Twincredible: Carr sisters excel in respective sports

Starring+in+their+respective+sports%2C+senior+twins+Ashley+Carr%2C+girls%E2%80%99+volleyball+player%2C+and+Addie+Carr%2C+girls%E2%80%99+hockey+player%2C+have+both+accepted+offers+to+continue+their+careers+at+the+next+level%2C+with+Ashley+at+the+University+of+Miami+and+Addie+at+Rochester+Institute+of+Technology.+Despite+their+geographical+differences+in+college%2C+they+will+remain+vital+parts+of+each+other%E2%80%99s+support+systems.

Starring in their respective sports, senior twins Ashley Carr, girls’ volleyball player, and Addie Carr, girls’ hockey player, have both accepted offers to continue their careers at the next level, with Ashley at the University of Miami and Addie at Rochester Institute of Technology. Despite their geographical differences in college, they will remain vital parts of each other’s support systems.

Tommy Marquardt, sports editor

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Cole and Dylan Sprouse. Markieff and Marcus Morris. And soon, Addie and Ashley Carr.

With collegiate careers on the horizon for both South senior athletes, the Carr sisters will work to add their names to the prestigious list of talented twins.

Addie, girls’ ice hockey defenseman, and Ashley, girls’ volleyball middle and right-side hitter, have been athletes their entire lives. From their time as teammates in youth softball to their divergent paths towards success in separate sports in high school, Addie and Ashley have always been able to learn from each other to improve at their respective sports.

“It just creates a different energy when I watch her play, so I always want to bring that energy into my game even though it’s a different sport,” Addie said.

Going into college next year, the Carr sisters will have to learn how to adapt from living under the same roof to being separated by around 1,500 miles and an eight-state divide.

Next year, Addie will be playing ice hockey at Rochester Institute of Technology in Upstate New York, while Ashley will be in South Florida playing volleyball at the University of Miami. Despite their geographical differences, Ashley said that Addie’s impact on her career will remain strong.

“I think [Addie] just pushed me to play more because she committed before I did,” Ashley said. “That brought out another competitive side of me, [and I think] seeing her compete and playing her hardest pushed me to do the same.”

With the possibility of a senior season up in the air for both athletes, Addie and Ashley are hoping that they will get one last chance to go out on top to finish their high school careers. Though cancellations and postponements due to Covid-19 have taken away some of the defining moments of high school athletes, Addie hopes to have the chance to accomplish some of her longtime goals.

“I don’t know if there will be [tournaments] because of Covid, I’m really hoping that my team can go to nationals,” Addie said. “I don’t even care if we don’t win or don’t place, I just want that experience.”

Senior Ellie Noffke, a friend of both Addie and Ashley’s, has experienced the way the twins push each other to be better firsthand. Noffke said that joint workouts the sisters do allow them to stay close while improving their skills.

“They push each other by having high expectations and expecting each other to both be at workouts [with each other],” Noffke said.

Addie said her friends constitute a big part of her support base because of their reliable attendance at her games and supportiveness towards her career. As part of that inner circle, Noffke has gotten the chance to witness Addie’s development as a player firsthand. She believes that Addie’s love of the people around her will help her continue to improve over the course of her career.

“I think [the people around Addie] are part of her identity,” Noffke said. “Hockey has been such an important thing in her life because of the people and teammates she has grown up playing with.”

As the end of high school rapidly approaches, Ashley has one main goal if she is able to complete one more season of volleyball at GBS: enjoy every minute of it. When she plays her final games with lifelong teammates, Ashley hopes that she’ll be able to have fun with her last dance at South.

“My goal is to cherish this [year],” Ashley said. “[I’m] enjoying everyone that I’ve played the sport with for a while and enjoying the fun times. It’s going to be so much different that I’m never playing with them again.”

The annual trial for senior athletes of saying goodbye to their hometown and teammates to move onto a university career far away looms large, especially for the Carr twins.

However, despite their many miles apart, both sisters know that they will always be each other’s biggest supporters as they each attempt to seek out collegiate success.