January 22, 2020 | The Clarion
Arts & Life
Page 5
Senior Profile
Tennis star Samantha Sepe
Sharing her story and how she is destined for greatness
By Carmen Boone
Copy Editor
Samantha Sepe is a senior at Brevard
College. She is a Health Science major,
graduating in just three short months in May
of 2020.
She was bom in Asheville, North Carolina
but later moved to Woodstock, Georgia at
age six. She lived there for a number of years
until she moved to Niceville, Florida her
sophomore year of high school. She went
to University of Central Florida (UCF) for
college.
After deciding UCF wasn’t right for her,
Sepe transferred to the College of Coastal
Georgia her sophomore year. Once again, after
that, she felt that she needed a fresh start and
ended up here at Brevard College.
Sepe plays tennis at BC despite the
struggles she has faced. Coming here, she was
discouraged in her love for tennis. The former
program she was a part of wasn’t a good fit for
her and she was ready to be done with it all.
After talking to former head coach, Evan
Schreiner, he helped her find her love for tennis
again. Upon joining the program, she became the
number one player for the women’s tennis team.
One thing Sepe has really come to love
about Brevard is the small class size. “It’s nice
knowing you’ll most likely have at least one of
your friends in a class with you,” Sepe said. She
also likes that she goes to a college where a large
majority of students are athletes. On top of that,
she loves the beauty of Brevard and just being
in the mountains.
Sepe has had her fair share of struggles. She
has undergone four knee surgeries. Her first was
at the age of 11, which put her out of tennis for a
year. Her last was her senior year of high school.
At that time, she really wanted to go pro, but
felt that surgery was a major setback. After
having multiple surgeries, she learned how to
overcome that fear and hesitation of continuing
to play. “With each surgery I learned how to
overcome each obstacle and find a new drive
within myself,” Sepe said.
Looking back, Sepe has had people from
all over the South to thank for where she is
now. Moving around provided her with the
opportunity to meet all kinds of great friends
and mentors that helped her along the way.
“It’s hard to pick one or two people,” Sepe
said. “So many people have helped me become
the person I am today.”
In closing, she had some words of wisdom
for other students at Brevard. “Always ask
yourself if you are doing the best that you can
be doing. Often times we feel like things are
hard because we are allowing other things to
distract us from our path,” Sepe said. “If you
think about doing the best you can, you realize
that you prioritize important things, which
leaves you more stress free.”
After graduation, Sepe plans to work as
a tennis professional or a coach to continue
fostering her love for the game. Sometime in
the future, she might also pursue something
within the healthcare system. Despite whatever
she chooses, her drive will certainly carry her
far and she will continue to be the best that
she can be.
Samantha Sepe poses for a photo after winning BC homecoming queen.
Samantha Sepe dresses up for Senior Pinning.