According to the US Census Bureau, six-foot-tall women are in the 99.8th percentile of all women between the ages of 20-29. Plymouth Girls Basketball and Varsity Golf leader Annie Flavin is six feet tall–as a sophomore in high school. The two-sport phenom has been putting herself among the best athletes at Plymouth just two years into her career. Her height gives her an undeniable advantage on the court as a starting forward but finds a way to stay grounded no matter her accomplishments. The Perspective sat down with Flavin this past week to get an insight into her accomplished career.
Lucas Gentilia: What has your experience in high-pressure events been like until this part of your career?
Annie Flavin: Honestly, it’s more mental than anything. I try to stay calm and think of it just like any other game. Getting wrapped up in the mental part of the match or game is definitely hard, but we have our coaches with us so it’s easy to calm down a little bit.
Lucas Gentilia: How has it been being a sophomore starter for basketball?
Annie Flavin: It’s been a high-pressure season because I always want to be up to [my coach’s] standard like everyone else expects, but actually, it’s been pretty fun. I’ve seen [the seniors] experiences through their four years and their leadership.
Lucas Gentilia: What would you say has been the most enjoyable part of the basketball season this year?
Annie Flavin: Winning. Last year, we only won six games in total. It was a hard season in the year before I was here too. [In 2021-22] they only won six as well. So winning is definitely not something that comes easy, especially in the KLAA West. It’s a really hard division. So it’s certainly been fun to win this year.
Lucas Gentilia: What can you say about Intra-Park rivalry games and how you play in them?
Annie Flavin: They’re fun to win. When we play here it’s an incredible environment. Our bench is always hyped up. So everybody that comes off the bench is ready to go. [The games] are a fun experience.
Lucas Gentiia: How would you say that your teammates have affected your successes in basketball?
Annie Flavin: For basketball, it comes from many of our practices. We emphasize having a lot of energy at practice. We’re always clapping and cheering each other on no matter what we’re doing. During the game, our bench is insane. Whenever the energy is good, it fuels me and everybody else on the floor.
Lucas Gentilia: What can you say about the way that your coaches have pushed you along your journey at Plymouth?
Annie Flavin: I’ve known my basketball coach, Ryan Ballard, for a while. I’ve known him since before middle school when I was coming to his kids camp. So he’s known me growing up through basketball. He is excited, especially about our sophomore class. He’s known us for a while, but for me specifically, he just always pushes me and makes sure I’m ready to go.
Lucas Gentilia: What has been your favorite moment in athletics at P-CEP to this point?
Annie Flavin: Golf states for sure. It’s my favorite because I like that competitive environment for golf. It almost just fuels me.
Lucas Gentilia: Have you received any scholarships or interest from any schools for golf?
Annie Flavin: Not yet. I’m working on a swing video to send to coaches. I’ll go in with one of my swing coaches, and we’ll take a couple of different videos with club speed and club distance. In the summer, I’m going to a recruiting camp in San Diego where there are a bunch of coaches coming that I introduce myself to.
Lucas Genilia: What do you normally shoot for golf?
Annie Flavin: I usually shoot between 75 and 80. Obviously, I’m up and down sometimes. At regionals [last season], I had a really good day where I shot 75. However, there were a couple of other [rounds] that I shot in the low 80s. So it just depends on the weather and my mentality going into the round.
Lucas Gentilia: What can you say about the way that your coaches have pushed you along your journey at Plymouth?
Annie Flavin: I’ve known my basketball coach, Ryan Ballard, for a while. I’ve known him since before middle school when I was coming to his kids camp. So he’s known me growing up through basketball. He is excited, especially about our sophomore class. He’s known us for a while, but for me specifically, he just always pushes me and makes sure I’m ready to go.
