LA GRANDE — Through the years, the La Grande community has produced its share of student-athletes going forward to collegiate careers and even professional opportunities.

One more name looks to be added to the list as Aviendha “Avie” Durrant has set some lofty goals for her future after an impressive amateur/semi-pro career.

Durrant started playing disc golf, known to some as frisbee golf, with her father at age 4. At the ripe old age of 6, she entered her first tournament, taking the place of her father who was unable to attend.

“I just started for fun and being with my dad,” Durrant said. “My first tournament was the Baked Potato Open in Boise.”

Although Durrant saw her cousin win that initial tournament, she was hooked on the sport. The young disc golfer continued to enter tournaments, and after beating competitors her own age, she was forced to join the adult women at the advanced age of 10 years old. She had previously been sponsored by different companies since the age of 7.

“My scores were already beating the adults, so I just moved up into their bracket,” she said.

In 2016, Durrant competed in the Worlds competition, a week of disc golfing in Kalamazoo, Michigan. During the six-day tournament, competitors play a different course each day. Taking the course against the best from around the world, Durrant finished third in the competition.

As her stroke total continued to drop, Durrant’s name became well known on the disc golf circuit and among the rankings and sponsors. Her highest ranking, according to the Professional Disc Golf Association, stood at second in her age group. Sponsors started to invite her to wear their apparel and use their discs in competition. Like many advanced athletes, the injuries begin to mount up on the 5 feet, 3 inch frame of the La Grande resident.

“I was forced to step away one year before COVID due to injury,” she said. “I was having problems with my ankle, wrist and neck. I also wanted to focus on my grades, but I really miss the tournaments and all the friends I made while playing.”

Now in her senior year at La Grande High School, the “A” student is looking to return to the sport she loves, now healed up and ready to hit the courses.

“I want to get back to tournaments when I enter college,” she said. “Right now, the plans are to attend Eastern Oregon University, the College of Idaho or Oregon Tech. I like colleges that are smaller campuses and located in smaller communities.”

While her long-term career goals are moving toward the medical field or finance, shorter-term goals include a return to the professional level of disc golf.

However, both college and a professional athletic career need to wait a few months. Durrant is currently one of the members of La Grande’s new cheerleading squad.

“My mom and I were attending a game last year and she mentioned to me that the Tiger band was the cheerleaders for the school,” Durrant said. “When they announced a cheerleading squad this year, I was excited to see it coming and tried out. The experience this year on the squad has been the best thing in high school for me.”

Durrant sees a vast difference between her time on the sidelines compared to her time on a course.

“Cheer is a performance sport where disc golf is less performance and more actual playing,” she said. “Once I graduate from college, I want to play professional disc golf as a full-time career for some time.”

Like most student-athletes, Durrant tried out a number of sports as a child, including basketball, volleyball and soccer. She also has a long history of dance in her background. Her love of cheerleading for La Grande is second, though, to her return to the disc golf courses around the nation.

“I have my own entourage as my dad is my caddy,” she said. “My uncle, Brett, is also there for me and is the one that finds my discs when they go off course. My family has been a big support system for me the entire way.”