South Charlotte Sports Report“HOMETOWN TEAMS ... HOMETOWN KIDS”

Volume 9, Issue 8 August 28, 2014 - FREEwww.southcharlottesports.com @SCSportsReport

Natalie Wallon, a rising senior at Charlotte Cath-olic High School, committed to Syracuse University last June as a sophomore. Led by head coach and lacrosse legend, Gary Gait, the Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse Team appears consistently in the NCAA Tournament. Last season Syracuse finished as the runner-up in the NCAA Championship Game. The road to playing at a college like Syracuse takes time, effort, and opportunity.

Wallon began playing lacrosse in the third grade, inspired by her father, Ray Wallon who also played lacrosse at Buffalo State College.

“My parents have always been supportive of my goals and dreams to be a collegiate lacrosse player and my dad always gives me pointers,” said Wallon. “They have always given me the opportunities that I’ve needed to succeed.”

Their support gave Natalie the incredible oppor-tunity to attend one of the best lacrosse programs in the country.

“I’ve always had a love for Syracuse because I have a crazy amount of family up there and it’s where my parents are from,” said Wallon. “Even though I liked other schools and had other options, I really fell in love with Syracuse and am confident that that’s where I belong.”

The recruiting process is a crucial point in every athlete’s life. Even though Wallon has always had her eyes set on Syracuse, there is no easy way to be too sure.

“The process can be summed up in two words: exciting and stressful,” said Wallon. “It’s exciting because you’re being recognized for your talents, but stressful because you know that you’re making a decision that’s going to drastically impact the rest of your life.”

Playing at a top program like Syracuse is not only exciting and stressful, but motivational for any com-mit.

“You have to realize that you can’t stop improving once you commit,” said Wallon. “At the same time though, lacrosse is supposed to be fun, it’s a game. When I start to not have fun I just take a step back

and remind myself that I’m doing this because it’s my passion, and it helps my mindset a lot.”

Since her commitment, Wallon went from what seemed to be an already outstanding season during her sophomore season, to a record breaking season during her Junior year.

During her sophomore year Wallon racked up 99 goals, but sadly lost in the State Championship. While expectations were high, Wallon did not fail to impress in her junior year. She finished 8 goals away from breaking the state record, scoring 120 goals which gave her an average of five goals a game. Wal-lon also led the team defensively with 68 takeaways. Led by Head Coach Dee Bier, the Cougars went on to win the State Championship by one goal against Apex High School.

“Coach Bier has influenced me not only in my la-crosse skills, but taught me to have confidence on the field, and confidence to be a leader,” Wallon said.

Natalie’s leadership skills stay with her even af-ter the final whistle blows. She’s been giving lacrosse lessons to middle school students. She’s also work-ing with St. Matthews Catholic Church as a peer minister. So as a two sport athlete with lacrosse, field hockey, along with extra-curriculars, where does Wallon have time for school?

“Surprisingly, I manage my time much better when I’m in season,” said Wallon. “It helps me di-vide my time, knowing that I dedicate certain hours to lacrosse and certain hours towards school helps me stay grounded in the classroom.”

Wallon finished her junior year with a 3.76 GPA, and plans on taking AP Economics and AP English 12 next year. Her classroom skills and her lacrosse expertise make Natalie Wallon the successful stu-dent-athlete that she has become today.

NATALIE WALLON IS SUCCESSFUL IN THE CLASSROOM AND ON THE LACROSSE FIELD

Written by Alex Massardo, Charlotte Latin School

@SCSportsReport

Follow online for news, updates and more!

Matthew Bennett leads the Marvin Ridge Middle School Football Team on a drive in season opening game versus Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School.

Page 2 Volume 9, Issue 8

SOCIAL MEDIA…Friend or Foe of Student-Athletes?

Social Media has certainly taken over when it comes to letting the outside world inside your life. First it was Facebook and now Twitter and Instagram that seem to be the top websites in our universe. Over the last few years, like a lot of folks, I have moved my social media usage from Facebook to Twitter. I have found the site to be a one-stop shop to gather information on topics that I am interested in. With just one click of the mouse I can see the latest news on the New York Yankees or my East Carolina Pirates. I can also see up to the minute reporting of local, region, national and worldwide events. Within min-utes, I know when something good or bad has happened in the world.

I want to share some very important advice for Student-Athletes on Twitter and other Social Media Sites. These tips are designed to allow Social Media to be their best friend and keep it from being their foe.

I speak to college coaches throughout the year and one prevailing message I hear is how they regularly look at recruits Social Media usage. There isn’t a coach in America that hasn’t dropped a recruit at one time or another because of things posted online. In fact it happens quite regularly .

Tripp’s Tips For Social Media:

Be smart, do you really want to use foul language in front of the world and all the college coaches that use Twitter?Do you really want to post that photo of you showing your middle finger to the camera? Use Twitter as your own personal resume, share all the positives in your lifeTwitter has around 271 million active users, Facebook has over 1 billion, that’s a lot of people outside your neighborhood that can form a real quick opinion about youAfter typing a post ask yourself: “Would it be ok to say this in front of my parents, my grandmother, or a current or future coach?” If the answer is no, don’t post it.Take pride in who you represent, don’t embarrass your school, your family or yourself with immature posts.Don’t use foul language, don’t ReTweet foul language, and don’t try to ab-breviate dirty words.Don’t try to be cute or even dirty with your Facebook or Twitter names. Don’t post from social media sites during classes. Your coaches, coaches that are recruiting you, teachers and family members also use social me-dia.

