2019 Scholar Athletes - Girls
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2019 Scholar Athletes - Girls

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2019 Scholar Athletes - Girls

Division 1

Chloe Bueschler, Milton High School – 4.0 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
10 varsity letters accumulated in volleyball, basketball and soccer. All-conference first team honors in volleyball 2 years, basketball 1 year and soccer 1 year. Team MVP in volleyball 2 years and basketball 2 years.

Essay
I have learned several valuable lessons during my high school academic and athletic career.  One being, to support others whether it was in the classroom or as a teammate on the court or on the field.  When another student needs help understanding a concept, I do what I can to help them. Furthermore, when a teammate is struggling or having a bad day, I am there for them and help build them up. Hard work in the classroom and hard work on the field or court helps build self-confidence and results in positive outcomes.  Taking the time to master a subject or practicing a skill is rewarding. Getting good grades has always been something my parents instilled in me and being on high honor roll was always a goal of mine.  Likewise, hard work in sports can result in all conference and all state recognition. All of these lessons can be transitioned into my professional life.  In the workplace, doing a job to the best of your ability and striving to be the best at your particular duty can result in success for both you and your company. Working cooperatively with others, just like being part of a team, will help you all reach your goals. Trying to do everything by yourself will lead to an unfulfilled life, whereas sharing success with others by working together on common goals will lead to a much more prosperous life.

 

Reagan Hoopes, Waunakee High School – 4.00 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
6 varsity letters accumulated in cross country and track and field...All-conference first team in cross country 4 years...Team MVP in cross country 3 years and track and field 1 year.

Essay
The greatest lesson I’ve learned from high school athletics and academics is having confidence in myself and my hard work. Getting nervous before a race is normal, but in middle school I was always a wreck. I loved to run, but put too much pressure on myself. Even in school, I’d study for hours and still be so afraid of getting a bad grade. As I have grown through high school, I have developed a greater understanding of running as well as a much stronger self-belief. An example that sticks out most is sophomore year when I battled knee pain that prevented me from running until three weeks before the conference cross country meet. Instead of running, I had spent all of my time cross-training. However, knowing I hadn’t run much, it would have been reasonable to forget about my goal of being a state medalist altogether. How could I expect to run fast when I had run so little? My only other option was to believe in the work I had put in because I couldn’t go back and change the past. I continued through the rest of my season fueled by self-belief and ended up finishing out my season undefeated until the state meet where I earned my very first state medal. Today, I still look back on that season and remember that whether it be in school or sports, as long as I put in the work there is no reason that I shouldn’t believe in myself.

 

Zoe Goodmanson, Pewaukee High School – 3.90 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
7 varsity letters accumulated in cross country and track and field...Member of state champion cross country team..,All conference first team in cross country 4 years... Team MVP in cross country 4 years and track & field 2 years.

Essay
Blood, sweat, and tears are destined to whip up a winner. Whether it be a race or a grade, investing all your energy and time into your goal should make you successful. Like any recipe, the recipe for success comes with miscalculations. At times, losing overrides winning and you’re left defeated. These moments cannot define you, you must build from them. Losing is the greatest lesson I’ve learned in high school. I’ve been the culprit of numerous losses throughout my high school career. Whether it be losing a major race, breaking my foot, or receiving a B on a test that I was convinced I aced, defeat always seems to lurk around a corner and pop out at the least expected times. As an underclassman, I allowed losing to define me and discourage my want to train or study. As time progressed, I realized I couldn’t let defeat win. Instead of becoming unmotivated, I created goals for myself. I learned success isn’t handed to me on a silver platter, I need to work harder to achieve my dreams. This lesson of losing will help during college and beyond. In college, I’m tackling competing in cross country, track and direct admit nursing. Similar to a D1 sport, nursing is a demanding field. I’ll travel to meets and miss classes. There will be times when I don’t meet all of my goals, but I won’t give up. In order to find success, I need to continue putting in the work to succeed.

 

Kate Jochims, Muskego High School – 3.95 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
8 varsity letters accumulated in cross country, soccer, and track and field...Member of state champion cross country team...All-conference in cross country 4 years...Team MVP in cross country 2 years and track & field 2 years.

Essay
I believe there are events in life that dramatically change who you are, or rather, expose who you desire to become. For me, one of these events occurred during my junior year. Unfortunately, I had developed two stress-reactions while running cross country and track. I had felt that a huge pillar of who I was as a person was lost when I was unable to compete. This situation was devastating, as one of my greatest joys in life was taken away from me. As a result, I quickly realized that I would need to find more things that brought me happiness. Another transformative experience occurred during my senior year while enrolled in AP Calculus. AP Calculus proved to be more difficult than any other class I’d ever taken. I was discouraged and frustrated; math had always come easy to me. Early in the semester, I realized the course would require significant time and commitment both in and out of class. As a result, I needed to completely rethink my study and time management habits. Academics and athletics, being the two things that make up much of my time, have given me more to think about, and grow from, beyond their prominent duty. The biggest takeaway I’ve internalized is how essential it is to seek pleasure in a variety of things: relationships, hobbies, school. Additionally, I’ve realized the importance of being adaptive and having the power to persevere in unfavorable circumstances. I’ll make use of these lessons in all future endeavors.


