JEFF FIELDER Editor
HARRISON – Julie Skavdahl, who will be a senior this fall at Sioux County High School, is this week’s Nspire Today! Female Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance. She competes in volleyball and track & field. Also at school, she’s involved in History Day, speech, FFA, and National Honor Society. She also participates in the Methodist Church youth group. She has a 3.8 GPA. After high school, she plans to go to college. The colleges she’s considering are Grinnell College in Iowa, Bowdoin College in Maine, and Amherst College in Massachusetts. She’s leaning toward majoring in either history or English, and then she wants to advance to law school. Her parents are Jud and Jennifer Skavdahl. For being named an athlete of the week, Julie will receive a gift card for a free drink at Scooter’s Coffee.
Q: How would you summarize how your high school athletic career has gone up to this point?
SKAVDAHL: “I would say it’s gone pretty well. I’ve been fortunate to have really great coaches who are good at keeping us motivated and helping us to set great goals. It was unfortunate this year that the track season got cancelled [because of COVID-19] because I was looking forward to hopefully qualifying for state. I’ve fallen short of doing that in the past by just a couple places, so I was really looking forward to trying to do that this last season. But now I’m looking forward to my last year of sports.”
Q: What events do you compete in during the track and field season?
SKAVDAHL: “I do mostly the 100 and 200 sprints. Sometimes I also get put on the 4×100 relay or the 4×400 relay.”
Q: Talk about how things have been going in volleyball.
SKAVDAHL: “Things have been going great. We have a great group of girls. I hope we can continue to grow as a team.”
Q: What has your role been on the volleyball team?
SKAVDAHL: “My freshman year I mostly played JV. I started JV. Then my sophomore year, I played a little bit as a backup setter on the varsity team. Then this past season, I started as the libero on the varsity team. So, I’ve switched positions a little bit, but I think I’ve found the place where I fit in the best – as the libero.”
Q: What are your goals going into this volleyball season both individually and as a team?
SKAVDAHL: “As a team, I’m hoping we’ll have a great season and that we’ll advance far [in the postseason]. I would also like to take home the title of Panhandle Conference champions again. We’ve won that two years in a row, so we’re looking for a third win this year. Individually, I’m hoping to continue being a contributor on the team, and I hope to keep growing my skills as a libero.”
Q: What is your favorite sport?
SKAVDAHL: “It’s close between volleyball and track. I’m really passionate about both, but if I had to pick one, it would probably be volleyball, mostly because I love being part of the team.”
Q: Have you been able to do much so far this summer to prepare for the upcoming volleyball season?
SKAVDAHL: “It’s been pretty hard to do too much because of the coronavirus. Most of the camps that I was planning to go to got cancelled. They did let us back in the school, so we’ve been lifting three times a week. We haven’t been able to do any open gyms because they’re working on our school’s air conditioner system, but hopefully we’ll be able to get back on the court soon.”
Q: What do you expect to happen this fall both volleyball-wise and school-wise because of the coronavirus?
SKAVDAHL: “Personally, I’m hoping things will go back to the way they were [before COVID-19 started]. In school, I really miss my teachers and my friends. The online schooling was definitely challenging, so I’d really like to be back in the classroom. As for sports, I’m really hoping we can have a season.”
Q: How excited are you for your senior year, and is it a little hard for you to believe that you’re already a senior?
SKAVDAHL: “Yes, it’s crazy. I can’t believe I’m a senior already. It seems like these years have flown by.”
Q: What is your favorite non-sports activity at school?
SKAVDAHL: “Definitely speech. I love speech. I was really hoping to make it to state this year, and it looked like I might, but then districts got cancelled.”
Q: You’re involved in National Honor Society. Talk about how important excelling in the classroom is to you.
SKAVDAHL: “Ever since I was little, my parents have always emphasized how important it is to get good grades. That’s what colleges really look for. I also remember when I was coming into high school, that’s one of the things the upperclassmen told us. They said, ‘Don’t slack off. As much as you maybe don’t want to do that math homework, you really need to do it because it will hurt you in the long run if you don’t.’”
Q: What would you like to do for a career?
SKAVDAHL: “I would like to go into the field of law. There are several lawyers in my family. My uncle is a lawyer in Harrison, and his son is also a lawyer. Also, one of my cousins is a judge in Wyoming. It’s something that I’m interested in, too.”
Q: Outside of your school activities, what do you like to do for fun?
SKAVDAHL: “I like to spend time with my family and friends. That’s something that I think is really important. I also like to help my dad on the ranch. I also love to shop.”
Q: Do you live on a farm and ranch?
SKAVDAHL: “I think it’s considered a farm and ranch. We just grow enough food to feed our animals.”
Q: What kind of animals do you have?
SKAVDAHL: “Mostly just beef. But we also have chickens. My brother has a chicken herd, and of course we have horses.”
Q: What is your favorite kind of music?
SKAVDAHL: “I like popular music – whatever is hot at the time. I also like country.”
Q: What is your favorite TV show?
SKAVDAHL: “Probably ‘The Office.’”
Q: What are your three favorite apps on your cell phone?
SKAVDAHL: “I like SnapChat, Instagram, and Facebook.”
Q: Who do you think is one of the kindest students at Sioux County High School?
SKAVDAHL: “They’re all pretty nice, but if I had to pick one, I would say Colton Randall. He’s going to be a sophomore this year. He’s a super sweet kid.”
Q: During your educational career, which teacher has made the biggest influence on you?
SKAVDAHL: “Definitely my English teacher, Mr. [Dashiell] Rohan. He’s my speech coach and English teacher. He’s great. Whenever we have questions or need anything, I always go to Mr. Rohan. He’s made such a big impact on me.”
Q: If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
SKAVDAHL: “Probably somewhere in Mexico. I love the beach.”
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in the region?
SKAVDAHL: “Definitely San Pedro in Scottsbluff. It is the best.”
Q: What do you like to order there?
SKAVDAHL: “The burrito al pastor.”
Q: What do you think is the coolest attraction in the WyoBraska region?
SKAVDAHL: “Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. It’s such a cool place, and it displays the history of our area really well.”
Q: Name one person who you feel is a big difference-maker in the Harrison community.
SKAVDAHL: “I would say Mr. Rohan or Mrs. [Mary] Munson. They’re both great citizens of Harrison, and they’re always spending time talking to the older people. They’re just really great people.”
Q: Do you have any siblings?
SKAVDAHL: “Jack [who will be a sophomore at Casper College] is my older brother, and I have two younger brothers – Jadon [who will be a freshman at Sioux County High School] and Jhett [who will be a seventh-grader at Sioux County].”
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.
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.
