Hastings' Catalina Aguirre
“When I was little, I was always the most athletic kid. I loved PE and was so good on the physical tests. It all started then.
“I was recruited in middle school to start running for an AAU club team (Visions Houston Track Club) and right then I knew this would be my future. This is a tough sport, but I’ve fallen in love with it.”
She’s training for a college scholarship and has the mindset to do so. She reached the UIL Regional Meet as a sophomore and just finished 10th at the AAU Nationals in Florida.
“I try to encourage myself while running. I hear my coach in my head always giving me instruction,” she laughed. “They push me.”
Let’s see what makes this motivated student-athlete tick.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
VYPE: What do you love to eat when you aren’t training?
AGUIRRE: "I love Raisin’ Canes. That is what I would love my NIL deal to be."
VYPE: What are you streaming?
AGUIRRE: "I’d have to say Dance Moms. I love the drama."
VYPE: What’s your all-time favorite movie?
AGUIRRE: "The Blind Side. I know, I’m really obsessed with sports. My parents played sports, my siblings played sports. I’ve just been around sport my entire life."
VYPE: What would be your dream car?
AGUIRRE: "That’s easy, a BMW."
VYPE: Who would be your celebrity dream date?
AGUIRRE: "Carl from Love Island. He’s so built and so nice, too."
VYPE: How do you get ready for a big race?
AGUIRRE: "I need my space. I just put my AirPods in, watch Tik Tok and constantly hydrate."
VYPE: What’s your dream college?
AGUIRRE: "I want to stay in Texas… maybe Texas Tech."
VYPE: What do you see yourself doing in the future?
AGUIRRE: "I want to do something in the medical field."
Alief Elsik's Peytan Lewis
Lewis was introduced to tennis in seventh grade when one of her coaches encouraged her to give the sport a try. What started as something new quickly became a passion.
She tried out for the high school team as a freshman and, despite also playing volleyball, kept coming back to the court. Now a senior, Lewis is still swinging — and she has plenty of goals left to accomplish.
Outside of high school tennis, Lewis competes in USTA tournaments, where the competition is intense and the experience has helped push her game to another level.
Now, she has her sights set on a district championship — and hopefully a trip to the State Tournament.
But Lewis’ ambitions stretch well beyond the tennis court.
Doug Brown (VYPE)
A Future in New York
Lewis dreams of playing college tennis, and her dream school is NYU. There’s something about New York that has always captivated her.
“I love the atmosphere,” she said. “When everyone is walking, they have a destination. I love the people.”
She also loves the school and the opportunities that come with being in the heart of New York City. And then there’s her future career.
Lewis wants to pursue law, with a particular interest in entertainment law. Her inspiration? A certain fictional lawyer from Harvard.
“I’ve only watched one law show — Legally Blonde,” she joked. “Elle Woods is my motivation.”
A Creative Spirit
Tennis isn't the only place where Lewis expresses herself. She’s an artist. She participates in orchestra. She loves drawing and coloring, particularly portraits.
For Lewis, there’s a common thread connecting all three passions.
“I really love the creativity of tennis, art and orchestra,” she said. “All three have a way to express yourself.”
She has even dreamed about acting, although she admits that could be a long shot. If that path doesn’t work out, entertainment law could give her a way to combine her love of creativity and her interest in the legal world.
That curiosity is part of what makes Lewis unique.
She admits she’s interested in a lot of different things, but she’s determined to make the most of every opportunity.
Living in the Moment
Ask Lewis about her phone, and you might get a surprising answer.
She’s not glued to it. In fact, she doesn’t watch much television either.
“I’m in the moment,” she said. “I have big FOMO, so I stay off my phone.”
Instead, Lewis stays busy. She works as a barista at the Briar Club in River Oaks, keeps up with school and finds time for tennis, art and orchestra.
Academically, she enjoys pre-calculus and trigonometry. She likes formulas because once they click, they click.
“Once I get it, I get it,” she said.
Exceeding Expectations
At the heart of everything Lewis does is one simple goal: be better than expected.
She wants to remain humble, stay authentic and never stop pushing herself.
“I want to be humble… not humbled,” she said with a laugh. “I want to keep it real. I’m not trying to let people down. I’m looking to impress you. I want to exceed expectations.”
That mindset is what makes Peytan Lewis such an intriguing athlete to watch.
She’s chasing another district title on the tennis court, dreaming about playing at NYU, exploring a future in law and entertainment, creating art, playing orchestra and figuring out exactly where her many talents can take her.
One thing is certain:
Peytan Lewis isn't putting herself in a box.
She’s creating her own path — one swing, sketch, note and dream at a time.
Fort Bend Travis' Hazel Vowell
"I really love the community in cross country," Vowell said. "I love being able to go out, run my race, work hard, and push the other girls around me, then come back afterward and congratulate everyone."
That community has helped Vowell navigate the challenges that come with being a competitive runner. She's learned that success requires discipline and sacrifice, but also balance.
"As I've gotten older, I've had to learn how to prioritize God, my family, and school before running," she said. "Running will always be one of my top priorities, but those three things will always come first."
Vowell enters the season with ambitious goals. After running a personal-best 18:19 last season, she's targeting a sub-18-minute performance at the state meet.
"I don't think I was fully prepared for the hills and difficulty of the state course," she said. "This year, my coach and I are approaching my training differently to better prepare me for that challenge."
Carmen Agnew (VYPE)
She also has her sights set on winning districts and finishing in the top five at regionals. But at state, the number on the clock matters most.
"Wherever that time puts me in the standings, I'll be proud of it because I know it means I've made significant progress," Vowell said.
Running may dominate her schedule, but Vowell is a creative soul away from the course. She loves to crochet, particularly making handmade gifts for friends and family, and she enjoys writing poetry.
She also has a deep passion for animals. After volunteering at an animal clinic in Sugar Land over the summer, Vowell's career goal became even clearer. A member of FFA at Travis, she hopes to become a veterinarian and eventually combine her love for animals with a career helping them.
"I hope to combine my love for animals with my desire to make a difference in their lives," she said.
Before and after races, Vowell often turns to worship music.
"It gives me a chance to slow down, connect with God, and find some clarity before I compete," she said. "It helps me calm my mind, refocus, and remind myself that running is important to me, but it isn't everything."
That's perhaps the biggest lesson Vowell has learned through running.
The times matter. The medals matter. The goals matter. But they aren't everything.
Ten years from now, Vowell dreams of competing in the Olympics and starting her own veterinary practice. She knows those are big goals, but she's willing to work for them while remaining open to wherever life takes her.
"I want to stay open-minded and trust that God has a plan for my life," she said. "Wherever life takes me, I hope I can embrace it, work hard, and be happy with what God has given me."
For now, Vowell will keep chasing 18 minutes. But she's running toward something much bigger, too.
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