Sports are a big part of senior Sol Holmquist’s life. A two-sport athlete during her high school years, she was a captain on the Whitefish High School track team for two seasons. She is a thrower and got into the sport by watching her older brother and former Bulldog, Talon.

“Sports are my main thing. It's been a really big part of my life,” she said. "I did discus and shot put for the first couple years, and javelin. 

“For the rest of the season, I'm just doing jav. I have a bit of a back injury, and ... that one's my best one,” she said of the demanding event. 

For three years in a row, Holmquist was second in the divisional meet, and last year placed third at the state tournament in the javelin -- arguably one of the most technical of the field events.  

Successfully launching a javelin requires a right-handed athlete to run somewhat sideways, right foot over left. While leading with the left shoulder the body faces one way, the head faces another, and a decision must be made about when to start moving the javelin and when to stop running. 

"Once you get into a full approach ... you're not even drawn back, you're just like jogging with it,” she said. “The hardest part for me with that is pulling it back and getting it in the right position while you're moving.” 

Volleyball is her other sport, and it is dear to her heart, as it has fostered close ties. Unlike the javelin, volleyball is a lifelong sport that Holmquist plans on enjoying, sometimes on the beach. 

“I've been in the program all four years of high school, and started when I was in third grade,” she said. “It's a really fun program. Those girls are my family.” 

Holmquist has met high school’s academic challenges, too. She’s taken several AP classes and dual enrollment courses through Flathead Valley Community College.  

"I'm trying to get as many college credits as I can here, because it's a lot cheaper than taking them in college,” she said. “I think I have about 25 college credits going into my freshman year.” 

She’s heading to Montana State University in Bozeman in the fall to study pre nursing before applying to the nursing program. There is a chance she could wind up back in the Flathead Valley because the nursing program places students in Kalispell, Missoula, Great Falls, Billings or Bozeman for clinical training. 

“Right now, I'm leaning toward pediatrics, but I'm not set on that. I'll get the opportunity to experience all of the specialties during my clinicals,” she said. “One of my options is to come back to Kalispell to work, which would be fun because my family is still here.”  

It is the time she spent caring for family that made her consider nursing as a career. She said she tended to her grandmother when she was living with cancer. 

“I've always felt really strongly about taking care of people,” Holmquist said. “A lot of my family has battled with cancer, and once I got old enough to be any kind of caregiver, it was something I enjoyed.” 

Her nurturing nature led her to participate with the school’s Cancer Support Awareness Club since it began, alongside founder Maggie Mercer. Holmquist also belonged to the community service focused Leo Club, the freshman mentorship program. 

“Freshman mentor is a club/group of upperclassmen students who help the upcoming and current freshman get accustomed to high school life and help the transition from middle school. It's a branch off of the Student Outreach committee and I've been a mentor since my sophomore year.” 

Holmquist was also involved with the choir program and was a member of the treble choir and the concert choir. 

“I wish I could have done some more clubs, but sports is sports,” she said with a shrug. “I did club volleyball too, which is winter, so my whole school year I have a sport of some kind.” 

Reporter Julie Engler can be reached at 406-862-3505 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at whitefishpilot.com/support.