I used a lot of “don’ts” up above, now for a few things that I encourage all stu-dents to do with social media.

Use Twitter as your own personal resume, share all the positives in your life.If you are mature enough to follow the Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media, then follow the coaches and schools that you are most interested in. Learn about their programs and let them learn about you.Use proper spelling, take advantage of the 140 characters Twitter provides.

How can you use Twitter to help the South Charlotte Sports Report?

Please follow us on Twitter @SCSportsReport Once you have followed us, please tweet us with any good news you have to share. Did you make your college commitment? Are you down to 5 finalists? Did you get named all-conference? Did you record a 4.5 grade point average and play three sports? Let us know, I have a lot of contacts that I want to share your news with. Please take the time to follow me and please, be smart about how you use social media. It can be your friend or it can be your foe, your choice. I LOVE to share your positive news, just Tweet me!

Tripp RoakesPublisherSouth Charlotte Sports ReportTripp@southcharlottesports.com

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Marvin Ridge Middle School cheerleaders are back in action as football season kicks off.

NOW HIRING: Part-Time Retail Delivery Driver

The South Charlotte Sports Report has an opening to deliver our newspapers to retail locations across South Charlotte. Must be avail-able to commit 5-7 hours every other Wednesday or Thursday and over the age of 18. If interested in earning extra spending money, please email Tripp@southcharlottesports.com

Football Season is back underway as Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School and Marvin Ridge Middle School locked up in a season opening battle.

The 13U Union County Vipers Blue team traveled to Rocky Mount NC to successfully defend their Top Gun World Series Title from the fall.

The Vipers include: Coach Patrick Whitted, Stephen Gonzales, Trey Tujetsch, Price Hargett, Austin Hall, Jesse Harkey, Scotty Diekman, Hayden Mobbs, Coach Craig Diekman, Coach Jeff Nichols, Justin Luna, Bradley Bott, Noah Love, Tyler Nichols, Larkin Lancaster

Volume 9, Issue 8 Page 3

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Wired for Excellence Award Recognizing Academic and Athletic Excellence

Sarah Post

8125 Ardrey Kell Road Charlotte NC 28277704-443-0006

www.quimbyandcollins.com

Winning Smiles

JAKE CUNNINGHAMCommunity House Middle School 7th Grader Jake Cunningham has been named the Quimby and Collins Orthodontics “Wired For Excellence” Award Winner. The 12 year old son of Scott and Shannon Cunningham recently participated in the 11U USSSA All American games at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando. He competed against 7 other regions and finished 3rd going 3-0-1. Jake batted over .400 and closed the game against the Southeast where he came in in the bottom of the 6th inning and struck out the side.

In addition to baseball, Jake also plays basketball and football throughout the season. He enjoys the thrill of competition and works hard to find success in each sport.

Inside the classroom, Jake earned all A’s in the sixth grade and says Math and Science are his favorite classes. Congratulations to Jake Cunningham for being named the Quimby and Collins Orthodontics “Wired For Excellence” Award Winner.

Would you like to nominate an elementary or middle school student for The Quimby and Collins Orthodontics “Wired For Excellence” Award? Send your nominations to Tripp@southcharlottesports.com

By fall, Chris Trevisan is an all-conference defen-sive back, by winter, he’s a starting small forward for the basketball team, but year round, he maintains a 4.7 GPA. This is why Chris Trevisan was honored as the Student-Athlete of 2013 for the Weddington Warriors.

“It’s a lot to handle,” said Trevisan. “But at the end of the day it’s always worth it.”

Trevisan was born and raised in Waxhaw, North Carolina. Now entering his senior year of high school and competing at the division 3A level and taking multiple AP classes, Trevisan plans to soak in all the memories to come.

“I want to make the most out of these senior sea-sons,” Trevisan said. “I don’t ever want to have a sea-son end like the ones last year did.”

Last year the Warriors lost in heart breaking fashion in both football and basketball.

“In football we made to the third round of the state playoffs, the sweet sixteen, the farthest our team has ever been in school history, where we played North-ern Guildford,” Trevisan said. “We were down at the half and then took the lead in the fourth quarter, only to later lose by 3.”

After the football season, Trevisan faced an eerily similar ending in basketball season.

“In basketball we made it to the Elite 8 with a 27-2 record, where we played Freedom High School,” Trevisan said. “We lost by a 3 point buzzer beater, again.”

Now Trevisan is working hard in the off-season to make sure his senior seasons end differently.

“Chris has the determination to succeed,” said Varsity Football Coach Tim Carson. “He’s going to do anything you ask him to do, and he’s not going to let anybody interfere.”

With a little help from Coach Carson, Trevisan plans to have another all-conference season in foot-ball.

“Coach Carson came my freshman year, and he’s pushed me to a new level,” Trevisan said. “We’ve had a winning season every year with him and we keep getting better.”

