Entering freshman year is nothing short of exciting, and freshman, Anna Cate Rice, has had a very fun start to her first year at Sunlake. The transition from middle school to high school so far has been very different for her, as high school creates a lot more pressure, but nonetheless, she exclaims that it has been so much fun that the pressure evens out. In comparison to her time at Rushe, Anna Cate explains that, “[In high school] There’s definitely a lot more people and so many opportunities to try new things.” Throughout her first few weeks here at Sunlake, Anna Cate met a lot of new people who are very fun to be around, and she loves that the teachers at Sunlake are very good, and care about the students alongside teaching.
Outside of school, Anna Cate spends majority of her free time playing basketball. She has been playing for about four years now, and the sport has allowed her to grow a lot as a person. For her, basketball is a good way for her to get away from stress, and it allows her to be calm by simply doing something that she loves. This summer and throughout the beginning of the school year, Anna Cate started working out with the Girl’s Basketball team at Sunlake, and she has been working hard to prepare for the upcoming season. Reflecting on the time she has spent with the team so far, she mentions that, “I became a lot closer with the girls, and I’m so grateful for it. It’s so nice to do things with the whole team because they will always push you to go your farthest and do your best so that you can have the best workout.” Basketball has played a huge role in Anna Cate’s life, and she believes that participating in a sport can do the same for others around her. She shares that, “I think that doing sports is a great way to find the people that you can truly connect with, so if you ever feel lost and don’t know if you have any true friends, I would find a sport that you might like, and try to make the team so that you can meet new people.”
The beginning of freshman year has been nothing short of fun for Anna Cate so far, and the people that she has met as well as her experiences have helped to ease her transition into high school. Her experiences with the basketball team have helped her to prepare for her debut at the beginning of basketball season, and it will be very exciting to see her hard work and dedication show on the court.
