Editor’s note: This is a regular feature profiling senior athletes at Bryant High School.
Rori Whittaker
NAME: Rori Whittaker
PARENTS: Kim and Randy
SIBLINGS: Randi, she’s 23.
FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL: Anatomy
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME? If I’m not sleeping, I like to be outside and I really like swimming.
FAVORITE FOOD: Skittles
FAVORITE MUSIC ARTIST OR GROUP: Anything country, especially Luke Bryan
FAVORITE MOVIE: She’s the Man
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Teen Wolf
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A KID? My little electric jeep that I drove around.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL? I plan to attend Arkansas State and major in Nursing.
OTHER THAN YOUR PARENTS, WHO HAS HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR LIFE? Definitely Coach (Julie) Long; she’s just like a second mom and a best friend to me. She helps me on and off the field.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT SOCCER: Getting to be so close with my teammates, spending time with them
POSITION: Center mid
WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE IS YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY ON THE FIELD? Controlling the speed of the game in the middle of the field and redirecting the ball offensively and defensively.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SEASON SO FAR? It’s definitely a good one.
WHAT’S BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT TO THE SEASON SO FAR? Winning the Fort Smith tournament for the second time.
WHEN THE TEAM’S PLAYING WELL, WHAT GOING ON? We’re communicating, moving the ball, being intense and just playing the way we know we can play soccer.
WHAT’S IT GOING TO TAKE FOR THE TEAM TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT STATE? We’re just going to have to keep working hard, keeping our heads up and being positive.
INDIVIDUALLY, WHAT ABOUT YOUR GAME ARE YOU MOST CONFIDENT ABOUT? I’m good at winning the ball out of the air and just being calm with the ball at my feet.
WHAT DO YOU WORK HARDEST TO IMPROVE? Shooting.
AFTER YOU’RE THROUGH PLAYING SOCCER AT BHS, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL REMEMBER MOST FONDLY ABOUT IT? Just the bond we’ve built over the years and how close we were.