Trevisan plans on continuing to play football after

high school at the next level. He’s received an offer from Butler University, and is talking to Davidson College along with a few other Ivy League schools.

“I’ve got to thank my parents,” Trevisan said. “They’re the ones that are registering me for all these camps, letting me visit the colleges I want to see, and making sure that my grades are my number one pri-ority. Even when I’m reluctant to go to a workout in the offseason they keep pushing me because they know it’ll only benefit me in the end.”

In the offseason, when he’s not playing sports, or working as a scoreboard operator at Carolina Courts, Trevisan told us that his favorite things to do when he’s not playing sports are to hang out with friends at the pool, sleep, and take ice baths. It’s not exactly what the average kid does in his free time, but play-ing two sports takes a toll on your body at 6’2 180 pounds.

“Sports have taught me that you have to work for what you want. Not everything will be given to you,” Trevisan said. “I know this is going to sound cliché, but you can accomplish a lot if you believe you can and if you have other people who believe in you too.”

Through the support of his family, coaches, and teammates, Trevisan hopes that he can accomplish all that he can on the court, on the field, and in the classroom.

CHRIS TREVISAN GOES ALL OUT INSIDE THE CLASSROOM AND ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD

Written by Alex Massardo, Charlotte Latin School

Page 4 Volume 9, Issue 8

So you have just wrapped up four solid months of playing in showcases, tournaments and col-lege camps. “I played well.” “I saw college coaches at the game”. “My stats were good.” “Why have I only received two questionnaires?”

If you have found you or your student-athlete asking these questions you are not alone. In fact you are in the majority. The absolute biggest myth in regard to recruiting is that college coaches attend tournaments to find “new” prospects. In some cases this is true but college coaches are at-tending these events nine times out of ten to lay their eyes on a prospect they are already recruiting. They are also there to simply be seen by a prospect they are recruiting to prove they are serious in he or she.

So, how did those other players get on that coaches radar? There is no magical answer. The student-athlete’s coach could have called on their behalf, an alumnus from that college could have called the coach, the coach may have seen a newspaper article on the player or they could have received information from a highly-respected scouting organization like NSR. If you or your stu-dent-athlete is a rising freshman or sophomore you MUST get on the radar of college coaches now. As you may know, your major college programs are already offering sophomores regardless of the sport.

If you are a rising junior you still have time to get identified and evaluated but the longer you wait the fewer options you will have when it comes to signing day. So what if I’m a 2015 grad? “Is it too late for me to play collegiately?” No, but your proverbial recruiting clock is a ticking time bomb. If you or your child is a fall sport athlete you must move now to take advantage of the season that is upon us. And if you are a spring sport athlete the same is true as you want to get coaches your video and information now so you can be one of those prospects they want to lay eyes on in person.

Remember, with the exception of D-1 Football and Basketball, a 2015 student-athlete has until August 1, 2015 to sign a letter of intent. Yes, there is time but spots are filling rapidly. I am hearing from coaches daily, in all sports, still in search of 2015’s. As an example, just last week NSR heard from 27 lacrosse coaches in need of 2015’s. Do not leave your or your child’s recruitment to chance. If a coach doesn’t know you – they can’t recruit you.

Chuck Howard is the Area Director of Scouting/Recruiting for National Scouting Report-Charlotte Region. To be scouted or for more information: choward@nsr-inc.com. You can also see Chuck on “Panther Talk-Game Plan” Wednesday’s 8 p.m. Time Warner Cable Ch. 323

Why Am I Not Being Recruited?Written by Chuck Howard, National Scouting Report

Volume 9, Issue 8 Page 5

Team of the Week

WCWAA BASEBALL8 YEAR OLD ALL STAR TEAM

The WCWAA 8 Year Old All Star Team won the North Carolina State Championship held in Wilson, NC July 12-15th. For their efforts, the team has been honored as the Sports Clips Team of the Week.

With a successful run through the district and state cham-pionship this group of young players were able to reach the pinnacle of success for their age group, Congratulation to all the players, coaches and families for a wonderful summer of baseball.

Sport Clips Toringdon Market3419 Toringdon Way

Suite 120704-496-9191

Sport Clips Arboretum8206 Providence Road

Suite 1600980-237-3322

To nominate your team for the Sports Clips Team of the Week, please email

Tripp@southcharlottesports.com

Front Row: (L-R) Davis Ledford, Austin Thomas, Luke Askew, Baylor Halstead, Drew Wheeler and Ryan ManuelMiddle Row: (L-R) Blake McKinney, Tristan Potts, Johnny Leaver, Ryan Fortney, Gannon Anthony, Tyler Potts and Thomas McNallyBack Row: (L-R) Manager Bobby Fortney, Coach Burke McKinney and Coach Max Anthony

KEITH DUNCAN SETS HIS SIGHTS ON A DIVISION 1 SCHOLARSHIP

Written by Miranda Fabian, South Mecklenburg ’13, UNC Wilmington ‘17

Weddington High School Junior, Keith Duncan, has high hopes for his Football ca-reer. The son of Jennifer and Stuart Duncan is the starting Kicker and Punter on Varsity for Weddington. Keith began his athletic pursuit at the age of four while growing up in Texas. When his family moved to North Carolina, he was about to start high school. He decided to try football, having previously played soccer, baseball, basketball, and track. Joining the team as a freshman, he immediately became a starter on varsity.

