By TARA JACKSON
Hometown Sports Scene
BELLEFONTE — Recently, Tara Jackson had the chance to interview Kaven Smith-Kirk. Kaven is a junior student athlete at Bellefonte High School and is in football and track and field.
Q: How long have you played the current sports you are in?
KSK: I have been playing football for five years.
Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to young athletes?
KSK: One piece of advice I have for young athletes would be that wins and losses come and go, but showing up every day with discipline, a good attitude and a willingness to learn builds long-term success. Hard work, resilience and humility will take you further than talent alone ever could.
Q: Who is someone you look up to?
KSK: I look up to Saquon Barkley not only for his success but his relationship with God, and how he can stay humble after everything he’s accomplished.
Q: What are your goals for the upcoming season?
KSK: My goals for this season are to win districts and the county, but my personal goal is to rush for 1,000 yards.
Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of sports?
KSK: Outside of sports, I enjoy just hanging out with my friends and going on drives.
Q: What are your plans after high school?
KSK: After high school, I would like to continue with football, track and field and see how far I can make it. If not, I will most likely major in business marketing.
Q: Is there a coach or teammate who has gone above and beyond and pushed you when you wanted to give up?
KSK: Coach-wise, I would have to say Coach B because of all of the hard work he puts in and the effort. It shows me that I should be doing the same and Coach Manning, because I see how much he truly cares about us. It makes me want to try my best to execute the plans he lays out for us.
Q: What is one of your weaknesses as an athlete? What is one of your strengths as an athlete?
KSK: My biggest weakness as an athlete would have to be overthinking instead of just trusting in what I’m doing. One of my biggest strengths as an athlete is my perseverance.
Q: Do you ever feel overwhelmed balancing academics and sports? What things do you do to balance the two?
KSK: I would say I definitely do feel overwhelmed sometimes balancing academics and sports, but if it gets to a point where I’m behind, I have to talk to my coaches, and I would just stay after school and work with a teacher to make sure I’m good come game day.
Q: How do you prepare yourself for a game?
KSK: I prepare myself for a game by thinking every practice is a game. If you practice how you play, you shouldn’t have an issue come game day.
Q: What strategies do you use to stay motivated during tough times?
KSK: The strategy I use to motivate myself through hard times is just looking at the bigger picture. What goals have I set for myself, and what do I need to do to achieve them?
