By Murray Gleffe
Correspondent
Name: Emilie Van Sluys
Parents: Rene Mancel-Van Sluys and Steve Van Sluys
Activity: Track and Field
What was it like to be a leader on the track and field team at Ashwaubenon High School? “Being a leader on the track and field team was so rewarding. As a freshman, I looked up to my older peers for advice and inspiration. I enjoyed being the person people came to when they had questions about races, or just needed that extra pep-talk before they stepped to the line. Being on relays with younger teammates was a different experience every time and it was really cool to watch someone enjoy something as much as I did.”
What was your most embarrassing moment ever in track and field? “I would have to say the first time I ever fell running the 300-meter hurdles. I was running the final 60-meter stretch and I had run out of steam. My foot caught the fifth hurdle, but I was able to catch myself. Because of that, I was behind my mark for the next one and I went straight down to the ground. It was right in front of everyone watching, and it was caught on video too. I laugh about it now, but in the moment was pretty embarrassing.”
How many years were you involved in track and field? “I have been in track and field since eighth grade, so five years.”
What is your most memorable moment? “My most memorable moment in track and field would be running the 4×400 meter relay as a freshman. Every time we ran that event, our whole team would line up in the back corner of the track and cheer us on as we ran past. The back corner is where people need the most motivation because usually no one sits back there. It was cool to have my teammates line up and cheer for us.”
What was the hardest part about performing in a track and field competition? “The ground. Tripping over the 300 hurdles never feels good, no matter how many times you do it.”
If you could be somebody for a day, who would it be? “If I could be someone for a day, I would love to be a bilingual tour-guide in Peru or another Spanish speaking country.”
What was your sports routine before a big game started? “I usually tried to do whatever felt most natural to me. Having a routine when it came to running didn’t feel right because every race was different. I wanted to be in the right mindset for that specific race when I got to the line.”
Do you have a nickname or something a teammate called you during a game? “My teammates called me Em most of the time. My sprint coach called me Unicorn because of my red hair.”
What is one thing that other teammates or coaches don’t know about you? “After recently just graduating, my mom and I went skydiving together.”
Winning a relay or individual race? “I enjoyed winning on a relay because not only was I supporting my teammates by winning, but we worked together to achieve that goal.”
What are your college aspirations? “I would like to major in biology education and minor in Spanish with the hopes of becoming a high school Science teacher.”
What would your dream job be once you graduate? “Being a science teacher at AHS.”
What are your hobbies? “Running, drawing, sailing, hiking, and listening to music”
What is your favorite event ever attended? “My first Green Bay Packer game”
What is your favorite type of music? “Country”
What is your favorite thing to do on your phone? “Snapchat”
What three words describe you? “Compassionate, outgoing, adventurous”
What is your favorite trip ever taken? “My favorite trip ever taken would be my family’s summer trip last year to Boundary Waters near the Minnesota/Canada border. We canoed for a total of five days and it really tested each and every one of us. It was so worthwhile to be able to go on this trip because I got to see something most people my age will not experience and that’s pretty cool. We were able to watch a bunch of loon’s swim right next to us.”
TV or Outdoor Activities? “Outdoor Activities”
Favorites
Food: Homemade mac n Cheese
Subject: Science
Color: Blue
TV Show: “Greys Anatomy”
Athlete: Gwen Jorgensen (Olympic triathlete)
Board Game: Sorry
Candy: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
Ice Cream: Ben and Jerry’s Half Baked
Holiday: Thanksgiving
Season: Fall