Senior Sports Q&A
Celso Collins
Q: Which sports are you involved in?
I am involved in Cross Country in the fall, Track & Field in the spring. I have been involved with both all 4 years of high school.
Q: What do you appreciate about each individual sport and what has motivated you to stay involved?
I appreciated the team atmosphere and the bonding that happened with both cross country and track. I think what made me motivated to stay involved was the coaching and my love for running. Staying in high school sports is all about the love of the sport, the awesome teammates, and that unbeatable feeling of achieving goals together.
Q: What is your most prideful accomplishment?
For cross country, getting first team all conference and placing seventh in the FVA are my proudest accomplishments. I would also say qualifying for the WIAA D1 Cross Country State Championship. There have honestly been so many accomplishments throughout the past four years, and I’m so grateful for all of them.
Q: How did your sports help you grow as a person?
Running has taught me discipline, resilience, and how to push myself past my limits. Plus the team bond is really something special.
Q: Which coach was the most impactful for you, and why?
Coach Polak was the most impactful for me; she’s like a second mom to me. She’s always pushing me to my full potential. She’s there every mile, every lap, and every step of the way. I’m so grateful for the last four years with her and that she got to coach me. I have achieved my goals because of her.
Q: Will you continue any sports in college?
I will be continuing my athletic career and running cross country and track & field at UWO
Q: What are your other post-graduate plans/long-term goals?
I want to go into business and a long-term goal is to have a career where I can make a positive impact on people’s life.
Q: What are you most looking forward to with your future journeys?
I’m really excited to meet new people, experience different things, and discover more about myself along the way. Remember, every step you take is a step closer to your dreams. Keep exploring, keep growing, and never lose sight of the impact you can make.
Q: What is your fondest memory from your time as an athlete at West?
One of my favorite memories is definitely running at state. The atmosphere was like no other, and the experience was so special. I am grateful for every moment.
Q: What advice would you give to incoming freshman/underclassmen?
A piece of advice that I’d give is get involved, step outside your comfort zone, and don’t be afraid to try something new. These years fly by, so make the most of every opportunity. Also, every day is a great day to run. “You don’t have to run, you get to run” - Coach Polak
Q: What is your go-to hype song before a meet?
“Family Matters” by Drake.
Quenten Prickett
Q: What are the sports that you’re involved in?
I have been involved with Cross Country, Swim, and Tennis for all four years of my high school career
Q: What influenced you with continuing with what you’re involved in?
Cross country and swimming were my offseason sports, so I prioritized them to keep me in shape and keep the extra calories off with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. With tennis as my main sport, I took pride in my progress through all four years which motivated me to continue participating in sports.
Q: How did sports help you mature from freshman to senior year?
With all my sports being team sports, I have learned how to be supportive through the bonds formed during sports. I also have matured through my ability to overcome adversity with many situations, balancing success in school with academic success.
Q: What is your favorite moment as a Wildcat?
Varsity overnight invitationals for tennis because those are the times you really got to be yourself, screw around with friends, while being able to compete at a high level
Q: What are your post-graduate plans?
I plan on attending UW-Platteville, focused on achieving a bachelor degree in engineering with a decent salary out of college in order to support myself and family. I also plan on continuing my tennis career, either recreationally or through college, to ensure I stay connected with a sport I grew up on.
Q: What is some senior advice you can pass down to young athletes?
If you plan on participating in a sport, don’t quit after one year. The only way you can grow is by pushing yourself and leaving your comfort zone.
Q: What is your favorite pre-game meal?
Mcdonald’s breakfast before tennis invitationals.
Henna Kaiser
Q: What sports are you involved in?
I participated in Diving for only two years, Gymnastics three, and Track & Field since freshman year.
Q: What do you appreciate about each individual sport and what has motivated you to stay involved?
I really appreciate the friends that I have met within all the sports I have participated in. I also appreciate the coaches who have constantly motivated me to improve.
Q: What is your most prideful accomplishment?
When our team made it to state for gymnastics this year, especially considering it’s been a long time since the last time the team made it to state.
Q: How did your sports help you grow as a person?
I think it made me much stronger and definitely helped shape me into the person I am today.
Q: Which coach was the most impactful for you, and why?
Coach Schlies with how much care she puts into the gymnastics team to help us grow and improve.
Q: Will you continue any sports in college?
Probably not, but if I were to, I would think about participating in track.
Q: What are your other post-graduate plans/long-term goals?
I am going to attend UW-Madison; I am still undecided as to what I want to major in but excited for the future.
Q: What are you most looking forward to with your future journeys?
To discover what I want to do and truly discover myself.
Q: What is your fondest memory from your time as an athlete at West?
Being able to participate in the bigger varsity meets and all the experiences that came along with it.
Q: What advice would you give to incoming freshman/underclassmen?
Try your hardest, go to practice, and hard work does pay off, so you shouldn’t run away from it.
Connor Gibbs
Q: What sports are you involved in?
Football, basketball, and track all four years of high school.
Q: What do you appreciate about each individual sport and what has motivated you to stay involved?
