Nik Kopka spent thousands of hours working on ball-handling drills during his basketball playing days. When he saw ĢƵ’s Digital Talent Show advertised, he decided to polish up those skills.
The result was a first-place finish in the talent show, and an opportunity to do something in his father’s memory.
“When I saw the talent show sign, I immediately thought of him,” Kopka said of his father, Scott, who died in 2019. “So I kind of wanted to win this for my Dad. I know he would’ve loved to see it.”
Scott was Nik’s biggest fan while he was playing basketball at Blissfield High ĢƵ and briefly at Concordia University-Ann Arbor. Hip injuries shortened his playing career.
“I try to find a gym every day to work out, but I don’t really spend specific time on these drills anymore since my playing days are done,” said Kopka, 23, who was recently accepted into the ĢƵ . “I did pick back up to prepare for the show, though.”
Other talent show prize winners (with links to their submissions) include:
Second place:
Third place:
Honorable Mention: