Senior Spotlight: Going from New to Improved

Carlie Nagy proves that life changes can lead to great opportunities

Makenzie Carpenter-Sais, Copy Editor

Carlie smiling at the camera holding an reward, Carlie received the MVP award for the memorial tournament during the summer with her club team the Tigers. Carlie takes pride in everything she does and this was a great accomplishment of hers, she loves proving that with a little bit of time hard work pays off. (Courtesy of Carlie Nagy)

Carlie Nagy is not only a student-athlete, but she is also making a difference at Frederick High. Carlie not only is on the varsity softball team, but she also excels in the classroom too. She not only enjoys playing sports, she likes watching them too, along with binging reality shows, of course, such as the Bachelorette and Bachelor or TLC shows. Carlie transferred to Frederick during her junior year, and she has made so many accomplishments since then.

While at Frederick, Carlie lettered in softball, maintained great grades, and included herself in many other school activities. Carlie states, “This is only my second year at FHS, but some achievements I have accomplished include a 4.0 GPA all three years of high school as well as lettering twice in softball. However, I’m most proud of working with the special-ed students each year of my high school career and I definitely recommend others to look into that! ”

Carlie is also part of Frederick Student Council and is in charge of many things such as school dances, events, assemblies, and more. Carlie explains, “I would totally recommend joining the Student Council. It’s a great way to get involved and have some say in what the school puts together. It’s also an awesome way to meet new people that you wouldn’t generally gravitate toward! ”

Belonging to Student Council, being a student-athlete can affect your life and either take a traumatic toll on you or it can benefit you and help you grow as an individual. Carlie has had a great experience being a student-athlete and it helped her grow tremendously. “Being a student-athlete has given me life structure. Looking back, I have no idea where I would be without my sport and I couldn’t be more thankful for those who helped me get where I am today.”

Transitioning from middle school to high school is a really challenging and traumatic thing for a teenager, especially if they are an athlete. All the extra hours put in after school for the sport you love and then having piles of homework on top of that can get tough. As Carlie explains, it happens to the best of us and, in the end, it’ll be okay. “I generally have always been a hard-working kid but it was definitely a slap in the face freshman year. You have quite a few more classes than you had in middle school and high school practices are every day. It was quite the adjustment but it was worth it 100%.”

Carlie had to manage her time and she had to find balance within herself during high school, whether it was softball, school, or Student Council. Carlie conquered her challenges and still found time for the outside world to do what she loves most. “I would definitely say that it’s hard to balance being a student-athlete and having a job.” You have to be able to prioritize your needs and manage your time well. Since freshman year, I’ve been able to develop these time-managing skills and that has definitely helped. I do try to find at least a little time for myself because I think it’s important to give yourself some time to enjoy things you love.”

Everyone has a big motivator and everyone has their own. Carlie’s motivation is a little bit out of the ordinary compared to others. Some people say their mom is their biggest motivator. Some people say their motivator is a famous person. But for Carlie, her biggest motivator is herself. “This might sound a little odd, but I think that I’m my biggest motivator. I have such high expectations for myself and know what I’m capable of. I work hard every day to be proud of the person and athlete that I am.”

Being a part of the school spirit in high school is what it’s all about. Carlie explains how it’s so much fun to be a part of the school community and how she’s going to miss it. “I do think that I’m involved way more, since I’m both an athlete and involved in StuCo. I love being a part of both communities and that I can support both as well. I will definitely miss going to the sports events the most, whether it’s football, volleyball, or basketball. I love being able to support other student-athletes and watching them succeed!”

Carlie plans on attending a college university in Colorado or Pima Medical Institute for Sonography (Ultrasound Tech). She also wants to look into Radiology Tech. Some great advice Carlie gave was “I would tell future students to keep working hard, keep your head up, and that it might seem far away, but someday you’ll be a senior, so don’t take it for granted.” Though Carlie’s high school career will be coming to an end in 2023, she explains, “I would love to take our team to state this year and make it one to remember!”