Football taught me a lot about brotherhood and playing as a unit, especially after breaking my arm. Basketball taught me a lot about perseverance from dealing with injuries throughout my career and not being a top player on my team. Track taught me about hard work and working for what you want.
Q: What is your most prideful accomplishment?
Never giving up on any sport and always working hard throughout all four years of high school.
Q: How did your sports help you grow as a person?
Sports as a whole taught me a lot about friendship, building character, fighting through adversity, and working hard.
Q: Which coach was the most impactful for you, and why?
The most impactful coaches for me were Coach Weisse and Coach Yoder because both pushed me to my limits and wanted me to be my best self.
Q: Will you continue any sports in college?
Mainly through basketball and volleyball leagues with my friends.
Q: What are your other post-graduate plans/long-term goals?
I’m going to UW-Milwaukee, planning to major in finance. I hope to become a financial planner after college.
Q: What are you most looking forward to with your future journeys?
I’m excited to meet new people, learn new skills, and navigate my way through life.
Q: What is your fondest memory from your time as an athlete at West?
My favorite all time moment as a West athlete had to be my pick six against Appleton East to seal the win at their homecoming game.
Q: What advice would you give to incoming freshman/underclassmen?
I know that everyone says this, but it really does go by fast. Make sure to have fun and enjoy it as much as possible.
Q: What is your go-to pregame ritual?
Pregame ritual for football was sitting on my own listening to music. For basketball, it was goofing off in the locker room with teammates before game time.
Hailey Hammen
Q: What sports are you involved in?
I am in Golf and Softball for all four years of my high school career
Q: What do you appreciate about each individual sport and what has motivated you to stay involved?
I appreciated the team aspect that pushes each other to have fun but work hard. The low stress environment of some sports like golf is a breath of fresh air. With softball it continually pushed me to be a better athlete and person in general.
Q: What is the culmination of your West athletic career?
Making it to sectionals my senior year in golf. Reaching a milestone individually allows me to understand what I am capable of, with my hard work coming to visible fruition.
Q: How did your sports help you grow as a person?
The biggest growth I have experienced is that sports push you to give it your all while balancing school, life, or work. The sudden responsibilities that athletics give you forces you to grow up and learn about who you are.
Q: Which coach was the most impactful for you, and why?
Coach Powers has taught me the importance of having fun while working hard. Finding the balance is often difficult and forgotten through the stress of performing to the peak of athletic ability. His reassurance and guidance has allowed me to be a well rounded individual who can do anything as long as I put passion behind my work.
Q: What are your other post-graduate plans/long-term goals?
I am going to attend UW-Madison; my plan is to major in finance or pre law
Q: What is your best memory from your time as an athlete at West?
Making it to state for softball is something that I will never forget. We put in more time than anyone knows, so we have to push to be the best we can everyday.
Q: What’s the best advice would you give to incoming freshman/underclassmen?
Remember that life isn’t just sports. I have gotten so wrapped up, sacrificing significant time for sports rather than school; but I have realized that taking steps often can be the edge that helps you refocus. There is so much more life offers than sports and understanding that will give you more of an appreciation for it.
Q: What is your pre-game ritual?
I usually take a nap and eat snacks while listening to music on the way to a game.
Gavin McMillan
Q: What sports are you involved in (how many years involved with each at West)?
I have played baseball all 4 years of highschool, football has been a part of my life for the last 3 years now. I took up swimming my junior year to keep me busy in the winter.
Q: What motivated you to stay involved?
The grueling competition of the FVA was one of the main factors that kept me going as a player and competitor, in the weight room, class room and on the field. The strong sense of teamwork in highschool sports creates such a brotherly bond that is hard to break over years, this has brought me to make many connections with guys older and younger than I am, helping me make many great friendships over the years.
Q: What is your most prideful accomplishment?
Getting the opportunity to continue playing football in college is one of my favorite achievements, knowing how hard I've worked on and off the field to be blessed to keep playing.
Q: Which coach was the most impactful for you and why?
Coach Jon Propson, the offensive line coach at West, always kept me working and nose to the grindstone to keep pushing myself and working my craft as a football player. Not only is he a phenomenal coach, he's an even better person; it's hard to not strike up a conversation when around him, he's such an enjoyable person to be around.
Q: Will you continue any sports in college?
I plan on playing football at St. Norbert college for the next 4 years.
Q: What are your other post-graduate plans/long-term goals?
I hope to study microbiology and work with cancer research in the future. I am looking forward to the opportunity to help others and further the necessary research in the cancer field.
Q: What is your fondest memory from your time as a West athlete?
Scoring a touchdown against Hortonville and turning up with my guys in the end zone is a memory I'll never be able to forget.
Q: What advice would you give to incoming freshman/underclassmen?
My advice to others is to just enjoy everything while you can, even the things that you may not enjoy doing, whether it's conditioning, or small technique work, because it's when It ends that you realize how much you miss it.
Q: What is your go to hype song before a race/game/match/meet?
“Swag Surfing” by F.L.Y will always get me going before a big game or competition.
by Conner Lacosse
Published May 19th, 2025
Oshkosh West Index Volume 121 Issue VIII