Keith has found his place on the football field, seeing as he is ranked 14th in the nation according to Chris Sailer Kicking, is a website that shares rankings and statistics with every Division 1 school in the nation. He won Chris Sailor’s National “Last Man Standing” com-petition for field goals, and was selected for the U17 division USA National Team. He has

been to kicking camps at the University of Maryland, as well as the University of South Carolina. His hard work has paid off, seeing as he made All Conference and went 52 for 52 on extra point kicked this previous season.

Football is not the only thing that Keith works hard on though; he focuses in on his schoolwork as well. With a 3.8 GPA going into his junior year, he plans on continuing to challenge himself in the classroom with all honors and AP classes. While his goal is to play for a Division 1 school, Keith realizes that grades are priority. He states: “I would like a school with a strong degree in the areas I am interested in studying, with long traditions of student involvement.” Right now, Keith is an active member of DECA, which “prepares emerging leaders and en-trepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe,” as well as volunteering at CERA Animal Rescue. He plans on running for Student Government this coming school year.

Right now, Keith is enjoying the journey as he works hard, but most impor-tantly, has fun. Some of his favorite memories of playing football include beat-ing his school’s rival, Marvin Ridge, in the Patriotism Bowl 52-0, and defeating Porter Ridge, one of the top teams in the nation, 7-0 then celebrating as all of their students stormed the field. Keith is inspired by his kicking coach, Dan Or-ner, who played in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings. Keith says that without him, he never would have achieved so much. As his football journey goes on, Keith will continue to learn and improve, on the field and off. He leaves us with this: “It (football) has definitely taught me how to be a leader and to never stop trying.”

Go for the winning touchdown with the South Charlotte Sports Report in 2014! Market your

business to the active families of South Charlotte and Western Union County.

Let us share our affordable game plan for success! Tripp@SouthCharlotteSports.com

or call 704-906-5466

Page 6 Volume 9, Issue 8

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DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY MEDAL OF HONER WINNERS

FOR COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP OVER & ABOVE THE CALL OF DUTY

January – Hunter Orloff (Marvin Ridge) February – Ethan Traub (Marvin Ridge) March – Harper Hendricks (Community House) April – James Gale (Weddington) May - Matthew Wunder (Marvin Ridge)June - Alex Fenton (Ardrey Kell)July - Jack Bitcon (Marvin Ridge)

The Marvin Ridge Middle School Fifth Grade Team

Front Row: (L-R) Luke Raykovicz,, Sota Asano, Ryan Blackwell, Brice Wunder, Jake Cannon, Zach Haynes, Sam Bitcon, Brady BeddingfieldMiddle Row: (L-R) Mason Sufnarski, Nick Smith, Alex Meeks, Connor Touranjoe, Cole Delissio, Frankie Papaleo, Isaiah Wegh, Ian JonesTop Row: (L-R) Lorenzo Simonelli, Jacob Terwilliger, Drew Garrett, Teddy Primavera, Campbell Stephen, Jake Young, King Carter, Daylen TeasleyCoaches (L-R): Eric Delissio, John Wunder (Head Coach), Jason YoungNot pictured: David Kurtz, Jimmy Leshock, DJ Johnson

The SBA Canes 14U Donathan Team completed the Spring/Summer season with a record of 38-8-1. The 14U SBA Canes took five, 1st place finishes and finished 3rd in Perfect Game Baseball Championship Series in Ft. Myers, FL out of 108 teams.

Front Row: (L-R) Logan Jarosz, Justin Guy, Jason Grafinkle, Trey Donathan, Sam HowellBack Row: (L-R) Coach Tom Donathan, Koty Ransom, Tyrese Hearst, Zack Tanner, Gavin Williams, Chad Treadwell , Nik Pry, Zack Knapp

Volume 9, Issue 8 Page 7 Community Service Heroes Award Recognizing Actions in Support of

Individuals, Community and the Environment

www.QueenCityOnline.com

Weddington High School Soccer Teams / Weddington High School Mentor Club

To nominate your team or a student-athlete for their service to the community, please email

Tripp@southcharlottesports.com

The Weddington High School Soccer Program along with the Weddington High School Mentor Club have been named the Queen City Audio, Video and Appliances Community Heroes Award Winners. The team and club have made a meaningful impact on the Boys and Girls Club of Monroe.

Under the leadership of soccer player Caroline Horne, the Weddington Mentors Club was formed.

“I have been volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club in Monroe for a year now,” said Caroline. “It truly has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever been a part of. I wanted to make an impact and help change the kids life, and in fact they have changed my life. I am blessed that I have the opportunity to be a part of something so amazing at the Boys and Girls Club in Monroe. I wanted everyone else at Weddington High School to have the same experience I have had, so I started the Weddington Mentors Club last year.

