ON THE GALLOP: Riding Horses Has Been a Big Part of North Clarion Senior Brooke Steinman’s Life

TIONESTA, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Brooke Steinman feels most free while riding her 13-year-old American Quarter Horse.

Her blood pumps the fastest while in a gallop, making sharp turns around barrels in a cloverleaf pattern.

Steinman has many passions. Barrel racing tops that list.

“It’s the adrenalin rush,” said Steinman, a senior at North Clarion High School. “I’ve always been around horses. It’s just something I’ve always done.”

Steinman and her family have six horses. The one she rides now in competitions has been with her for a long time.

“My dad actually got her in Wyoming when she was just a yearling,” Steinman said. “Just years ago, I pulled her out of the field and got her going on barrels. She loves to run. She’s really athletic.”

So is Steinman, who was a starting forward on the North Clarion girls basketball team last season and was also a goalie for the Forest Area girls soccer team in the fall.

Barrel racing has taught Steinman a great deal about competing.

“It’s taught me not to give up,” she said. “Keep doing what you love and just try your best. If you’re meant to do it, you’ll do it. It’s just a lot of fun for me.”

Steinman was certain she wasn’t meant to play soccer.

Until se did.

Last year was her first season on the pitch and she found herself standing in the mouth of the goal as a keeper, swatting away shots and keeping the opponent off the scoreboard.

Because of her height and athleticism, it turns out she was quite good at it.

Except for one thing.

Diving.

Steinman wasn’t all the comfortable sprawling out to make saves. To shore up that weakness, she has thought outside the box to improve that important skill.

“Actually the McFarland twins (North Clarion graduates Emma and Madison) set up a slip and slide that we have every year at a party and we practiced on that,” Steinman said, chuckling. “Hopefully it worked. We’ll find out.”

THE STEINMAN FILE

NAME: Brooke Steinman

SCHOOL: North Clarion

SPORTS: Basketball for North Clarion; Soccer for Forest Area

YEAR: Senior

Q: How would your coaches and teammates describe you?

A: Trustworthy with a good work ethic.

Q: What have you learned about teamwork from your experiences playing sports?

A: I’ve learned it takes the whole team to win.

Q: What would you consider the greatest challenge of being a high school athlete today?

A: Juggling the extra sports practices in with work and my animals.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from a family member, coach, teammate, etc. while playing sports?

A: The best advice I received was from a coach that meant a lot to me and took extra time with me. He taught me to do your best and the rest will take care of itself.

Q: You spend a lot of time with animals, don’t you?

A: I’ve always rode horses since I could walk. They’ve always been a bigger part of my life than school sports and it teaches me a lot. I actually work in a kennel for a woman who breeds golden retrievers, so I usually go to the kennel in the morning and then come home and ride my horse.

Q: Do you want to do that sort of thing as a career one day?

A: I’m not quite sure yet. I started this whole grooming thing here and there. I’ve been practicing quite a bit, just trying to see what I can do. It’s interesting because there’s so many different things you can do out there with dogs because everyone has a dog and everyone loves dogs. There’s so much opportunity out there that no one really sees. I have my own clients. It a good little gig because I make my own time and my own appointments.

Q: What are your goals in sports?

A: Enjoy them while I can.

Q: This is your senior year of basketball. Does that make this season that much more important?

A: I’m kind of nervous since it’s my senior year. We have a lot of young new girls and a lot of talent, so I think we’ll be fine.

Q: What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

A: I grew up in Catholic schools with seven or less kids in a class. I started out in grade school at Immaculate Conception. Then we moved to St. Stephen in Oil City. By the time I left there, right before my ninth grade year, I had like six kids in my class.”

Q: Complete this sentence: In my fridge you’ll always find (blank)?

A: Fruit juice

Q: What three famous people would you like to have dinner with and why?

A: Adam Sandler because I love his personality. George Strait because he has perseverance. And Dwayne Johnson because he’s been through a lot mentally, but pushed through.