For Sascha Shapiro, singing the national anthem for fans attending the MiraCosta Nights event is the culmination of a lifetime of loving music.

Shapiro will be singing the anthem at the Frontwave Arena on March 5, when the San Diego Sockers will be playing the Empire Strykers beginning at 7:35 p.m. She said she’s looking forward to performing.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for me,” she said. “It shows that the hard work that I’ve been putting in has paid off. It’s a big deal to sing the national anthem in front of thousands of people.”

Shapiro said she’s been singing since she was eight years old. She learned to play the guitar and dived into playing secular music. After graduating from high school in 2011, she joined several cover bands and performed around north San Diego County and Riverside County.

However, when she started at MiraCosta College in 2020, it was to earn a certificate so she could teach yoga. After obtaining her certificate and teaching yoga, she switched her major to music. She is working toward an associate degree in Voice and Performance.

Shapiro said he’s been impressed with her music instructors at MiraCosta College.

“All of the teachers are so knowledgeable,” she said. “I’ve learned and I’ve grown so much in such a short time.”

One of her teachers suggested that she apply to sing the national anthem, and she was thrilled to have been chosen.

Shapiro said she loves singing and performing, and is hoping for a music career.

“What I love most about music is the way it can make me feel as a listener,” she said. “It’s a way to express what you’ve gone through. It’s an outlet to feel emotions and situations.”