James Wood High School 18-year-old senior
Sport: Soccer. Position: Defense
Parents: Bobbie Jo Hawkins and Sherry Wells
What do you love about soccer: I love the feeling of competing with some of my best friends because all of the people I compete with I’ve grown up with. Just in that moment, you get to feel all that matters is the game. Everything else just goes away.
Most memorable moment in soccer: I started in my second game as a freshman. I just remember being concerned about not playing much as a freshman. Getting to hear my name called and seeing my parents taking pictures of me in that moment, that’s something I will never forget.
Most embarrassing moment in soccer: Sophomore year, Coach [Donavan] Russell told me to go in and I had a rain jacket on. The zipper got stuck and it wouldn’t come off. The JV coach had to help me step out of my jacket because it wouldn’t come undone. It was awful.
Most difficult moment in soccer: It was losing our season last year. I had a tough sophomore season so I came into junior season like ready to go mentally and physically. And, it was just taken away at the last minute with COVID. It was hard to deal with that.
Three people you can have dinner with, dead or alive: My great-grandma Mary Elizabeth Hawkins. I never got to meet her because she passed away before I was born, but everyone in my family says we would have such great conversations. It would be nice to see if that’s true; Hilary Clinton, because I want to go into politics and she had such a strong aspect on government for women. It would be really cool to get to talk to her about her experience; Carrie Bradshaw [from Sex and the City], she is from a TV show but I feel like her character could teach me a lot about life.
Biggest athletic influence: My mom Bobbie Jo Hawkins. She was really athletic all throughout high school. When I ran cross country in middle school, I just always wanted to be like her because she always got first. I wanted to be as good as her all of the time.
Favorite athlete: [Soccer player] Sydney Leroux
Favorite sports team: U.S. women’s national soccer team
Favorite movie: “The Devil Wears Prada”
Favorite TV show: “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah”
Favorite song: Right now it’s “Hold onto Happiness” by Rhys Lewis, but usually it’s anything by Post Malone
Favorite food: French fries. I love Chick-fil-a.
Worst thing you’ve eaten: Sweet potatoes. They’re gross. They’re a disgrace to potatoes.
Plans after high school: I’m currently planning on attending James Madison University in the fall, but I’m on two waiting lists for other schools. I plan to major in political science to graduate as a political analyst. My dream job is to be Secretary of State. In 2016 during that election year in my government class, I was so interested in everything and I started watching the debates, and paying attention to the news and started following local elections. I just love it for some reason.
