Athlete of the Week: Rachel Curtiss
By Nic Bordwell
Posted May 15, 2015
This week's athlete of the week is Rachel Curtiss. Rachel plays volleyball, softball and is the manager for the Aitkin All Starz dance team. She has been a varsity softball player since she was in eighth grade and she has been a varsity volleyball player for three years now. Being the dance manager, Rachel is truly the heart and soul of the team. With positive feedback and constructive criticism she helps the girls do their best. “I get the music box, run errands for the dancers, correct their form, and support them through the season,” said Rachel.
Rachel was the captain of both her volleyball and softball team, voted into both positions by her teammates. This shows she is well respected and a good leader both on and off the field. “When she's having fun, everyone is having fun. You will never get a grittier, tougher performance out of anyone in the circle (pitcher's mound),” said her softball coach Jason Henke.
Rachel Curtiss has seen success in her pitching because she said she likes to be the best. “I really like to be the best at things, so I try really hard. I’m just very competitive, I have a weird drive to be the best. It's actually kind of bad sometimes,” she said.
When asked what she likes most about softball, she told me she likes to chatter, poke fun at Maren Butenhoff and hit her spots while pitching. She said she loves making batters look foolish when she hits her spots. Her favorite part of volleyball was getting to know her teammates.
Rachel is a big believer in fundamentals. When asked what her key to batting is she stated, “At the beginning of the season we took a lot of cuts off the tees. Coach Henke and Coach Mehr really drilled the fundamentals.” She also thinks that with fundamentals routine plays that should be made wouldn't ever result in an error. “I’m good at the fundamentals, I can help people with that. I’m good at pitching and I’m also good at batting, I guess,” said Rachel.
When asked what motivates Rachel to be such a great athlete she said, “My grandma, my sister Jel, and (2009 AHS graduate) Emily Mehr. Emily motivates me because I’ve always tried to be like her and play college softball just like her.”
Other than sports, Rachel is also an exceptional student. She is part of Peer Helpers, National Honor Society, Choir, Madrigals, Handbells, and she's taking many college classes through our high school. When asked what she likes to do other than sports and school, she said, “I like hanging out with friends, I like swimming, reading and I love shoes. I like to sleep too, that is definitely something I like to do.”
If you see Rachel walking through the halls or anywhere in Aitkin give her a high five or pat on the back for being a great athlete, leader and student.
Posted May 15, 2015
This week's athlete of the week is Rachel Curtiss. Rachel plays volleyball, softball and is the manager for the Aitkin All Starz dance team. She has been a varsity softball player since she was in eighth grade and she has been a varsity volleyball player for three years now. Being the dance manager, Rachel is truly the heart and soul of the team. With positive feedback and constructive criticism she helps the girls do their best. “I get the music box, run errands for the dancers, correct their form, and support them through the season,” said Rachel.
Rachel was the captain of both her volleyball and softball team, voted into both positions by her teammates. This shows she is well respected and a good leader both on and off the field. “When she's having fun, everyone is having fun. You will never get a grittier, tougher performance out of anyone in the circle (pitcher's mound),” said her softball coach Jason Henke.
Rachel Curtiss has seen success in her pitching because she said she likes to be the best. “I really like to be the best at things, so I try really hard. I’m just very competitive, I have a weird drive to be the best. It's actually kind of bad sometimes,” she said.
When asked what she likes most about softball, she told me she likes to chatter, poke fun at Maren Butenhoff and hit her spots while pitching. She said she loves making batters look foolish when she hits her spots. Her favorite part of volleyball was getting to know her teammates.
Rachel is a big believer in fundamentals. When asked what her key to batting is she stated, “At the beginning of the season we took a lot of cuts off the tees. Coach Henke and Coach Mehr really drilled the fundamentals.” She also thinks that with fundamentals routine plays that should be made wouldn't ever result in an error. “I’m good at the fundamentals, I can help people with that. I’m good at pitching and I’m also good at batting, I guess,” said Rachel.
When asked what motivates Rachel to be such a great athlete she said, “My grandma, my sister Jel, and (2009 AHS graduate) Emily Mehr. Emily motivates me because I’ve always tried to be like her and play college softball just like her.”
Other than sports, Rachel is also an exceptional student. She is part of Peer Helpers, National Honor Society, Choir, Madrigals, Handbells, and she's taking many college classes through our high school. When asked what she likes to do other than sports and school, she said, “I like hanging out with friends, I like swimming, reading and I love shoes. I like to sleep too, that is definitely something I like to do.”
If you see Rachel walking through the halls or anywhere in Aitkin give her a high five or pat on the back for being a great athlete, leader and student.