VYPE: When and how did you first get into playing your sport?

Sarah: My parents put me in basketball when I was about five and they coached me all the way through middle school.

VYPE: What has been your favorite memory of playing?

Sarah: In sixth grade, my team went to a one-day tournament in Pawhuska and we played at least five games that day. Our last game was against an undefeated team, and we beat them and forced another game, and got second in that tournament. It was so much fun but I was so exhausted the next day.

VYPE: Why are you passionate about your sport?

Sarah: I’ve been playing basketball for a long time and it’s something that’s always been consistent in my life. I could go play and it would automatically make my day better. There’s always room to get better and it’s a constant battle to be the best you can be so you’re never “finished” with it. It’s also really satisfying when I find a move that I wanna do, then I work on it for a while, and I can finally go back and watch the film and see that move in a game and it actually works because I love seeing progress.

VYPE: What has your sport taught you that you use in your daily life?

Sarah: Basketball has taught me a lot of life skills like grit, toughness, and how to work hard. You only get as much out of things as you put into them, so I apply that to my schoolwork and other aspects of my life.

VYPE: What is your favorite part about being on a team?

Sarah: The camaraderie and relationships I’ve built while I’ve been on this team are some of the best ones I’ve had, and that’s because we all get each other and we rely on each other to pick everyone up, and it’s a big part of why I love the sport so much.

VYPE: Which professional athlete do you look up to and why?

Sarah: I look up to Katie Ledecky because she has dominated her area of swimming for a long time and has worked so hard to get there, and it’s really cool to see that continual progress.

VYPE: Who is your favorite teacher from any grade and why?

Sarah: I’ve had several good teachers and could never pick just one but they’ve all impacted me in their own unique ways.

VYPE: What is the best advice that anyone has given you?

Sarah: “Fake it till you make it!”

VYPE: You can pick any place for a summer vacation, where do you go and who do you take with you?

Sarah: I would pick Greece because it’s so pretty and I would take my family, and a couple of friends.