This girl might not be water but she sure does move fast through it. “I’ve been swimming since I was 12,” Zikuda said. She typically swam the longer distances, with races up to 20 lengths of the pool. Zikuda had to sit out most of her sophomore year due to a shoulder injury but made it to State as an alternate both her junior and senior year. Zikuda said participating in swimming helped her meet new people, as several members of her team were from out of town.

In addition to swimming, Zikuda participated in choir, band, track, basketball and archery. “I started (archery) last year and made it to State both years. You get to know a lot of people through that, too,” she said. Zikuda joined because of her friends, but realized she was “pretty good at it.” Competitions are nerve-wracking for her, “but you can’t go up there nervous, or you shake.” Zikuda said it helps if she eats ahead of the tournament.

Her parents are Jessica and Mike Mathisen and her siblings are Tristan (14) and Ella (4). In her free time, Zikuda likes sleeping and hanging out with her friends. She plans to go to IWCC and major in psychology. Zikuda said, “ I think that psychology is a very interesting topic.” When she was little, she wanted to be an OB/GYN, EMT, or an elementary teacher.

One of her favorite memories was in kindergarten when “Bailey (Roland) and I would play at recess.” Olivia Hemphill’s house is somewhere she enjoys going, and they call it “Mama Lisa’s house” because of Hemphill’s mother. Zikuda has had many influences in her life but nothing like her friends and family. She said, “My friends and family are the ones who have shaped me into the person I am today.”