Students from Weddington High School in the Weddington Mentors Club, go to the Boys and Girls Club every week after school to volunteer and mentor the kids. At the Boys and Girls Club, we help the kids with their homework, play games, and be a positive influence in their lives. The mission of the Boys and Girls Club is to enable children who are most in need to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens.

This past week, The Weddington Soccer teams ran a soccer clinic and played soccer with the kids. The teams provided coaching and friendship to the members of the Boys and Girls Club. With continued regular visits to the club, students at Weddington High School are making a real difference in their community.

Queen City Audio, Video and Appliances salutes Weddington High School Soccer Team and Mentors Club for their commitment to our community.

Roddey Player President, Queen City Audio, Video & Appliances

Community Service Heroes Award Recognizing Actions in Support of

Individuals, Community and the Environment

www.QueenCityOnline.com

Charlotte Latin School junior volleyball player Dalila Mendygaziyeva brings an international flavor to the Hawks Volleyball Program. The 17 year old daughter of Nuriya Mendygaziyeva and Barlyk Mendygaziyev has lived in Kazakhstan, Turkey and America; and speaks four foreign languages: Kazakh, English, Russian and a little of Turkish and Spanish. With each practice Dalila improves on her volleyball skills and hopes to one day play college volleyball. Let’s Go Beyond The game with Dalila Mendygaziyeva to learn more about the interesting life she has lived to date.

How long have you played volley-ball?“When I first relocated to America, I tried my hand at every sport that I was interested in including golf, ten-nis, and dance, but I discovered at the

age of 14 that I had a natural ability for the game of volleyball and the team work that comes along with the sport. I started playing for the Carolina Ju-nior Volleyball Club in Charlotte, N.C. shortly after and I was quickly moved into a more advanced and higher age group where our team went on to win several tournaments, including winning 1st Place in the National Qualifier. I continued to play and became a State Champion during my freshman year at Charlotte Latin where our team won the 2012 NCISSA Volleyball State Championship. I am very proud of our team and their accomplishments. I currently play for Charlotte Latin as well as for the Carolina Union Volleyball Club where our team has won several times.”

What position do you play and what are your responsibilities?“I switch positions between middle blocker and an outside hitter, depending on where I’m needed and if I’m playing school or club volleyball. My respon-

sibility when upholding the middle blocker position is to block the ball while also tricking other players to go for every ball. When holding the outside hit-ter position, my responsibility is to first play good defense while also aggres-sively and actively hitting the ball.”

What are your goals for this season at Latin?“My goal for this season is to strive to be and become the best athlete that I can possibly be while also helping to lead and strengthen our fairly new team. Ideally of course, I want to win as many games as possible and I’m very confident that with hard teamwork and the guidance of our strong coaching staff, Latin can be at least in the top ten at the state championship this year.”

Do you hope to one day play college volleyball?“My dream is to continue playing volleyball after high school at the collegiate level, where I feel like I can grow even more as an athlete and an individual.”

How well do you perform in the classroom?“I was born in Kazakhstan. When I was 12 years old I moved to the United States to pursue a better education, to speak English more fluently, and to attend the best academic institute that North Carolina has to offer; Charlotte Latin School. Not many people outside of the United States have the oppor-tunity to get a good education and play volleyball in America, so when I was given the chance to relocate and attend Charlotte Latin School I gratefully took the chance and ran with it. I consider myself very lucky to attend such a high quality academic institution and I am very thankful for the opportunities I have been granted while living in America. Considering these circumstances I believe that I have adapted and perform very well in the American school system. I overcame many struggles such as language and culture barriers. This is what has made me an extremely strong and hard-working individual.”

What interest you away from volleyball?“Besides volleyball I love anything artsy such as painting and drawing. I have had the honor to have many of my art pieces displayed in the Charlotte Latin School gallery and even in the museum. I also enjoy playing the piano.”

BEYOND THE GAME WITH DALILA MENDYGAZIYEVA

Page 8 Volume 9, Issue 8

ERICA PARTRIDGE AIMS FOR THE TOP IN VOLLEYBALL

Written by Miranda Fabian, South Mecklenburg ’13, UNC Wilmington ‘17

Erica Partridge started playing volley-

ball at Marvin Ridge Middle School when she was in eighth grade. Now as she moves into her senior year, the focus is on earning a college playing opportunity. The daugh-ter of Chris and Maria Partridge started out as a fencer, and she used to participate on a National Fencing Team. However when Er-ica tried volleyball, she decided that it was the sport she wanted to pursue the sport at a college level.

Her talent in volleyball became appar-ent to everyone as soon as she began play-ing. Her freshman year of high school, she was awarded the Defensive Player of the Year award. In 2012, Erica participated in the Hokie Super Regional Volleyball Tour-nament at Virginia Tech, and ended up winning the Most Valuable Player award. In response to winning, she exclaimed: “Winning the award was a shock to me, but gave me further determination that vol-leyball was a sport I wanted to play.” Erica

currently plays for the Carolina Union Volleyball Club as a Libero. Her job is to be the “voice for the back row or defensive players.” She has learned leadership from this role, as she has had to gain unfailing trust from her teammates, as well as read-ing the other team’s movements, and trying to fix errors that other defensive players make. Erica has gained this trust by bonding with her teammates.

