High School is often a place of unexpected change. You can start as someone not expecting much just living through the day-to-day. Yet through the relationships and experiences we forge, our lives can take people to new places we didn’t think they were capable of, and confidence they didn’t know they had.
For senior Kerigan West, her experience on the Lady Vikings Basketball Team has been an important catalyst for personal growth. “I’ve become more self-assured, more confident,” she said. “I don’t worry as much about what other people think, I’ve become more social. I have more friends.”
Being on the Lady Vikings team presented many challenges, but with the support of her friends, she was ready to face anything. “I felt so comfortable with them, it allowed me to change.”
While Kerigan was motivated by her friends, she has motivated her peers as well. “She’s a great role model, she’s a great teammate on and off the court, and you can always rely on her.” said fellow teammate Delaney Linkous.
Kerigan’s support to her teammates even showed through to young basketball players who may not have had the confidence they needed to succeed. “Kerigan’s always kind to everyone around her, no matter what kind of day she was having. It could be difficult as a freshman on the team at times, but she helped me through it,” said freshman Viking Nila Profit.
As she moves forward into college, she plans to leave basketball behind, but not without remembering the power of the experience she’s had. “I’ve gotten to meet some of my best friends from it, and learn so many lessons, but it’s time to move on,” she said, but added that she may enjoy playing intramural basketball.
Kerigan is attending ETSU to major in Interior Architecture and Design, crediting her knack for organizing as the impetus for her choice. Additionally, she loves the variety of applications of the degree. “[T]hat field–interior design–[includes] event coordination, [and] being able to plan weddings, baby showers, things like that,” she said.
With her time at Tennessee High coming to a close, Kerigan is inspired to move forward in pursuit of her dreams. While she doesn’t know exactly what that will look like, she hopes to one day own to own her business, and her way of life. Which is finding what she’s good at while helping others.
