Athletes at Yorba Linda High School are known for their dedication, determination, and flawless performances. Some have spent most of their lives perfecting their sports and practicing for hours on end. These athletes have never seen themselves doing anything else besides that. Well, that’s how it was for Ava Mobraten (12) and Katie Ruoo (12).

The two have played sports for most of their life, Ava with softball and volleyball while Katie in basketball. They played on the YLHS athletics teams at the start of their high school career and were originally seeing themselves doing just that. However, little did they both know, they both caught the art bug.

The art bug: a contagious and highly spreadable need to be in the arts. Most teenagers are immune to the art bug’s contamination rate, while others embrace the side effects. For Ava, she found the Comedy Sportz Team team highly enjoyable, saying, “It brought me out of my comfort zone. I was just a freshman, so getting to express myself was really fulfilling and life changing.” Katie found herself on the stage, performing in her first musical with YLHS’ Carrie in 2022. “It was a great experience,” says Ruoo, “I didn’t know how much it would affect me.”

Ultimately, the two ended their time on the sports teams to pursue their passions elsewhere. Since then, Ava and Katie have dabbled in various theater opportunities. Now, both Katie and Ava are a part of the Mustang Theatre Company’s Student Board. “Everyone is so welcoming,” Katie stated. She is the Marketing Director, which means she runs the social media as well as coming up with other marketing strategies. Ava has come full circle with now being a Comedy Sportz Manager. “It’s really crazy,” Ava gushed, “I love getting to work alongside my friends, while being able to share my passion with others.” The Comedy Sportz team consists of students from all grades who perform short form improv. There are matches once a month, with the teacher versus student match on November 1st.

“Sometimes I wonder where I’d be if I didn’t stop,” Katie announced, which is very understandable. Even Ava shared the same concern, voicing that “It’s been a part of my life for so long.” Nonetheless, the two recently portrayed Velma Kelly and Mama Morton in YLHS’ Chicago: Teen Edition. There is no telling where the two may end up outside of school, but we hope for them to continue on performing!