Alyssa Quaile, 17, began mushing four years ago at a sprint mushing kennel. She has competed in both the Jr. Quest and the Jr. Iditarod. Alyssa has a kennel of 16 dogs and says, ? I’m the only one in my family that runs dogs so that leaves me to do all the feeding, training and everything else that goes with mushing. But it’s all worth it because I know my dogs really well and I love to be out on the trail with them.? She said her rookie year in the Jr. Iditarod (last year) was “a very fun rookie year.? She had both older experienced dogs and younger not so experienced dogs in her team. Her goal was to have fun and finish and she did just that. “This year my team is younger, stronger and overall a lot more focused so we are planning on doing better.? She says Jessie Royer has been a great help to her with awesome dogs and lots of advice and support. And she put s up with Alyssa’s frequent calls asking “how-to? questions. Alyssa is a home schooled senior. She is a photographer and writer for a high school newspaper. She also plays violin, sings in cho9ir, enjoys guitar, crocheting, orchestra, photography, geocaching, canoeing and camping. She plans to go to college and she says, “Yes!?, when asked if she planned to continue mushing.