Erica has made some great memories while playing volleyball, especially when she gets to travel with her team. She explains: “Going to different tournaments all over the country bonds us and as a result makes us play better together. It’s been a great experience to go to cities I’ve never been to and see them with my team-mates, whom I consider family.” This past season, her team played in the National Junior Classic, which is held in Chicago. They ended up taking fourth place in the Gold Bracket, which was a tremendous feat in this challenging tournament. Playing the toughest teams helped Erica’s team to gain confidence in each other, bond, and helped them succeed in future tournaments.

Most of Erica’s time is spent on volleyball, but she makes sure enough of her time is spent on her studies as well. With a 3.6 GPA, and AP classes on her roster, It is ap-parent that Erica makes sure she does well in the classroom. She also tutors 4th and 5th graders in math. Erica knows the importance of getting a good education.

Erica is definitely looking to play volleyball at a Division 1 school in either the ACC or the SEC conference, therefore she trains 1-2 times a week in private lessons along with three practices a week with her team. In the off-season she trains three to four times a week. Erica states that her trainers, John Brannon and Jay Correll, are her role models, because they have pushed her to be the best. She added, “They never doubt my ability and they know I have no limits. When there’s a tough match or if I’ve missed several balls, I can look towards both of them to inspire me to hustle and get my head back in the game. Without these coaches, I would not have the con-fidence and ability today.”

Sign-Up at: www.acceleratebasketball.com

Raymond Torres was chosen for the USA Baseball ALL NTDP Team. Ray, a catcher, participated in a weeklong program at the USA Baseball Complex in Raleigh to prepare 40 players for the 15U National team for next summer to play internationally and represent USA.

Volume 9, Issue 8 Page 9

Jake Holtzapple is a rising junior at Providence High School and a recent commit to UNC – Chapel Hill to play baseball after graduation in 2016. The 16 year old son of Kerry and Scott Holtzapple has proved to be a tremendous student ath-lete, balancing school work while playing for the school and his travel team, the 2016 South Charlotte Panthers. Let’s go Beyond the Game with Jake to learn more about his athletic and academic successes.

When did you start playing baseball?“I was 5 when I started playing baseball at MARA.”

What is your favorite memory from playing?“My favorite memory in baseball is making it to the 5th Round of the State Playoffs this past year with my high school baseball team.”

What are your top three athletic achievements?“My 3 greatest achievements would be: being selected to Per-fect Game’s 2014 Preseason Underclass All-American High Honorable Mention, selection to the 2014 Powerade State Games of North Carolina, and an invitation to the 2014 Per-fect Game Junior National Showcase in Ft. Myers, Florida.”

When did you become serious about the sport?“I have always played baseball, but started playing more competitively when I joined a travel team when I was in fourth, or fifth grade.”

What position(s) do you play?“I am a corner infielder - mostly playing third base, but some first base too.”

Describe what it is like playing for Providence.“It is a lot of hard work. I have a lot of respect for Coach Hignight. He has taught me a lot and challenged me to do well on and off the field.”

Describe your recruiting experience.“I started getting some attention from colleges my freshman year. Last fall, I made my first visit to UNC Chapel Hill and knew right away that it was going to be one of my top choices if they made me an offer. Then, in the same week this summer, the University of South Carolina and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill made me an offer, and I knew it was going to be a tough choice to make. Both are great schools with excellent baseball programs, and they both offered undergraduate programs in marine sci-ence. It was a great experience getting to spend time with the coaching staff at USC and UNC but, in the end, I felt most comfortable with my decision to go to Chapel Hill.”

How and when did you decide to commit to play baseball for Chapel Hill?“I told Coach Fox that I was ready to commit after playing a game at UNC Chapel Hill with my travel team, the 2016 South Charlotte Panthers. I needed to tell him that night because the next morning I was leaving to play baseball in East Cobb, Georgia for three weeks.”

What are you looking forward to most as a college athlete?“I am looking forward to representing UNC, and playing with four of my teammates from my travel team who have also committed there.”

Do you feel it is important to continue your education beyond high school?“It’s important for me to get my college degree. At some point, baseball will end for me and I will need to rely on my education to get a job doing what I want to do.”

BEYOND THE GAME WITH JAKE HOLTZAPPLEWritten by Michael Griffin, Clemson University / Charlotte Catholic ‘12

Ages: 13 and up

Cost: $220.00

(Individual session cost: $40.00)

Location: Carolinas Baseball

Center

225 Olympic Street Charlotte, NC 28278

Dates: September 24th

October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29th

Time: 7:00-8:00pm

To register on-line please visit www.cbcbaseball.net or

call 704-588-3204

Hitting Clinic Catching Clinic Instructed by:

Former MLB Player Kelly Paris

Kelly Paris will be host-

ing a hitting clinic at CBC.

This is to freshen up & refine your hitting

technique !

Instructed by: Former MLB Player

Dusty Wathan

Clinic Includes:

mechanics instruction

blocking

receiving

throwing

Page 10 Volume 9, Issue 8

Charlotte4435 Park Road704-527-578360 Drafts on tap!

Ballantyne14015 Conlan Circle704-752-728480 Drafts on tap!

