Red Deerian Kate Hawkins is February’s Alberta Sport Development Centre – Central (ASDC) Athlete of the Month.

The 14-year-old said it feels like a special recognition for her.

Hawkins is a French Immersion student at Central Middle School, a lifelong Red Deer resident and competitive cross country skier. She’s been skiing since she was in kindergarten.

“We go skiing three times a week down in River Bend and then we coach on Wednesdays the little Jackrabbits kids,” she said.

Hawkins is currently a member of the Red Deer Nordic Ski Club and began her racing career two years ago.

“I like the races, it’s fun, because you go really fast and usually I do well,” said Hawkins.

She recently competed in Fort McMurray at the Alberta Winter Games for Zone 4 – Parkland, which she said was pretty fun.

Hawkins will also be racing this year in the Alberta Cup Series with Red Deer Nordic.

She’s had quite the time with success, having won gold medals at the Red Deer Public School Loppet for her grade for the past four years, and placing sixth in the western provinces with her Midget freestyle relay team in the Alberta Cup relay race in Red Deer this past January.

Hawkins said she hopes to get a scholarship to go to Augustana University College in Camrose.

“It’s not too far away from Red Deer so it would be a good university to go to,” she said, adding that she plans on continuing to ski long-term.

Besides skiing, Hawkins enjoys pond hockey, reading and her involvement in her school’s band.

She spends her summers participating in triathlon, fun runs and track and field.