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Athlete Works With Animals

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By CLIFF GILL

Tribune correspondent

Published: May 11, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - A lot has changed for Sunlake High junior Nikki Walters. A year ago, she was a multisport athlete at Land O' Lakes High, including a first-team all-Sunshine Athletic Conference swimmer. She holds the school record in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 26.47 seconds.

Last fall, the redrawing of boundaries in Land O' Lakes found Walters and nearly 1,000 other students attending Sunlake High. One thing hasn't changed: This year, she again was selected to the first-team all-conference swim team, along with earning Tribune All-Pasco County first-team honors.

A club swimmer for Land O' Lakes Lightning since age 5, Walters competed in the National Junior Olympics at ages 10 and 11. In 10 years of competitive swimming, she has accumulated more than 100 awards.

Walters' theme is constant improvement.

"Before I swim, I try to break my personal best record. Every time, I think I'm going to do it," she said.

One method is to practice with the boys varsity swim team.

"They swim faster and push me to practice to my limits," Walters added.

Walters participates in two other varsity sports - cheerleading and track. Cheerleading coach Pennye Garcia worked with Walters last year and made her team captain this year.

"When selecting a captain, the first thing I look at is character. Nikki is a great role model who is honest, dependable and hard-working. She gets the other girls to cooperate and work as a team. She's like an assistant coach," Garcia said.

To improve her cheerleading skills, Walters attends tumbling classes. Now, she can perform a back handspring and a backtuck.

"Cheerleading is a difficult sport. It's hard work, but it's fun and I've bonded with my teammates and made new friends," she said.

As a member of the varsity track team, Walters participates in the high jump and long jump.

In the classroom, Walters has been an honors student since freshman year and has a 4.1 GPA. She is currently taking Advanced Placement courses in American history and pre-calculus and is taking honors English classes.

"Nikki is a very good student who balances rigorous coursework with several after-school commitments. She is someone that other students look up to," Principal Angela Stone said.

On weekends, Walters volunteers at an animal hospital, where she helps with adoptions.

"Choosing which animal to adopt is an important decision. I meet with all members of the family and try to find the right fit," she said.

After graduation, Walters plans to attend Florida Gulf Coast University, majoring in environmental engineering.

"I like learning about different habitats and how they interact with each other. I also hope to be a member of the swim team," she said. "It's important to get an education and continue to work hard. If I put in the effort now, there will be a payoff down the road," she said.

Teachers and coaches: If you would like to nominate an outstanding student-athlete to be featured in an upcoming In The Community article, contact Cliff Gill at reportercliffgill@yahoo.com or (727) 860-4903.

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