JEFF FIELDER Editor
TORRINGTON, Wyo. – Corbin Harris, a senior at Torrington High School, has been named Nspire Today!’s Male Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance. Harris was a standout football player, and he also excels in indoor and outdoor track and field. In track and field, Harris was the 3A state shot put champion last year, and he also placed fifth in the discus. He also was a state placer in both events at state his sophomore year. Also in school, he’s been involved in Torrington Leadership, National Honor Society, and Spanish National Honor Society. His GPA is 3.8. After he graduates from high school, he plans to attend Minot State University in North Dakota, where he’ll pursue a degree in Spanish and also compete in track and field. His parents are Tara and James Harris. For being named an Nspire Today! Athlete of the Week, Corbin will receive a gift card for a free drink at Scooter’s Coffee.
Q: You’re involved in multiple sports. Which one is your favorite?
HARRIS: “Definitely track and field. I like the individual aspect of it, especially in the throws events. I’ve always loved to compete in those events.”
Q: What were your goals coming into this track and field season?
HARRIS: “I was definitely wanting to win regionals in both events, and I wanted to win state again in the shot put. But, unfortunately, that won’t happen [due to the track and field season being cancelled because of COVID-19]. In the discus, I got fifth last year, so I wanted to try to place higher than that this season.”
Q: Talk about how disappointed you were when you found out that the track and field season was cancelled.
HARRIS: “That was definitely pretty disappointing, but you just have to move on. It happens. Life goes on.”
Q: How excited are you to compete in college?
HARRIS: “I’ll be throwing all four events [shot put, discus, hammer throw, and weight throw] for Minot State’s track and field team. I’m really excited. I think that’s a big reason for me not being so disappointed about the high school track season being cancelled. I know I’ll still have another four years of collegiate athletics to look forward to.”
Q: How close do you think you are to reaching your peak in your track and field events?
HARRIS: “Coming into this season, I felt like I could improve my throws, especially in the discus. I thought I could add another 10 to 20 feet to my throw this season.”
Q: How has your senior year been going overall up to this point?
HARRIS: “It’s been going good. It’s been going by fast. One of my goals was to stay on the gold honor roll all four years of high school, and I’ve been able to achieve that.”
Q: What’s been your favorite subject in high school?
HARRIS: “Definitely Spanish. I took it for the first time [his sophomore year], and I ended up really falling in love with it. My Spanish teacher, Mrs. [Lisa] Racine, has had a huge impact on me, especially with the decisions I’m making after high school.”
Q: Has it been difficult to learn Spanish, or has it come easily to you?
HARRIS: “Last year Spanish II was probably the hardest course to take just because it requires a lot of memorization, but when you get all of that done, you can kind of dive into the culture, and that’s a lot of fun.”
Q: What is your favorite non-sports activity at school?
HARRIS: “Spanish National Honor Society. That’s been really fun. We do a charitable event around Christmas time called The Giving Tree, and we advertise for people to bring in any lightly used items to the high school. Then a couple weeks before Christmas, it’s available to anybody in the community who might not have the financial stability to purchase gifts for families. Everything is free. We always have a pretty good turnout for that. It’s always fun to see the smiles on a lot of kids’ and parent’s faces. It makes it a little easier for some people because it can be a pretty stressful time for a lot of families.”
Q: During your educational career, which teacher do you feel has made the biggest influence on you?
HARRIS: “There are a couple people. Russell Steinmetz has made a big impact on me because he’s my coach in every sport that I do. Mrs. Racine has also made a big impact on me during my high school career.”
Q: Why did you decide to go to Minot State University?
HARRIS: “It’s a place that has a great sense of community. Also, I’m really looking forward to being able to continue my athletic career there. It’s a long way away, but it’s also just a day’s drive to get back home. I also like the facilities there – they’re great. The coaches are awesome, too.”
Q: What do you want to do for a career?
HARRIS: “I would like to come back to Wyoming and teach Spanish at the high school level.”
Q: What got you interested in being a high school teacher?
HARRIS: “I’ve always had an interest in teaching. I was always interested in doing physical education, but Spanish education is a needed area in teaching, especially in Wyoming. So, I think that will make it easier for me to get a job here. Plus, I love the Spanish culture.”
Q: How much have you enjoyed growing up in the Torrington community?
HARRIS: “I’ve loved living in Torrington. I like that it’s a small town, and there’s a great sense of community here. Everybody knows everybody. When you see someone at the store, you’ll most likely know who they are.”
Q: Outside of your school activities, what do you like to do for fun?
HARRIS: “I like being in the outdoors. I like to hunt and fish.”
Q: How are you handling things related to the coronavirus, especially with not being able to go to school?
HARRIS: “It’s been a pretty easy adjustment for me, especially with classes being online. It hasn’t been too hard. You just have to have a lot more discipline with managing your time. You don’t always have someone there to remind you to get your stuff done, so that’s been a little bit different. But other than that, it’s been going fine. Other than school, we’re just trying to distance ourselves from everybody else the best we can. Luckily, where we’re at, that’s pretty easy to do.”
Q: How strange has the last month or so seemed to you, and do you think this will go on for quite some time?
HARRIS: “It’s definitely been strange seeing businesses temporarily closed down. It’s weird seeing how quiet everything is right now. But, hopefully, it won’t go on for too much longer so we can get back to normal.”
Q: What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?
HARRIS: “I listen to almost everything except for top 200 hits music.”
Q: What is your favorite TV show?
HARRIS: “That ‘70s Show.”
Q: What is one thing you wish people would do more of?
HARRIS: “Get out and see the world more.”
Q: Who do you think is one of the kindest students at Torrington High School?
HARRIS: “Sy McCarthy. He’s a senior. He treats everybody the same. He gives everybody the respect they deserve. Everybody likes him. He’s a nice guy. He’s good to be around. He has a very positive attitude about everything.”
Q: What is your favorite local restaurant?
HARRIS: “Prados. They have great Mexican food.”
Q: What do you think is the coolest attraction in the WyoBraska region?
HARRIS: “I think the Scotts Bluff National Monument is pretty cool. You can see out for miles in every direction when you’re on top of it. You can even see Laramie Peak, which is over 100 miles to the west, so that’s cool.”
Q: What are your three favorite apps on your cell phone?
HARRIS: “Instagram, Spotify, and Facebook.”
Q: If you could give a shoutout to one business in Torrington, which one would it be and why?
HARRIS: “Main Street Market. All the staff there is really nice. They’re very helpful.”
Q: Do you have any siblings?
HARRIS: “Yes, I have three: Logan [a junior at the University of Wyoming]; Gabbi [an eighth-grader], and Xander [a sixth-grader].”
If you would like to nominate someone for Nspire Today!’s Athletes of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, LLC – American Family Insurance, 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.
