FEATURED SENIOR ATHLETE: Kiersten Wade, Cloverdale

Kiersten is a senior at Cloverdale and participates in three sports, golf, basketball and track.

———

Banner Graphic: How important are sports to you, and what have you learned from them?

Kiersten Wade: “Sports are so important to me not just because of the game but because of the family environment, something where you always have someone to go to. These girls on the basketball team are my sisters. I can go to them and would do anything for them. It’s nice to always have someplace to go and a place where you can release yourself; after a day of school or a stressful day, going to practice and enjoying what I have is important to me.”

BG: Talk about your sports.

KW: “I golfed mostly because the school needed me to. I’ve been around the game because of my dad and have golfed the last two years so we could have a team for our school. I haven’t been terrible at it. Not amazing, but OK. I’ve been playing basketball since I was six years old and have been around it because of my dad and Kassie. It’s something I feel comfortable doing and I always feel like I have a family in basketball. With track, I love running and enjoy during hurdles, even if I won’t be able to run this year. Mr. Tyler always makes practice something to look forward to.”

BG: What’s the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you in sports?

KW: “In middle school, I had to wear a pair of large shorts as I was playing up on the seventh grade team as a sixth grader. I fell at one point and my shorts fell off in front of everybody. I will never forget that moment and tie my shorts extra tight before every game.”

BG: What does your game day routine look like?

KW: “I get here before everyone else does to get everyone else’s stuff together. I go through and make sure everyone’s jerseys are there. I don’t put their things in their locker but I make sure we have all the numbers there because sometimes they go missing. I relax all day for the most part and don’t do a lot of crazy stuff.”

BG: You’ve been in a position where not only have you been on a team where your dad was coach but you’ve also been on a team with your older sister (Kassie). How were those experiences?

KW: “I will always be thankful for them but there have also been times where it has been harder than others with dad as a coach. My sister’s group of athletes, two in particular in Haley Thomas and Sammie Shrum, are my older sisters and best friends. I’ve always looked up to them playing alongside my sister. Tori Combs was also a best friend. Growing up in it and having that family environment helps forever outside of sports because you always have those people and they pushed me to be the best athlete I can be.”

BG: Do you have any favorite college/pro sports teams or athletes you follow?

KW: “I’m a Purdue fan because dad was a Purdue fan.”

BG: What else do you do at school besides things involving sports?

KW: “I do a lot. I’m active in FFA, FCA, NHS, vice president of the school and student council. I also try to do as much as I can within my community.”

BG: What do you like to do outside of school and sports?

KW: “I like to hang out with friends a lot and relax. I call myself a lazy person but I’m not as I don’t do a lot in my free time but I’m always out with friends when I can be.”

BG: What are your favorites in movies/books, TV and music?

KW: “My favorite movie is probably ‘The Notebook,’ which is really basic, but it’s a good movie. ‘500 Days of Summer’ is another good movie. I love music and is my favorite thing ever. I enjoy listening to anything. I also enjoy reading and a good book is ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

BG: Are you a person that wants to watch TV shows and movies, stream something from YouTube, Twitch, TikTok etc. or something else (gaming, reading, etc.)?

KW: “I do like to watch movies and with friends. I also like to bake a lot, something that doesn’t require too much effort but also something to keep busy.”

BG: What is something you have never done before that you would like to do someday?

KW: “Skydiving or cliff jumping. Something that gets your adrenaline up but nothing too risky during sports season.”

BG: What is your biggest fear?

KW: “I don’t like being around people for long periods of time.”

BG: You’ve been placed in charge of making dinner. What’s on the menu?

KW: “My favorite meal ever is sausage and green beans, so I’d make that. I love baking but I’m not a big cooker.”

BG: Do you have any pets?

KW: “I have two dogs, Lizzy, who is a year old, and Molly, who is about nine years old. They’re my favorite people in the world.”

BG: If your house were on fire, all living things were already out and you have your keys, cell phone, wallet/purse etc., what is one thing you would go back and get?

KW: “I have an obsession with these things called Squishmallows. I’d get one named Ricky that is a huge clownfish stuffed animal.”

BG: If you were to describe your personality in one word, what would that word be and why?

KW: “Chaotic. I’m never the same for too long. I’m either crazy energetic or lethargic, crazy quiet or crazy loud.”

BG: What has been your favorite place to visit?

KW: “Pamlico Sound, NC. My mom’s aunt has a little house down there. It’s so peaceful down there.”

BG: What was your favorite school field trip?

KW: “School field trips were hard because I was worried about who i was going to sit with, not the trip. Probably the Children’s Museum in elementary school. I got to go with my mom as chaperon, so that was cool.”

BG: How important is support from your family and classmates to your success?

KW: “Very important. I base my skill off of what people think of me. I’ve learned to dial that down and value what my family and true friends think of me. I like to see people be proud of me, especially elementary and middle school kids when they see me play sports. I always make sure I’m living up to the standards that they look up to, especially as a student-athlete at Cloverdale.”

BG: Describe your overall school experience both academically and athletically.

KW: “It’s been pretty chaotic for me as well. I’m not one for school but growing up here makes me love it and also ready to graduate. Academics come easily to me but I still have to work hard at them. I love Cloverdale. It’s been a great experience.”

BG: If your school was to offer a class it currently doesn’t, what would you want to see taught?

KW: “We have a really good anatomy class but I want to be a pediatrician and anatomy only does so much for you. If we could have a human anatomy class, so we could learn about the body a little more in-depth, that would be something I could use.”

BG: What are your plans for after high school, and what career are you headed toward?

KW: “I plan to go to college, major in human anatomy, then got to premed and medical school to be a pediatrician.”

BG: Is it difficult to keep up with your school work being an athlete?

KW: “Yes. I get my work done during school because I understand it but I’m around a lot of athletes that do struggle. I’m thankful academics comes easy to me but I still ask teachers for an extension as a lot of times, when I get back from school, I just end up going to bed.”

BG: Which particular classes and teachers have helped you the most in high school?

KW: “Ms. Meluch definitely. I go to her for everything. She’s been one of my favorite teachers ever. Mr. Tyler as well. I haven’t had him as often but he always makes things interesting and I’ve enjoyed having both of them as teachers.”

BG: In the future, once you’ve established yourself, if you had your choice, would you want to live somewhere more remote, such as in the mountains, somewhere more flashy, down on the beach or in the big city or in the neighborhood?

KW: “I would live in the country. I want to live in Tennessee. The quiet part. But not too far from Nashville.”

BG: Do you think high school has gone fast, and are you going to miss it?

KW: “High school has not gone fast. It’s gone incredibly slow. I’ll miss the people and lack of responsibility you have in high school. I may not miss school but I will always be thankful for the people of Cloverdale.”