Emmaus High School athlete Annika Herbine has been in love with field hockey ever since she was six years old. Currently, she plays very important roles in the high school’s field hockey team as captain, midfielder, and forward. Additionally, she is involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club, or FCA.

Herbine plans to pursue her academic and athletic career at the University of Iowa, majoring in health and human physiology while also playing field hockey for the university. Although she is unsure of her post-college endeavors, Herbine is confident she will land somewhere in the medical field.

Stinger: What sparked your interest to major in health and physiology?

Herbine: I always loved learning about the human body ever since I was little.

Stinger: What got you started with field hockey?

Herbine: A lot of my friends were playing and my dad told me to try it out because I was also doing soccer and lacrosse and basketball, so I figured I would just try it out.

Stinger: What was your favorite part of playing field hockey in high school?

Herbine: My favorite part of playing in the high school was just being so close with my teammates and they’re my best friends.

Stinger: What excites you most about going to college?

Herbine: The thing that excites me most about going to college is meeting new people and just getting to be in a new environment.

Stinger: What do you hope to accomplish in future years?

Herbine: I hope to accomplish all of my goals that I set for myself to make me the best that I can be.

Stinger: What was your favorite memory from high school?

Herbine: My favorite memory from high school was my last game playing with my sister.

Stinger: What challenges did you face throughout high school?

Herbine: I played varsity as a freshman and I was a huge challenge. I also was a team captain this year and it was a huge role.

Stinger: If you had the chance, what would you say to your freshman self?

Herbine: Push through it because it will be worth it in the end.

Stinger: What is the most valuable lesson you learned over the past four years?

Herbine: Believe in yourself and be whoever you want to be; don’t let other people decide for you.

Stinger: What will you miss the most about Emmaus?

Herbine: I’m going to miss my team and the coach the most.

Stinger: How do you feel about how your senior year played out?

Herbine: My senior year was a rough year due to Covid but we pushed through it and we won the state title this year which was amazing.