Blazer Spotlight: Kara M. ’25

A three-sport athlete at Bush, Kara runs cross-country and track and excels on the court at basketball, where she will lead the team as one of its captains as a junior this year. 

A member of the Bush community since Eighth Grade, Kara made the varsity basketball team in Ninth Grade. This past season, she was Honorable Mention in the Emerald Sound Conference. Kara also picked up cross-country and track in high school, where she runs the 800-meter and also participates in shot put and discus. 

“Learning how to better myself and working to improve is a big thing for me,” said Kara. “I’m always trying to get to that next level.” 

“Kara is the point guard on our team, our leader, and an excellent example of what we expect from our student-athletes, both on and off the court. She shows up every day to practice with a desire to learn and improve not just for herself, but her team,” said Bush Head Girls Basketball Coach Sara Fischer. “I’m super stoked to see where she takes this team over the next two years.”

Kara’s passion for athletics extends beyond the goals she has for herself as a player and the teams she plays on. This year, she applied and was accepted to be a member of the Leadership through Education, Activities, and Personal Development Committee (LEAP), a student leadership group of sixteen athletes from around the state that are part of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). 

“Kara is a role model because of her leadership and willingness to go the extra mile to share the importance of sports with our community, “ said Mel Harrow, Associate Athletic Director. “When Kara read about the LEAP program and explored applying, we encouraged her as a great next step in exploring her leadership outside of Bush and the Bush athletic program.” 

With over 800 member high schools and middle schools across the state, the WIAA serves as the rule-making body committed to providing equitable playing conditions for all its student-athletes. The LEAP Committee provides an opportunity for those members to serve as the voice of the 225,000+ student-athletes in the state. 

Kara is excited to bring back what she learns from the LEAP Committee to Bush, and also share her background as a Bush student-athlete with the committee as well. The committee recently had its first meeting in early September. 

“I loved meeting people from all over Washington State,” said Kara. “I felt like everyone fit together and we had this shared love for sports while being so different at the same time.” 

In addition to the meetings, committee members write blogs for the WIAA about their athletic experiences and also help with state championships and other events throughout the year. 

Kara is also a member of the Bush Upper School Athletic Council, where she hopes to expand interest levels in athletics and find ways to improve the experience of student-athletes at Bush. Her unique position in serving on both a school and state-wide athletic committee should prove to be invaluable this school year.
 

“She plays an active role in the Athletic Student Council as the Vice President, and this would be a way to take her voice to the state level. Ultimately, her work on the LEAP Council will contribute to developing an even stronger athletic program,” said Mel.

“Overall, I’m excited for the opportunity to pursue things that I’m passionate about and impact the Bush athletics community along the way,” said Kara.

-by Colin Murray, Communications Manager