Vinita’s River Jeffries – Athlete of the Month Presented by Grove Dental Associates

 

Vinita senior River Jeffries plays basketball and runs track and cross country. She has played basketball since the first grade and right from the start she found her niche.

“My parents coached my sister and I in little league and I fell in love with the game,” she said.

Having competed for her high school for years, Jeffries can say that her favorite thing about being a Hornet is getting to represent her hometown.

“What I enjoy most about competing for Vinita and my community is the support from the town and what Vinita stands for,” she said.

The friendships she has formed with her teammates are also an important aspect of her athletic career that will last even after her time at Vinita High School is done.

“My teammates are very important to me,” she said. “They are not only teammates, they are more like a bunch of sisters. We all get along really well and it has been really fun getting to compete with each one of them. Whatever one lacks another picks up for them. I’ve made friendships that will last forever through sports.”

As a senior, Jeffries strives to be a leader and set a good example for her teammates. She knows that through athletics she is representing those around her and she aims to make them proud.

“What motivates me in and out of athletics is my team, school and coaches,” she said. “Being a senior I know the younger girls look up to me and feed off of my energy and how I act. Whatever I say and do is a representation of Vinita and my coaches so I try to act respectful and set good examples for others.”

A person who has been influential in shaping Jeffries over the years is her mother, who she admires very much.

“Someone I look up to is my mom,” she said. “She is one of the strongest, most determined people I know. She grew up in a poor family with eight siblings and wasn’t allowed to play sports after middle school, she was really good at track so when I play/run I think of her not having the opportunities like I do and try to push myself harder for her.”

Jeffries says that her senior year of competing for Vinita High has been “really fun and bittersweet.” A moment that stood out to her was when the Lady Hornets beat Fort Gibson and won the Verdigris Valley Conference title.

Outside of athletics Jeffries is also involved in yearbook, broadcasting, and FCA. After graduation she would like to continue playing sports and study to go into the health care field.