Like many middle schoolers, Nikki Stanton spent time in her early teen years exploring her many interests. A lot of those activities involved sports, as the North Bend, Washington, native was following in the footsteps of her brother, who was three years older than her. Basketball, track, volleyball, gymnastics, tennis ... “all the things,” Stanton said in a recent conversation with Ride of the Valkyries.
That laundry list of interests included Irish dance competitions, which she did for six years. As she progressed in middle school, however, Stanton had to choose.
“There came a point where I had to make the decision.