Collins, a junior, will compete in the 400 meters and the 1600 relay in the Class 4A regional at Royal Valley on Friday. Collins qualified for the 4A meet as a freshman, but she has since been diagnosed with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), which increases the heart rate dramatically when not lying down. Yet she still competes in volleyball and basketball, too.

How does having POTS affect you in sports?

“When I was a sophomore, I was taking about 11 pills a day and I’d pass out every day at practice. There was no question it was going to happen. This year I’m handling it a lot better. I only take five pills. I haven’t managed to run a 400 this year without passing out at the end, but I am running it.

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