JEFF FIELDER Editor
SIDNEY – Katelyn Sylvester, who graduated from Sidney High School in May, has been named Nspire Today!’s Female Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance. Sylvester competed in volleyball, basketball and track and field all four years of high school. She started four years in volleyball and three years in basketball. She recently competed in the Panhandle Prep All-Star Basketball Game as well as the West Nebraska All-Star Volleyball Game. She plans to go to school and play volleyball at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota. Her parents are Eric and Jill Sylvester.
Q: How would you describe how your high school athletic career went overall?
SYLVESTER: “I was really happy with my high school athletic career. I thought I had a lot of success, and it was a lot of fun. … My freshman year, my biggest goal was that I wanted to make varsity in every sport and letter every year to get the 12-sport letter award. It was awesome to achieve that.”
Q: How many total years have you been playing volleyball?
SYLVESTER: “I played competitive volleyball when I was in fifth grade, so eight years.”
Q: Have you always been a setter, and what do you like about being a setter?
SYLVESTER: “Yes, I’ve always been a setter. I really like that position because you get to run the offense, and you get to touch the ball a lot.”
Q: Give me a brief description of how each sports season went your senior year.
SYLVESTER: “My senior volleyball season was fun. I kind of felt like I had a lot of pressure on me because I was looking at a lot of schools to play college volleyball. I felt like I had to be at my best every day. I’m happy with the way the season went, though. We had a lot of fun as a team. In basketball, I knew it was going to be my last season to play basketball, and it would be the last time I would get to play with everyone. I’ve always loved my basketball coaches, and I have always looked up to them. Also, my younger sister [Karly], who is a sophomore, was on the team, and this was the last year I got to play with her. So, my basketball season was really fun. It was exciting to play with all my friends, my sister and my coaches. My track season was kind of a struggle for me. I just threw the discus, but it was still fun going to all the meets and being around my teammates.”
Q: Why did you decide to go to Black Hills State?
SYLVESTER: “I went on a visit there at the end of my junior year, and I really loved it. So, I decided to reach out to the coach, and I went to a camp there, and I continued to talk to the coach throughout my volleyball season. I looked at some other colleges, but I really liked the coaches and the campus at Black Hills State. I really had a great experience at camp there.”
Q: How long have you wanted to play collegiate volleyball?
SYLVESTER: “Last year, my junior year, I decided that I wanted to keep playing volleyball in college.“
Q: What are you planning to major in at college?
SYLVESTER: “I’m going to major in human services.”
Q: Why did you pick that major?
SYLVESTER: “This semester I had an internship at PlainsWest CASA in Sidney, which is court appointed special advocates. They advocate for neglected and abused children in the court system. So I got to go there twice a week for two hours and work with the people there and see the social workers. Also, I got to go to family court a few times. It was fun seeing what everybody does and seeing how rewarding it is. That really inspired me to do that. I want to do social work and counseling.”
Q: Is it hard for you to believe that your high school career is over?
SYLVESTER: “To me, high school seemed really long, so I think I was ready to graduate and move on to college. I’m really excited for my college volleyball career.”
Q: Which coach has influenced you the most?
SYLVESTER: “Coach [Tyler] Shaw. He was my head basketball coach. He has been the biggest role model for me. He’s helped me in every sport.”
Q: Academically, what was your favorite class this past school year?
SYLVESTER: “Probably Chemistry II. Coach Shaw was my teacher in that class, too.”
Q: Outside of school activities, what do you enjoy doing for fun?
SYLVESTER: “I really enjoyed playing on my club volleyball team. We had a lot of fun together, and we were close to going to nationals.”
Q: What else do you enjoy doing?
SYLVESTER: “I enjoy watching movies, and I also enjoy traveling. For example, this summer I’ve already been to California and Florida.”
Q: What’s the best movie you’ve ever seen?
SYLVESTER: “My favorite movie right now is ‘A Star is Born.’”
Q: Where is your favorite place to eat in the Sidney area?
SYLVESTER: “Mi Ranchito.”
Q: What do you like to order there?
SYLVESTER: “Tacos.”
Q: Have you lived in Sidney your whole life?
SYLVESTER: “I moved here when I was in kindergarten.”
Q: How much have you enjoyed growing up in Sidney?
SYLVESTER: “I’ve loved living in Sidney. It’s such a nice community, and everyone is so supportive. It’s small, so you know everyone.”
Q: In your opinion, who do you think was the kindest person in school this past school year?
SYLVESTER: “I would say one of my best friends, Meaghan Ross [2019 graduate]. She is the nicest person ever. She wants to go into education, so she would spend a lot of time in the younger schools, and she was always really involved with the little kids. She would do extra things for them, like going to their games or eating lunch with them. She tried to make everyone feel really special.”
Q: Name one person who you think is a big difference-maker in the Sidney community.
SYLVESTER: “Eric and Mollie Packer. They’re the store managers at Dairy Queen in Sidney. They’re so awesome. They go and support everyone. They also do a bunch of fundraisers.”
Q: What do you think is the coolest place in Sidney?
SYLVESTER: “Ever since I was little, I’ve loved the Coffee Corner in Sidney. It recently changed owners. It’s now called the Cracked Basket. The Coffee Corner was always the coolest place to go to.”
If you would like to nominate someone for Nspire Today!’s Athletes of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, you may do so by sending an email to jeff.fielder@nspiretoday.com or by mailing a letter to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. Nominations may also be submitted by sending a text to 308-220-8865.
In addition to being recognized online, athletes of the week will also be recognized in Nspire Today! magazine. To sign up for a one-year subscription (12 issues) to the magazine, please send $15 to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. To pay with a credit card, please call 308-220-8865. If you would like to increase your subscription to $20, Nspire Today! will donate the extra $5 in June to Camp Scott.
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.
