Senior Anna Zowada has been in the rodeo crowd since she was six years old. Now preparing to finish high school, she looks forward to her time left with her team and friends throughout the summer season. Planning to study business in college, she is excited to see what the future holds for her.

  Family involvement in Zowada’s rodeo career plays an enormous role in where she is in the sport today. Her parents have always been around to support her throughout every rodeo, and having that support system allows her always to do her best. “They push me to be my best, and they are always there to support me,” said Zowada.

  Rodeo is in full swing throughout the fall, spring, and summer months for Zowada as she continues as a barrel racer and a pole bender. Being in rodeo, she always has to focus on her fitness, along with her horses’ fitness, so that they all stay in shape during the rodeo season. “I had to try to balance fitness and my horses’ fitness, so it took a lot,” said Zowada. She was involved in rodeo all throughout her junior high and high school years, and one of her favorite memories was in the junior high nationals because she was in the top ten in the country for pole bending.

  Zowada has been very lucky to be a part of rodeo for twelve years because she has created lasting friendships with her teammates. Even though the boys and girls are split up during events, they practice and work together, so they can all extend their skills and friendships. “My friends check in a lot and they communicate with me on how my goals are coming along,” said Zowada. Having the check-ins with her friends and teammates allows her to stay in line with where her goals are headed for the remainder of her season.

  Athletics have opened many doors for Zowada, allowing her to meet many people from all over the state and country. “I got to meet a lot of people, so now I know people in most places I go,” said Zowada. Once a multiple sport athlete, being involved in track and rodeo, Zowada had to balance many things throughout the school year and each sport season. Even though there was work to put in with school and both sports, she enjoyed it all the same.  “It taught me to be super on top of things so I couldn’t slack,” said Zowada. Now that she is just in rodeo, she enjoys the time that she has not taken up by a sport or school.

  Business and entrepreneurship sparked Zowada’s interest when she first started working with her parents at their business, Zowada Plumbing and Heating, where she does the bookkeeping. Working with her parents has interested her in business more and more because she has seen their success and she wants to follow suit by someday creating her own business in line with nutrition products.

  Zowada has enjoyed school all the way through, and her favorite part is talking to the teachers because she gets to know them better. History teacher Marshall McEwen has had the most impact on Zowada because she was able to get to know him on a personal level, not just as a teacher. “He taught well and got to know you better on a personal level,” said Zowada. She is happy to be almost done with high school because it is so much more laid back than previous years, and she enjoys knowing the teachers as well as she does finishing high school. She will not continue rodeo as a college sport, but she will still participate during her free time. Continuing to college, Zowada plans to attend the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs to study business and entrepreneurship.

  Zowada is the daughter of Merlin and Lori Zowada.