All Major Sports Packages!Voted Best Cheesesteak

1st & 3rd Place at Carolina Wing Festival Voted Best Craft Beer Selection

Voted Best Place to get a Beer FlightMooresville

560 River Highway704-799-2881

46 Taps!

Huntersville16609 Statesville Road

704-237-4386112 Taps!

Uptown Charlotte location opening early 2015!

The Marvin Ridge Middle School Cross Country Team.

Team members include: Jackson Adams, Ryan Aro, Chuck Baim, Megan Barry, Ethan Basinger, Nathan Beard, Sahil Bhave, Carter Blankner, Jason Blizzard, Emily Bowman, Noah Bowman, Lauren Boyce, James Bryant, Carsyn Burns, Charlie Canata, Greta Carsten, Delaney Caulder, Keely Caul-der, Connor Charity, John Cirincione, Ethan Claxton, Jackson Colling, Sam Colucci, Bridget Despard, Emma Drake, Thomas Drake, Jake Dudley, Jonah Elkins, Abigail Emanuel, Jake Ensey, Colin Erb, Laura Ferko, Matt Garrett, Andrew Goodson, Will Gross, Lindsay Harrison, Kylie Heilferty, Brynn Hennessey, Alec Hunter, Claire Hussey, Cole Jackson, Kadin Kang, Chris Landes, Max Lauman, Jackson Listwan, Luca Mangione, Madeline McCon-nell, Mackensie McDonough, Keeli Morgan, Alex Morrell, Caroline Moss, Gavin Murphy, Grace O’Carroll, Isabella Ochsner, Joshua Offenheiser, Sara Pallante, Nick Palmer, Julia Panzitta, Ben Payeur, Katlyn Phifer, Blake Pope, Sydney Powel, Larson Preisser, Jack Rhodes, Ryan Robertson, Ellen Rose, Davis Rowe, Jake Schmidt, Blake Schorr, Brandon Scott, Matthew Smith, Kaylee Spencer, Eli Spizzo, Riley Spizzo, Zach Stauffer, Jeffrey Thompson, Jason Traub, Brogan Trott, Anna Utesch, Gage Walther, Carter Wang, Marcelo Young, Kelsea Yount

The Marvin Ridge Middle School 8th Grade Football Team.

Front Row: (L-R) Manager- Jordan Rush, Jackson Stintchfield, Steven Gonzalez, Jacob Moran, Sean Brown, John Gannett, Carson Cross, Charles Rothenberger, Andrew Utesch, Jacob CarrollSecond Row: (L-R) Sam Cardwell, Matthew Cooper, Caleb Woodley, Justin Moore, Isaiah Williams, Chistian Nanna, Tyler Hall, Zac Yaggi, Jacob Futia, Spencer WilliamsThird Row: (L-R) Collin McQueen, Jack Wilkerson, Graham McQueen, Abdulla Almjarkash, Will Smith, Chase Fiedor, Anthony Hinton, Zach Whitaker, Aidan SeaboltBack Row: (L-R) Coach Joe Moore, Coach George Rush, Santiago Checa, Jonathan Clark, Patrick Williams, Zach Vick, Kevens Grammont, Derrick Lee, Coach Futia, Coach WilliamsNot pictured: Jake Cameron, Coach Sam Wright, and Manager Logan Kardos

ATHLETES AGAINST BULLIES GOLF TOURNAMENT

Athletes Against Bullies is a non-profit organization that will seek to

educate adults and youth about the dangers of bullying, teach ways to prevent bullying and explain how to correctly handle a bullying situa-tion in a variety of settings. Athletes Against Bullies brings awareness to the topic of bullying in our schools and provides counseling resources for coaches, teachers, students and victims of bullying.

SEU Promotions Charitable Foundation is launching The Athletes Against Bullies National Charity Scramble Hosted by Clifton Davis on October 27, 2014 at Firethorne Country Club in Marvin, NC. Clifton Da-vis is a famous actor who was on the hit TV show “Amen” and is current-ly on the Broadway Show Aladdin. He was in town at the beginning of August to host a press conference for the event, along with other celebri-ties supporting Athletes Against Bullies; Al Wood, former NBA player, Kelvin Seabrooks, former World Bantam Weight Boxing Champion, and Kelly Davis, wife of Carolina Panthers Thomas Davis and Executive Di-rector of the Thomas Davis Defending Dreams Foundation.

Athletes Against Bullies is seeking all levels of sponsorships or dona-tions for the event and can be found at http://www.birdeasepro.com/seufoundation.

Follow us on Twitter@SCSportsReport

Volume 9, Issue 8 Page 11

STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

ARCHITECH SPORTS AND PHYSICAL THERAPY Blakeney Office: 8918 Blakeney Professional Drive Suite 120 | Charlotte, NC 28277 | Ph. 704-900-8960

Indian Trail Office: 1001 Van Buren Avenue Suite 3 | Indian Trail, NC 28079 | Ph. 704-628-6053www.architechsports.com

Physical Therapy for Athletes and Weekend Warriors * Sports Performance * Soccer Speed and AgilityBaseball Pitching Arm Care Evaluations * Female Jumpmetrics Training * Coaches Care Programs

All programs in conjunction with Morrison Family YMCA

CALLIE WIESECharlotte Catholic High School senior softball player Callie Wiese has been named the Architech Sports and Physi-cal Therapy Student-Athlete of the Week. The 17 year old daughter of Mike and Sandi Weise is a pitcher and shortstop for the Cougars softball team. She has played the game of softball since the age of six and found great success over the years.

