Speaking up around teammates is no problem for Olivia Condotta. As Cascade’s Associated Student Body president, she’s gotten used to expressing herself clearly and confidently around much bigger crowds.
Condotta gets fired up on the court — so much so that earlier this month her coach asked her to tone it down a bit. “I used to have a problem with getting really intense so I kind of yelled when I got upset,” said Condotta, a three-year varsity team contributor.
With her vocal outbursts harnessed, the aspiring crime-scene investigator said she’s trying to give positive encouragement and help her squad qualify for the district tournament.
Coach’s corner
Condotta, a 5-foot-9 forward, is a team co-captain who usually defends the opposition’s second-best offensive player. She sets a good example and helps reinforce the expectations of first-year Cascade coach Carlos Humphrey. “She is a leader in every sense of the word,” Humphrey said.
Raise your voice
Asked what she contributes to the team, Condotta said: “My main strength is my experience. Sports has always been the number one area that I’ve concentrated on so I voice my opinion.”
Cool court
The best prep hoops venue is the gym at Mount Vernon High, Condotta said. The last time she played there was two seasons ago, when Mount Vernon was a member of the Western Conference. Condotta said she likes the gym’s “old-school” atmosphere.
Cool school
Based on where she lives, Condotta should have attended Jackson. But she requested and received permission to go to Cascade, partly because of its varied student body.
“The diversity at Cascade is a really big plus. That’s one of the reasons I chose to go here,” she said.
The school is a friendly place to learn, Condotta added: “Lots of people who I don’t know walk by and say, ‘Hi.’ That really makes my day.”
CSI: Everett
For her senior project, Condotta learned about crime-scene investigation by job shadowing a lieutenant from the Everett Police Department. She’d like to someday make it her career. Watching the TV show “CSI” on CBS helped pique her interest, she said.
Moving memoirs
Condotta recently finished reading the book “A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier.” It’s about author Ishmael Beah’s real-life experiences as a child growing up in the 1990s during Sierra Leone’s civil war. The book opens your eyes to the violence and struggle going on outside the United States, Condotta said.
Mike Cane, Herald Writer
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