Skylar Braga, track
Waynesburg Central’s Skylar Braga has recently been selected as the female representative for the “Centennial Chevrolet Scholar/Athlete Spotlight” series for the spring sports season.
Braga is a four-year member of the Lady Raiders’ track & field team and participates in the 100, 4X100, triple jump and long jump this spring.
For her most memorable athletic moment at Waynesburg, Braga selected the time she broke the school’s record in the triple jump. “I have always loved doing the triple jump and it’s my favorite event,” she stated. “I kept on getting better at it and finally this year I was able to break the school’s record by almost two feet. Triple jump is a challenging event, and it takes the right mindset and a lot of technique.” And according to Braga, track & field has always been a natural fit for her. “I always enjoyed track,” she expressed. “In middle school I played softball and I was always the speedy kid around the bases. I switched to track and instantly feel in love with the sport. The competition and the intense atmosphere around any event are really neat.” In 2014, Braga qualified for both the triple and long jump at the WPIAL qualifiers at South Side Beaver High School a couple of weeks ago. Besides track, Braga carries a 4.0 grade-point average and is active in many other activities such as being a co-captain for the cheerleading squad and a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Art Club, Varsity Club, Italian Club, Alpha Beta and a class officer. For her future plans, Braga will attend Case Western Reserve next fall and major in Pre-Med. “Case Western is such a beautiful campus,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity for me and they take their education very seriously with a lot of highly trained professors teaching the classes. I have always been intrigued with the medical field and the human body is so complex.” As for advice for younger student-athletes, Braga expressed keeping your focus and making certain sacrifices. “You have to stay focus in the classroom and manage your time wisely,” she said. “You can’t afford to slack off and you have to be goal-oriented. It’s a challenge, but it’s very doable. You have to be willing to make sacrifices like not spending time with your friends on a Friday night because you know the next morning you will have practice.” The “Centennial Chevrolet Scholar/Athlete Spotlight” is designed to recognize the top male and female student-athlete per high school sports’ season (fall, winter, sports) for the five Greene County schools. The student-athletes are selected by the respective schools and submitted to the Greene County Messenger.