MM_011917

42 | January 19, 2017 | The Mokena Messenger sports
mokenamessenger.com
A fan favorite.
Athlete of the Week
10 Questions
with Mia Prnakus
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Mia Prnakus is a Mokena
resident and Lincoln-Way
East High School senior.
This is her second year on
the high school’s varsity
poms and dance team.
How did you get started
with poms and dance?
I got started with dance
because my older sister did
dance, so I followed in her
footsteps. I thought it was a
really good way to stay active
and I also really enjoyed
it.
What has been your
biggest accomplishment
on the team?
My junior year on varsity,
we made it to state.
What is your routine
like?
Since we had a lot of
girls from North come over,
there’s been a lot of team
bonding, which has been
nice. This year, we are going
along with the same style
as we did last year, with a
contemporary jazz [routine].
We’re doing it to the
song, “Somebody to Love”
This Week In...
Knights Varsity
Athletics
Girls basketball
■Jan. ■ 19 - at Lincoln-Way
West, 6:30 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 24 - hosts Thornwood,
6 p.m.
Boys bowling
■Jan. ■ 21 - IHSA sectional,
TBA
by Queen. It’s a really good
song to dance to because every
knows it, and it’s a classic.
What is one thing
people might not know
about poms and dance?
That it is an IHSA sport,
despite what people think.
Other than that, it’s a lot
harder than people expect
it to be - it takes a lot more
energy. There’s a whole lot
of work that goes into it to
make it look how it does.
What have you
improved upon most
this season?
I’ve really improved on
the way I dance to music,
and how I go through the
motions. Instead of just
dancing the movements,
I actually perform it better
and have a better stage
presence.
What is your dream
job?
I think it’d be really fun to
work for any sort of big tech
company or social media
company.
Girls bowling
■Jan. ■ 19 - at Lincoln-Way
East, 4:30 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 21 - at SouthWest
Suburban Conference
Tournament. TBA
Boys swimming and
diving
■Jan. ■ 19 - at Homewood-
Flossmoor, 5 p.m.
Photo Submitted
What are your plans
after high school?
For college, I am going
to go to St. Ambrose University
in Davenport, Iowa.
I hope [to keep dancing]. I
haven’t heard back from the
coach yet, but I did audition
and sent in my application to
be on their team. I am going
to study computer science.
Who is your role model?
It’d probably be my parents
- they’re huge influences
and great people to look
up to.
What is your favorite
TV show?
I really like the TV show
“Mr. Robot,” because that’s
computer science.
When you are not in
school or dancing, what
do you like to do?
I like to read a lot, draw,
listen to music and watch
Netflix.
Interview by Contributing
Editor Kirsten Onsgard.
■Jan. ■ 20 - at Lockport
Invitational-diving, 5 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 21 - at Lockport
Invitational-swimming, 9 a.m.
Wrestling
■Jan. ■ 20 - at SouthWest
Suburban Conference
Tournament, 5 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 21 - at SWSC
Tournament, 9 a.m.