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Player Profile: Rachel Cullen, A-C Valley

D9Sports.com/EYT Media is doing a series of player profiles on returning high-school athletes this summer. The year in school listed by the athlete is the year the athlete is entering this fall.

(Photo by Lori Blauser)

RACHEL CULLEN – JUNIOR – A-C VALLEY

Daughter of: Brad Cullen and Cynthia Cullen Rapp. Her step-mom is Diane Cullen. Her step-father is Brad Rapp.
Sports Played: PLayed volleyball and basketball in 2018-19 and is thinking of adding track this year.
Family Members Playing/Played Sports: Her brother Brady played basketball, football, and baseball at A-C Valley. Her cousin Stephanie played basketball and did track and field in high school at Moniteau and college. Her dad played basketball, baseball, and wrestling at Woodruff High School in Illinois.
2018-19 Highlights: She helped A-C Valley win the KSAC title in basketball, finish second in District 9 Class 2A and advance to the PIAA quarterfinals for the first time in school history by earning a starting spot and averaging 4.0 ppg including a career-best 13 vs. Union. She also helped the Lady Falcons volleyball team to the District 9 Class 1A semifinals.
Post-High School Plans: She really wants to go to college and earn a medical degree of some kind. For sports, she doesn’t really see herself playing.

Q&A With Rachel Cullen

D9Sports: What is your favorite sport to participate in and why?
RC: My favorite sport to play is basketball because the games are very intense and everyone has to work cohesively in order to win, for nothing’s better than playing sports you love with your closest friends.

D9Sports: What is your favorite memory, moment, game from playing high school sports?
RC: My absolute favorite moment was during basketball season playing OLSH at Armstrong. Coming into a game thinking you have no chance and end up winning is one of the best feelings a team can have, not to mention we got Applebee’s after.

D9Sports: Why do you play high school sports?
RC: Sports are a way to have endless laughs and good times with my friends as well as keeping me busy. I feel without the constant practices and games I would be extremely bored.

D9Sports: Who has had the most influence on your athletic career and why?
RC: I would say my greatest influence in sports is my family because they always are on the sidelines at every game yelling for me. Additionally, my teammates and coaches also influence me tremendously.

D9Sports: If you could change one thing about high school sports, what would it be and why?
RC: If I were to change anything about high school sports is coaches being able to get a technical. Sure there is a certain point that the coaches shouldn’t cross, but the referees should be able to handle a great deal of getting yelled/talked to and be able to ignore it.

D9Sports: If you could be president for a day, what would be the one major thing you would do?
RC: If were to be president I would focus on creating jobs in America and putting taxes on companies that use cheap labor from poor countries to make their products.

D9Sports: What is your ideal place to live? County, City, Suburb? Why?
RC: My ideal place to live is in the suburbs because there is a balance between the city life and outdoor lifestyle.

D9Sports: What would someone who doesn’t know you be surprised to find out about you?
RC: Something I believe people might not know about me is that in school alongside fellow friends we compete in academic competitions throughout the year and always try hard to get the first place trophy.

D9Sports: What is your strongest subject in school?
RC: My strongest subject is definitely geography and history. Knowing how our world came to be is a great experience especially with great teachers.

D9Sports: If there was one period in history or one event in history you could go back to, what would it be?
RC: If I were to go back in time it would be to the day JFK was shot and figure out once and for all if it was a government conspiracy or Lee Harvey Oswald actually murdered him.

D9Sports: What question do you wish I would have asked you? And what is the answer to it?
RC: I would have asked what it’s like balancing sports, academics, and social life. It’s hard to juggle everything because of practices and homework, but I seem to manage.