Panther Profile: Rachel Kuckes

Rachel Kuckes is a senior at Mt. Pleasant High School and a member of the girls' bowling team.

Kuckes has bowled varsity for different parts of the last two years and was a member of last year's squad that placed third in the conference. She met with The News last Thursday after practice.

Did you grow up here in Mt. Pleasant? Yes, I did.

How long have you been playing bowling competitively? I just started bowling last year, so only two years.

Why did you decide to start bowling? I do a lot of summer sports and I just kind of wanted something to keep me active during the winter, so I just started bowling.

Do you remember your first time at a bowling alley? Yeah. I was in middle school I think, and my high score is 13.

That's a lot of gutter balls. Yeah, that's for sure!

Did you get better right after that? No! I came to my first practice and I was just doing constant gutter balls!

Have you made plans for after high school? I have! This summer I am going to Thailand for two weeks assisting with surgery on elephants, and then in the fall I will be going to Muscatine to get my vet tech degree, and then pursue vet tech at a zoo.

Awesome, so animal lover? Yeah!

What's the highest score you've ever gotten, competition or otherwise? 145.

Was that in a meet? Yeah, it was, actually.

Do you have a routine or anything you do when you have a bad frame? I just sit down and pray. That's the only thing you can do.

If you could pick the music being played at the bowling alley during practice or a meet, what would you choose? It would definitely be Cardi B. Cardi B. is my girl.

What's your favorite Cardi B. song? 'I do.”

Not sure if I know that one. You're going to have to look it up. It's good.

When you aren't at school or practice, what can we find you doing? Riding my horses. I'm a very avid horse-rider.

Did that help you want to get into the whole veterinarian thing? Oh yeah. Horses have always been in my family.

Favorite movie or TV show? Zombieland. Gotta like some Zombieland.

If you could eliminate a school subject completely, what would you choose to get rid of? Hmmm … probably Human Geo. All the other subjects like math and English are priority things you do need to know. We already took World History before that, so you already know about our history. In Human Geo, you learn about everyone else's history.

What is the best place to eat in Mt. Pleasant? Jumbo Buffet. I go to Jumbo Buffet every single birthday.

Do you always get the same thing? Well, they've got sushi now, so I just dig right in to that.

Would you rather win tickets to the Superbowl, a Broadway play or a presidential debate? Probably a broadway play. I'm not into football for one, and then presidential debates are interesting but it's just a bunch of opinions flying around.

Have you ever seen a play like that? I was in a play in fourth grade. Alice in Wonderland. I was the caterpillar.

If you could spend the day with one celebrity, who would you choose? I'd probably still choose Cardi B. She's so real. I want to know everything about her, how she made it to the top.

She gets in trouble a lot though, you gotta watch yourself around Cardi B. You're right.

What would you guys do? We'd go to a restaurant and pig out on some food.

What if you could pick a superpower? Probably flying.

Anywhere you'd fly in particular? Probably Egypt. Fly right over the pyramids, that would be fun.

Who is your favorite teacher? Mrs. Butler. I would not trade her for anything. She teaches English. She has helped me exceed in my reading and writing a million times.

Do you have any shout outs? My momma and my grandfather. Ya'll are the best. You've treated me so well and you teach me so much.

Panther Profile is a series of interviews with Mt. Pleasant athletes currently in season. This season will focus on members of the Panther basketball, bowling and wrestling teams.