MALE
Nick Green, Columbus North sophomore swimmer
Green finished 21st in the 500-yard freestyle in a personal-best 4 minutes, 44.78 seconds and helped the Bull Frogs’ 400 freestyle relay team to a 17th-place finish in 3:12.86 in Friday’s state preliminaries.
His performance last week: “I only dropped a tenth of a second, but I was really happy with my time because I proved to myself that I could go that time more than once. It wasn’t just a one-time thing.”
Do you do anything special to prepare? “We do tapering. It’s easier practices, but a lot more effort.”
Favorite drink: “Water”
Favorite food: “Burritos”
Favorite book: “’Septimus Heap’ series”
Favorite class: “Math”
Role model: “(Former North coach) Jim Sheridan”
Best advice: “From Jim, ‘It’s not all about the times, it’s about how good you feel about your races and having fun and being happy.’”
Athletics goal: “I would like to be top eight at state next year in the 500 (freestyle).”
If you could travel anywhere: “Probably California, because they have good swim teams there and because it’s always sunny.”
FEMALE
Kayla Jones, Columbus Christian seventh-grade basketball player
Jones led the Crusaders with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 13 steals Saturday in a 48-33 loss to Granger Christian in the semifinals of the ICSAA state tournament.
Her performance last week: “I felt like I played my best, and God helped me all the way.”
Do you do anything special to prepare? “I pray to God.”
Favorite drink: “Root beer”
Favorite food: “Ribs and steak”
Favorite book: “My Secret Life in Paris”
Favorite class: “History”
Role model: “My mom (Columbus Christian coach Kay Jones)”
Best advice: “Always be yourself, and don’t let anybody tell you different. You’re wonderful just how you are.”
Athletics goal: “For volleyball, I want to be able to set (the ball) better, and for basketball, I want to dribble with my left hand a lot more.”
If you could travel anywhere: “I think Paris, because I just really want to go there. It’s a really pretty place, and I want to see the Eiffel Tower.”