Callie has been named to the All-Conference Team the last three years and was selected to the All-District Team this past spring. Callie also won the Top Defensive Player Award for this past softball season at Catholic. Callie is busy preparing for the spring season as Catholic is expected to contend for a conference championship and make a run in the state playoffs.

Inside the classroom, Callie carries a 3.6 grade point aver-age and is enrolled in Honors Math Classes and Advanced Science. Callie also enjoys volunteering at Camp SOAR and with Vacation Bible School groups. Congratulations to Callie Wiese for being named the Architech Sports and Physical Therapy Student-Athlete of the Week.

JACKSON DEANMyers Park High School senior baseball player Jackson Dean has been named the Architech Sports and Physical Therapy Student-Athlete of the Week. The 17 year old son of Russ and Amy Jacks Dean plays pitcher and outfield for the Mustangs. Jackson also pitches at Showcase Baseball Academy where he has been recognized as the winner of one of their top awards, the P.I.T.C.H. Award.

Jackson lists his wins over South Meck and a no hitter ver-sus Providence Day as his top athletic accomplishments. He also says his favorite memory were the eight days in April when Myers Park defeated Ardrey Kell, Providence and South Meck in 2013. Jackson is working hard to earn a college baseball opportunity, a goal he has had since little league.

Inside the classroom, Jackson is an A Student and a member of the National Honor Soci-ety and the Myers Park Dream Team. The last two years Jackson has taken mission trips to New York City and Washington, DC to help with both hurricane relief and homeless issues. Jackson has also traveled to Cuba to work on church projects. He is also active in the local Room in the Inn and Family Promise Programs. Congratulations to Jackson Dean for being named the Architech Sports and Physical Therapy Student-Athlete of the Week.

Cuthbertson High School senior volleyball player Molly Springer is poised for an outstanding season with the Cavaliers. The 17 year old daughter of Ken and Ellen Springer will be counted on to lead her team to success. Molly plays the position of setter and she also steps forward to help with communication for the team on and off the court. Molly played soccer as a younger student-athlete, but knee injuries led her to focus her time on volleyball.

Let’s Go Beyond The Game to learn more about this outstanding student-athlete.

When did you begin playing volleyball?“I began playing organized volleyball in the fifth grade in recre-ation leagues, and started playing school volleyball for Cuthb-ertson in eighth grade. I have been playing club volleyball since eighth grade too, so it’s been a year round sport for me for several years. I have always been a setter. I have two older sisters who both played volleyball in high school/travel ball and they were both setters as well so I followed in their footsteps with their support.”

What are your top three athletic accomplishments?“My top three athletic accomplishments are making the varsity team as a sophomore at Cuthbertson, our team making it to the playoffs my sophomore year, and making the PEAK National Volleyball Club team this past club travel season.”

What is your favorite sports memory?“My favorite sports memory is hard to choose! I’ve had many great memo-ries with both my school and club teams. And I have made some great friendships. The excitement on the court when we are playing hard as a team and winning is a great feeling and something I always draw on when we are fighting for a win.”

What are your goals for this season?“My goals for this season is to exceed the expectations placed on our team. I

want to see my team go further than we have any year before. Last year we came close to making the playoffs but we did not and this year I want to see that happen because I believe that we can do it and we are really working hard towards that goal. We have a new coach this year and I’m confident we can do it.”

What can you do to help your team this season?“This year as captain I think I will be able to help my team stick together as a unit. Making sure that the team doesn’t get down on ourselves and that we always keep fighting is one of the most important things. There’s a lot of mental play in volleyball, I always try to be a positive person, and I want my teammates to always be positive on the court. I believe that on and off the court the most important thing is that we act as a team.”

How important is on court communication?“Communication on the court is everything. Not only is it important to call the ball to control the play but it is important to communicate and encourage each other. If a ball drops on the court it is usually due to a lack of communi-cation. Our team already communicates well and it is early in the season, so I just see that getting better and better.”

How well do you perform in the classroom?“School is very important to me. I do my best to perform well in the class-room. My current GPA is a 4.65. I keep very busy at Cuthbertson High School, and I’m very proud of my school. I have been in Student Council since my freshman year. I finished off my junior year as junior class president and this year being my senior year I am running for student body president. I am also a member of the National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I love to be involved in my school.”

“I plan to go to college for exercise science or business. So far I have been looking mainly at schools in North or South Carolina. I am interested in UNC Chapel Hill, Clemson University, and the University of South Carolina.”

BEYOND THE GAME WITH MOLLY SPRINGER

Page 12 Volume 9, Issue 8

Matt Navarro Alan JohnsonRegional Sales Manager Territory ManagerMatt.navarro@wilson.com Alan.johnson@wilson.com

Page 12 Volume 8, Issue 6

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