Rashel Blazzard enjoys life on and off the court

This archived article was written by: Harley Willowby

Growing up on a farm in Morgan, Utah, Easterns Rashel Blazzard, also known as Blazz, was raised with eight siblings. She learned to be a hard worker, dedicated, get the job done, and is an exquisite team player.
Activities she enjoyed growing up were building forts, floating the river, bonfires, riding bikes and working on the farm and garden. “There was a good mixture of work and play, although sometimes it felt like more work than play.”
Grateful for the work, Blazzard says her parents are easily the largest influence on her life. “They have taught me work ethics, attributes and examples.” Blazzard loved the farm life and hopes she is able to live on a farm when she settles down.
If Blazzard could have any animal as a pet, she would choose a goat. Due to my surprised look, she quickly explained why a goat would be the best pet. “Baby goats are the cutest thing on this planet. They are cuter than a puppy, they’re fun and snuggly,and they’ll chase you and jump over everything in sight.”
In the midst of Winter Olympics, Blazzard says she enjoys watching ice skating. She notices how much control they have, and the technique and practice that has to go into it. It is the little things that catches her eye in this difficult sport.
Blazzard transferred to USUE after one year at Westminster and from a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints mission in Panama, Panama City. She is a great asset to the team and leads the team with confidence.
She averages 7.5 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game and was recently named USUE Player of the Week. Another outstanding stat Blazzard has earned is her 88.6-free-throw percentage.
Along with her many achievements on the court, she is an outstanding person off of the court. Diligent in the classroom and to the service of others, Blazzard made an impact in several lives and is an excellent example. With a contagious smile, she brightens anyone’s day. This concept happens to be her daily motto. “Smile, it’s contagious!”
The Book of Mormon is her all-time favorite book. “I feel the love of Christ on every single page. It has changed me because the more you know about Christ, the more you can become like Him.” Blazzard is constantly inspired and humbled by each page she reads. With these beliefs close to her heart, she admires her mom the most because, “she is full of Christlike love and patience.”
Her mission became an experience that has made her a stronger person. “The people I met, the lessons I learned and how I changed; it shaped who I am. It is the most life-changing thing anyone can go through.”
Being a selfless person, if she was given one million dollars, she would split up the money between everyone in her family. She would then help her parents pay for their LDS mission and with what was left over, pay for her schooling and a new car.
Hiking, biking and cooking big meals are hobbies many people don’t know Blazzard likes. Her roommate explained how much she loves to cook big meals for them. Her favorite food, though, she said she couldn’t just name one. Somedays it’s mangos and gwanabana and other fruits, and other days it’s homemade breadsticks with chicken alfredo. Although she had a hard time pin pointing a favorite food, she admitted she could eat at Zupas every day “…because there is always something good there.”
If money and time weren’t an issue, Blazzard would pick up some adventurous hobbies such as scuba diving, zip lining, skydiving, becoming a food critic and traveling around the world. She thinks it would be fun to become one of those people who travel around the world and video their trip and experiences plus get paid money to do it.
If she could send a letter to her younger self, she would want to say something simple. “Listen to your mother, be a little kinder, and never grow up.” Blazzard is a hard worker who is a joy to be around, so make sure you take some time to get to know USUE’s point guard.