Sports are an important part of not only Apex High but to the people who play them. For junior Colleen Sholtis, basketball has been a big portion of her life ever since sixth grade. 

“…But I have been playing in my front yard for as long as I can remember. My older brother and one of my sisters would always shoot out front, and it’s been my favorite sport ever since!” says Sholtis. 

She’s played on a team ever since middle school, where she played for a smaller school in the area. When she arrived at Apex, Sholtis tried out so that she could continue her basketball career and made the JV team both her freshman and sophomore years. During her JV experience, the teams had two different coaches for the two years, so they were able to expand their skills and knowledge more than most. 

“Both years I learned so much about the game and improved my skills tremendously,” she says. Sholtis even had the opportunity to captain for her sophomore year. 

Now in her third year of high school, she has moved up to varsity with Coach Michael. Now the stakes are higher, and the intensity has been raised, but according to Sholtis, the transition hasn’t been difficult at all. 

“I really love my team and all the girls. We have an amazing team bond and work extremely hard in practice, which produces positive results in the game.” 

From freshman to junior year, her skills have only increased. Not only has she learned more about the sport she loves, but her fundamentals and basketball IQ have improved twofold. 

“I have also learned how to be a good sport and the bigger person when my opponents are not,” she adds. 

With the basketball season coming close to its end, Sholtis will be wrapping up her third out of her four years of high school basketball. What will her senior year hold for her? Be sure to check out the women’s basketball games and support Colleen and all the other Lady Cougars!