While juggling academics with a demanding sports schedule is no easy feat, for junior Olivia Skeete, it is a part of everyday life.
“I [enjoy] making connections with people,” Skeete said. “I still keep in touch with a few friends from water polo and track—they’re some of my closest friends now—even soccer from when I was really young.”
At the beginning of Skeete’s career of athleticism, the first sports she started playing were recreational soccer in the LA Galaxy Youth League and tennis with her family. During freshman year, Skeete joined the Portola JV water polo and the track and field teams, where she became captain on varsity track and field in her sophomore year. Since May, Skeete has participated in martial arts Muay Thai and Krav Maga at Krav Maga of Orange County and is now a yellow belt.
Despite challenges with athletic injuries and difficult training, there were moments of growth and resilience that impacted Skeete’s journey.
“Freshman year, I did JV hurdles, and I was not good—I’ll be completely honest,” Skeete said. “Over the summer, I locked in, and I trained a lot. I worked on my flexibility, stamina, trained and did weights. I dropped 10 seconds from my time, and it brought me a lot of motivation.”
Juggling a variety of sports requires not only skill but also an unwavering commitment to improvement.
“She has the persistent mentality to never give up,” Skeete’s friend and junior Rohan Khanna said. “She is extremely committed. Once she gets into something and is passionate about it, she becomes really committed.”
While balancing her academics and sports, Skeete’s athletic talent and efforts support her strive in various sports, such as Krav Maga with her coach Yuri Boiarsky.
“I think her strongest skill is her ability to learn quickly and improve quite a bit as she continues to train,” Boiarsky said. “The more she sees things, the more she’s exposed to different aspects of activities. It enhances her overall core, principles and her ability to grasp and understand.”
For the next level of her athletic career, Skeete anticipates competing in kickboxing while practicing her sparring and building confidence in the sport. She also looks forward to eventually earning her black belt in Krav Maga.
“It’s very satisfying to challenge myself,” Skeete said. “I used to be bad at sparring. I didn’t know any combinations. I would just get hit the whole time. Now, I’ve come so far. Every time I practice, I think about how far I’ve come. It’s so rewarding being able to push myself and grow as a person. I feel very grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to get there.”
