Vince D’Adamo: What do you enjoy most about competing in athletics throughout your life?
Kat Costa: Sports have always kept me grounded. I started playing sports when I was 9 years old. I started off with Gymnastics and Acrobats, I performed in recitals. Then I progressed into cross country. When I moved to Calistoga, I was 11 years old and I joined the junior high volleyball and basketball team. While in high school, I was a cheerleader (freshmen year 98-99 Class B football champs). I played volleyball, basketball, and softball all four years. Through all these different sports I learned so many lessons and strengths that have molded me into the adult I am today. If you work hard and practice hard even if you lose, you’re winning. Your team becomes your family who you learn to trust.
I learned that through discipline and commitment anything is possible. Playing sports was a way to drop all the weights of the world at the door and walk onto the court or field and just focus because for the next 45mins to two hours all that mattered was the game. It wasn’t always about winning it was about the experiences and relationships that were built. I take these principles that I have learned and apply it in the real world. My favorite motto “work hard play harder”
D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school?
Costa: I attended college at Sonoma State University studying in Kinesiology. I went to SSU to play on the Seawolves basketball team it was the best time of my life with an extraordinary coach Mark Rigby. Unfortunately, I came into college with torn ligaments and ended up with nerve damage which led me to my first ankle surgery in 2003 which made my career short lived. I have currently had three ankle surgeries. I am actually recovering from a tendon surgery I just had in April and next year I will receive two new ligaments. Then I should be good as new. It has made it tough to coach or play sports so I chose to work and live in Petaluma for about eight years I managed restaurants and bars.
I currently am working at Beringer winery in St.Helena. It is nice to be back in this valley that I call home.
D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Calistoga High?
Costa: Hands down, Physiology with Mr. (Richard) Johnsen. He wasn’t just a teacher he was a mentor and friend. He made any subject fun. He actually helped me with my decision to pursue Kinesiology and attend SSU.
D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Calistoga High?
Costa: Best memory for my high school was when our Wildcat football team beat St. Bernard (Eureka) and advanced to the Class B championship. But for me to choose a favorite athletic
moment is tough playing for a small school like Calistoga it was common to have a different
coaching staff each year. Which made it challenging to win and to build up a strong team I
played my heart out each game to pin point one moment is hard. I will say my senior year of volleyball was by far my favorite and most successful year and I owe it all to my coach, Jen Breiner, she dedicated her life to our team. She created summer workouts just for us. I improved my stats from the year before for example 17 kills to ending my senior year with 78 kills, 42 aces, three blocks, and 90 digs.
Even though we made it to playoffs the farthest volleyball had been since the 80’s we lost in the first round to St.Vincent we were devastated but in the end we were still winners for how hard we worked.
D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating from high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics?
Costa: I think 100% of my success has come from athletics. It has made me work hard and achieve promotions in life and in my career.
D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?
Costa: My mom she is my best friend, I am a fighter because of her she beat cancer twice. She was diagnosed with stage 3 non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer when I was 12 years old. She defines the word survivor and she is the strongest women I know. Even through losing her hair and always being exhausted and sick she still made it to all of my games. I was never late for a game or practice my mom always drove my teammates and other sports teams to games, and she cooked team meals.
You would hear her screaming at all the football games from the parking lot. Her actual nickname from all my fellow friends and athletes is “Momma Donna” There was times in my life I wanted to throw in the towel and she wouldn’t let me.
D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet?
Costa: Since basketball has always been my favorite sport I would say Michael Jordan. He embodied everything I wanted to be as an athlete. He is a legend.
No comments:
Post a Comment