydney isn't playing in a basketball game, practicing or doing homework, her hobbies are watching action movies and comedies on Netflix, spending time with family and hanging out with friends.
Her big breakthrough with many college scouts came during her Wisconsin Academy basketball season in which she played in eight tournaments last summer across the country. Hilliard said playing on a national AAU team helped her get more exposure with some college recruiters.
With Lexi by her side this season, Sydney is looking forward to a successful high school season.
"They are each other's biggest fan," Greg said of his daughters. "There is no sibling rivalry. They both like to see each other do well. Both my wife and I feel really lucky. You have to have two kids similar in age, and everything has to work out."
