NATCHEZ — Adams County Christian School’s Kristen Rhinehart has seemingly always found herself in pressure packed situations, whether it be on the soccer field or in the classroom.

But that hasn’t thrown her off course.

Rhinehart boasts a 3.8 GPA along with being a captain on the varsity soccer team.

“I’m not allowed to make bad grades,” Rhinehart said. “I don’t have a choice. My parents and grandparents are on me about it, and I don’t slack off.”

Rhinehart didn’t have much of a choice when it came to soccer, either.

“Jordan Parker started playing first and I came with her to a practice and really liked it, and they told me I was going to play,” Rhinehart said.

The decision was a good one, though.

“She was asked in the sixth grade to step out and start playing back in the bad ol’ days,” ACCS head coach Jimmy Allgood said. “There were many days back then where we asked her to step up in games where there were double digits for the other teams. Now, she is not only stepping up, but is the anchor of the back line. For six years, we’ve had a lot of fun times.”

Rhinehart said the early goings were tough in soccer, especially as a younger player on the team.

“We had tough seniors back then,” she said. “They were hardcore and didn’t like to lose, but we did any way. But we got better at practice pushing ourselves.”

Rhinehart didn’t push herself only on the field, though. She continued to grow in the classroom, excelling in her favorite subject — English.

“I’ve been speaking it my whole life,” she said laughing. “I just like it. It’s not math and I don’t have to deal with numbers.”

Rhinehart said her soccer career will come to an end this season, and while it will be hard to hang up her cleats, she is looking forward to the future.

“I’m going to go to Co-Lin Wesson to be a pediatric nurse,” Rhinehart said. “I love babies. They are so cute and I think I would enjoy it.”

But first, Rhinehart has her eyes on the prize — a state championship.

“It would be awesome to win it,” she said. “It’d be one for the books.”