By Macy Whitted
Lowry has had a great history of student-athletes, as the year ends and the class of 2024 plays their final season. Senior Bryce Brinkerhoff was noticed for her soccer and basketball careers. Sadly because of Covid, she didn’t have a choice but to miss out on her freshman basketball season, but she has played both soccer and basketball all her years at Lowry.
Since Brinkerhoff’s friends played soccer, she enjoyed the sport more. She loved the sport because she had her friends by her side, and she continued the sport throughout high school.
“I started playing soccer when I was in 4th grade because all of my friends did it, and I’ve stuck with it ever since,” said Brinkerhoff.
Brinkerhoff said she enjoys soccer because she finds it less stressful than basketball. She said that she feels very welcome within the soccer community because of all of the helping hands.
“Soccer is very fun because of the people within the soccer community,” said Brinkerhoff. “I feel that soccer is a lot less stressful than basketball at most times.”
With all of the great people in the soccer community, the girls made it to regionals this year. Unfortunately, they took a loss in the first game. Their biggest accomplishment this year was beating Elko, which hasn’t happened in the past five years.
“My freshman and junior years weren’t too great competitions”, said Brinkerhoff. “But my junior and senior years have been nothing but amazing. My soccer team has pushed and worked hard. For my senior year, we entered the playoffs, but we only made it to the first game. It wasn’t where we wanted to end up.”
Brinkerhoff enjoys playing soccer because of the relationships she makes during the seasons. She has made countless relationships over the years, and she has made many unexpected devotions. She said it gives her something to look forward to during the upcoming seasons.
“I have made many new friendships throughout my soccer career, it also gives me something to look forward to,” said Brinkerhoff.
Her teammates and coaches always push her to her best ability, while she does the same for her teammates. Her influence for playing the sport is her fellow teammates and her coaches. They all make her do her best, and she makes sure to never doubt them.
“My biggest influence when playing sports would be my teammates and my coaches,” said Brinkerhoff. “I feel we all need to correctly influence each other and push each other to be our absolute best.”
Brinkerhoff also found a love for basketball, even through the ups and downs of Covid. Sadly, Bryce didn’t play basketball her freshman year because of Covid.
“My experience has been rough throughout the years, I had to deal with Covid my freshman year and didn’t end up having a basketball season,” said Brinkerhoff.
Even with the letdown of not being able to play her freshman year, she and her teammates didn’t let anything get in their way. Brinkerhoff and the Lady Buckaroos made it to state in her junior year. Bryce hopes to have the same outcome for her senior year.
“I hope to make a good outcome of my senior year by getting the state championship for my last year,” said Brinkerhoff.
Coach Chelsea Cabatbat has coached Bryce for two years this upcoming season, but they have had a great relationship over the short time on and off the court. Even before the basketball season, Brinkerhoff and Cabatbat have had a connection since Brinkerhoff was little.
“This will be my second year coaching Bryce, but I have known her forever and I can remember her coming to all the youth camps when she was younger,” said Cabatbat.
With Brinkerhoff’s experience at Lowry throughout the years, she has carried on some advice for incoming athletes.
“The best advice I would give to future players would be to try not to stress and just have fun,” said Brinkerhoff. “I can say high school flies by and I wish I just lived in the moment and don’t stress over sports. Sports are supposed to be fun, so never make it a hassle to yourself.”
