In the lively halls of KHS, where students face academic and extracurricular pressures, one student stands out. Carly Smith, sophomore, is known not just for her academic achievements, but also for her dedication to dance and track. She has been on both varsity Pommies and varsity track for 2 years.
Smith was one of three freshmen to make varsity her first year. Smith said she knew she wanted to be on the dance team since elementary school after going to KHS games to see the pommies. They dance at football and basketball games but also compete against schools all over Missouri. Smith said she was nervous for tryouts initially, but her cousin, Addie Campbell who graduated in 20203, who was a pommie at the time, helped her prepare.
“To prepare for tryouts, I changed my [overall] mindset and started working harder,” Smith said. “I knew making the team was [going to] be a challenge and [it was] something I had to work for.”
Smith has been dancing since the age of two. She grew up at Lucille Rapp Dance Studio and was on the competition team, but now dances at Charmette Academy of Dance.
“My mom and aunt grew up dancing,” Smith said. “[Since] I grew up around it, I couldn’t imagine myself without dance.”
Danielle Klevorn, head varsity coach, said she grew up dancing at Charmette Academy of Dance and then danced on the Missouri State dance team. Klevorn said Smith is one of the hardest-working dancers she knows. It was Klevorn’s first year coaching a team when Smith came and tried out, so she was looking for dancers just like her.
“Carly is up for any challenge,” Klevorn said. “Her determination is inspiring to me as a coach but also to her teammates. If she can’t get something right away, she goes home, practices comes back and she’ll have it perfectly.”
Avery Campbell, sophomore, is Smith’s cousin and teammate on pommies. She grew up dancing with Smith and also made varsity with her freshman year. Campbell said they grew up competing at dance competitions as a duet and won many titles.
“She always had a natural talent,” Campbell said. “At the same time, she is still an athlete who will work hard for something she wants, like a trick.”
Smith isn’t just a varsity dancer, but she has been on varsity track since her freshman year. She went to state for the 200 meter relay and high jump. Smith attended the KHS track camps growing up with her friends and said it has always been a good program. She said her parents suggested for her to do track to stay in shape for pommies.
“I didn’t like to run, so it was kind of an adjustment for me ,having to change my mindset, but once I got into it, I enjoyed it,” Smith said. “Doing two competitive sports makes me feel healthy.”
