Senior enters last athletic season

As the court switches from volleyball to basketball, senior Julia Fikse shifts from one sport to the next. Coming out of a 13-2 record on the volleyball team, Fikse stays in the gym to help her basketball team play in the newly joined East Sierra League.

Beginning basketball her freshman year, Fikse’s love for the sport continues to grow as she takes the court alongside teammates she has competed with for four seasons. Fikse explains her favorite things about basketball and why it upsets her that this is her last year playing.

“My favorite thing about basketball is being able to play with all my friends and laugh,” Fikse said. “My favorite memory of basketball would probably have to be all of the sleepovers that we have done in the past. This season I am looking forward to senior night because a lot of us have been together since freshman year.

“It is going to wrap up our journey we have had,” Fiske continued. “The biggest thing I will miss about basketball is being about to hang out with my friends everyday after school because it will be different in college.”

Sophomore Hannah Villines shares her favorite things about playing basketball with Julia and why it upsets her that this is her last season playing with her.

“I absolutely love playing basketball with Julia,” Villines said. “She is like an older sister to me and one of my closest friends, she brings much more to the team than she would ever realize. One of the many character traits I notice about Julia is determination. She puts her full effort into every single play and it never goes unnoticed. She is always the first person on either side of the court and her defense is unreal. She literally never fails to make me laugh or feel better after a bad day.”

“I am extremely sad that this is my last time playing with her,” Villines continued. “I am going to miss all of the joy and laughter that she brings to me and the entire team every single day. I love her to death and I cannot imagine what it is going to be like without her and the other seniors.”

During the fall sports season, Fiske played with the campus volleyball team as a hitter. She transitions sports, and takes the basketball court as a guard.

As the court switches from volleyball to basketball, senior Julia Fikse shifts from one sport to the next. Read more about Fikse in our newest profile! @fresnochristian #thefeatherhttps://t.co/LeueARCp0t

— The Feather Online (@thefeather) January 23, 2019

Megan LeBlanc chats with coach Robert Foshee about senior Julie Fikse in the following podcast.

Fikse’s parents, Marie and Ed Fikse, began supporting her in her athletic endeavors at an early age. Her mother Marie discusses her favorite parts about watching Julia compete.

“Julia has always been active,” Marie said. “As a little girl, she always enjoyed playing soccer, basketball and softball in the back yard. My first memory of Julia playing basketball was at home playing with the family. My favorite thing about watching Julia play basketball is that she is such an aggressive and strong defensive player. She goes for it and it is so fun to watch her and cheer her on.

“It was also a sweet memory for us when both of our girls were on the same team for a few years,” Marie continued. “It was a blessing for them to share that experience and make those memories together. I am sad that this is her last year because it has been so much fun for us to watch her grow and improve.”

Ed Fikse provides his perspective on Julia’s athletic career.

“Julia has always been exposed to sports, especially watching NASCAR races with me, but she probably became most interested when starting high school,” Ed Fikse said. “I think she was about 7 years old when she played basketball with her sister, Mariana, for the Madera Coyotes. My favorite thing about watching Julia play is how much fun she has with her teammates and how that has turned into friendships. Seeing this is Julia’s last year is a little sad for me. I miss watching Mariana play and now it is going to hit me when Julia is finished.”

You can find Fikse off of the court participating in Sister 2 Sister, co-leading Tea Talks, serving in California Scholarship Federation (CSF) and singing in the high school choir. If you want to support your girls varsity basketball team, make sure to head out to the FC gym as the Eagles take on Laton, Jan. 22.

For more profiles, check out Schultz strives for excellence on and off court and Anthony Diaz values friends and family.

Megan LeBlanc can be reached via email.