JEFF FIELDER Editor
BAYARD – Kylie Stuart, a senior at Bayard High School, is this week’s Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance Female Athlete of the Week. A three-sport standout, Stuart signed a letter of intent Thursday afternoon to play volleyball at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln. Stuart, who started four years in volleyball, also competed in basketball, and she’s currently in her final season of track and field. At her last meet, the Morrill Early Bird Invite, she won the 100-meter high hurdles, placed second in the 300 hurdles, and was on the 4×400 relay that placed third. She also pole vaults. In addition to sports, Stuart participates in speech, NHS, FFA, choir, and band. Her parents are Donna and Barry Stuart.
Q: When did you decide that you wanted to play volleyball at Nebraska Wesleyan University?
STUART: “I decided in February that I was going to play volleyball. I had been in contact with Coach [Rayna] Cain, and she really communicated well with me, so that kind of drew me in. I took a college visit there in February, and that’s when I definitely knew it was for me.”
Q: What other factors played a part in your decision to go to Nebraska Wesleyan?
STUART: “I thought about academics first, of course, so I checked into their education program, and I saw that they were going to be able to put me into the classroom and get me the information I need in order to kind of build up who I was going to be as a teacher. So, that was a big factor. We talked to some of the professors, and they told me how the classes work. They’re smaller classes, so I’ll be able to interact with people a lot more. That was a big deal to me, and then having an opportunity to play volleyball there was great. Coach Cain was kind of the deciding factor for me. She’s a really nice woman, and she’s a very good coach. She runs a good program, and I knew that she was going to push me to be the best that I needed to be in order to succeed. I knew that she was the coach I wanted to play for.”
Q: You play different sports. Has volleyball always been the sport you’ve enjoyed the most?
STUART: “Volleyball was my first love. I used to play volleyball in the backyard with my sister. I think I was 5 when I started doing that, and she was 10. I thought, ‘This is something I really like doing.’ In sixth grade, we were able to put a sixth-grade team together and play teams from around the Panhandle. That got me even more excited about volleyball.”
Q: What’s helped you become the volleyball player that you are today?
STUART: “A lot of practice and a lot of weight room stuff. I figured out that getting stronger would help me get my swing faster.”
Q: Before this school year, did you think that playing college volleyball was a real possibility for you?
STUART: “I thought it was something that would be attainable, but I knew it was going to take a lot of hard work to do it. My freshman year, I never thought about playing in college. I thought, ‘There’s no way that would happen.’ But then after my sophomore and junior years, I thought it might be a possibility. Toward the end of my high school volleyball career, I knew I wanted to play in college, so I went for it.”
Q: Did you play the same position each year of high school volleyball?
STUART: “I played three different positions during my volleyball career. My freshman year I was an outside hitter. My sophomore year I was a middle hitter and an outside hitter. We switched halfway through that season. My junior year I was mostly in the middle, and my senior year I was a setter/outside hitter.“
Q: Was your senior year in volleyball everything you wanted it to be?
STUART: “It was. I had a really good team. I was really grateful for my teammates. Everyone on the team worked hard, and that’s all you can really ask for. We had a lot of younger girls, but it was exciting to see them [progress] because they got to play with four seniors. To watch them grow was really exciting.”
Q: Did you enjoy the basketball season?
STUART: “Oh, my gosh. The basketball season was crazy. We had a lot of good games, and we beat our rivals twice, and that hasn’t happened in a long time. So, that was probably one of my best memories from the basketball season. Also, winning a subdistrict game was fun, and then to play in districts was something that I never thought would happen my senior year. But I’m so glad it did. I’m so glad that I got to experience that with my team.”
Q: What are you goals this track and field season?
STUART: “My goals are to get some PR’s. I hope to run somewhere in the 15’s for the 100’s, and in the 300 hurdles, I want to break 50. I’ve never done that before, so to do that would be pretty exciting for me. I also want to qualify for state. That was always a goal of mine, so to make it my sophomore and junior years was cool. Hopefully, I’ll make it to state one more time.”
Q: You’ve lived in Bayard your entire life. What have you enjoyed about going to school and living in Bayard?
STUART: “I love how small the community is. There’s a lot of support and love from everyone in the community. I also like how everyone knows everyone. When you walk through the halls, everyone says ‘Hi,’ and when you go to the grocery store, everyone says ‘Hi.’ It’s nice to be able to go somewhere in town and have a 20-minute conversation with someone. Everyone is really friendly here.”
Q: In your opinion, what’s the coolest place in Bayard?
STUART: “Probably Tiger Paws [a convenience store]. It’s kind of the hangout spot. Everyone goes there for lunch, and everyone goes there after school to get snacks. Everyone talks and laughs. It’s fun.”
Q: Which teacher has made the biggest influence in your life?
STUART: “I think Zach Nesbitt [science teacher] has probably made the biggest impact on my life. He came here when I was an eighth-grader. He also coached me. But not only is he a coach and a teacher, he’s also there for you when you need to talk to someone or if you need help on homework from another class. He’s more than just a coach and a teacher. He’s someone who’s going to be there for you no matter what. I’m going to miss him a lot.”
Q: Outside of school activities, what do you like to do for fun?
STUART: “I love to read. I’m such a book nerd. I’ve been like that my whole life. I love a good book. I love to just sit on the couch and read an entire book on the weekend. It’s kind of my thing that I do. I also love to be outside. I’m in 4-H, so I work with my cattle a lot, and I help my dad do farm stuff, so I’m always outside. I love being outside.”
Q: So what’s the best book you’ve ever read?
STUART: “I really liked the Hunger Games series. It keeps you on your toes. I read all three books, I think, within about a month. I was really intrigued with how they were written.”
Q: What is your favorite cell phone app?
STUART: “My favorite cell phone app would probably be Twitter.”
Q: Name one person who has made a big difference in the Bayard community.
STUART: “I’m not sure I could pick just one person because since we’re such a small community, everyone is always doing something to better the community.”
Q: What is one thing that you wish people would do more often?
STUART: “I wish people would get off their phones. People are always on their phones. I feel like a lot of times people miss the small things in life. I wish people wouldn’t use their phones as much.”
Q: Is there anything else that you would like to add?
STUART: “I’m really grateful for the teammates that I’ve had the last few years. They really pushed me to be the athlete that I am today. I want to give a huge ‘thank you’ to them because I don’t think I would be here without them.”
For all your insurance needs, visit The Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance, located at 1012 Ave. I in Scottsbluff, or call 308-632-8598.