Division 2

Dana Feyen, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau High School – 4.0 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
7 varsity letters accumulated in cross country and track & field...Two-time cross country state champion...Two-time state champion in track and field...All conference first team in cross country 4 years...Team MVP in cross country 4 years and track & field 3 years.

Essay
My academic and athletic experiences have taught me about “the process” of reaching for goals and improving myself. My experiences demonstrate that “you get out of your pursuits what you put into them.” I’ve achieved running success by dedicating daily effort: mileage, lifting, plyometrics, etc., and I apply this strategy towards academics and extracurriculars, maintaining a 4.0 and qualifying for FCCLA nationals. When you’re passionate about your pursuits, “hard work” is simply “effort.” When consistent effort is applied, goals can be accomplished. This idea is one way I’ve handled race nerves. Using this strategy, enjoying the process, and focusing on controllable factors have helped reduce race anxiety. In life, this helps me reduce anxiety and enjoy my experiences. Although dedicating effort and enjoying the process are beneficial, this doesn’t guarantee short-term success; for example, I failed to qualify for Nike Cross Nationals. When I fail, I’ve learned to put my performance in perspective: “What did I do well? What could have gone better?” This helps me learn and move on from my experiences, taking each step as part of “the process” of reaching for goals and improving. Dedicating consistent effort, focusing on controllable factors, and putting experiences in perspective have helped me accomplish my goals and love the process. Life will provide opportunities to apply these lessons, and I joyfully anticipate this. Specific areas that I’ll apply these lessons include my academic and athletic experiences at Iowa State and future career goals of becoming a collegiate running coach.

 

Madelyn Granica, Amery High School – 4.0 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
11 varsity letters accumlulated in volleyball, basketball and softball...All-conference first team in basketball 4 years, volleyball 2 years and softball 1 year...Team MVP in volleyball 4 years, basketball 4 years and softball 3 years.

Essay
While having a very busy schedule during my four years as a high school student-athlete, I’ve learned how to effectively manage my time, which will help me later in life not only in college, but also with my future career and family.  Not only do I participate in three sports, but I am also ranked high in my class and have enrolled in many advanced and AP courses. Hard work, and especially my increased experience with time management, have led to my success.  As an active athlete and student is it very easy to slack on homework with practice every day after school, work on the weekends, and long road trips when you return home late.  To ensure quality sleep and peak performance in athletics and academics I learned to utilize all the extra time in my day to complete my school work. I make sure to use all available class time and my study hall during the day, but most importantly, I learned to stay focused in class without being tempted by distractions.  In life, I will continue to utilize my time management skills, even right away in college next fall.  Here, I will also be a student-athlete, yet everything will be at a higher level, providing a perfect test for my time managing skills.  I’ll use my time management experience from high school and college as I continue to grow up, find a job, begin a family, and continue to face the never-ending cycle of life.  

 

Emily Neff, Hayward High School – 3.99 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
9 varsity letters accumulated in golf, volleyball and basketball...Member of State champion basketball team...All-conference first team in basketball 1 year... Team MVP in golf 2 years and basketball 1 year.

Essay
There is much more to athletics and good grades in high school. Many other students view it as pointless to try and succeed in high school. In my opinion, without athletics I wouldn't be the person I am today or the person I hope to be in the future. Many life lessons can be taught through athletics and academic by teachers, coaches, family, and even your teammates/classmates. Athletics and academics have instilled in me a good work ethic, dedication, patience, and the ability to work as a team. These attributes and skills will carry on into my future in college and career. One quote that has stuck with me since the beginning of my high school basketball career is "do the little things." However short this quote may be, it holds a lot of meaning. My coach told my team this on the first day of practice freshmen year. The meaning of it is this: doing the little things is doing the things that you can control, such as staying in a stance and talking on defense, or when put into the context of school it is going into school early to study or asking questions about a problem you can't solve. The point of the quote is that all those little things will eventually add up to be even bigger things and by knowing this I can safely say that all the accomplishments I have earned so far are only the stepping stones in to a fulfilling future. 

 

Cassie Schiltz, Luxemburg-Casco High School – 3.92 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
9 varsity letters accumulated in volleyball, basketball and softball...All-conference first team in basketball 4 years and volleyball 3 years...Team MVP in basketball 4 years and volleyball 1 year.

Essay
Throughout my years of high school, I have learned many life lessons that will greatly benefit me later on in life. The greatest lessons I have learned from an academic perspective is time management and ability to challenge myself through taking a variety AP courses and seeking out new study techniques. Likewise, the greatest lessons I learned in my athletic career is how to work hard to accomplish my goals and how to be a leader on and off the court. 

 

Division 3

Tori Gerber, Cameron High School – 4.0 GPA

Athletic Snapshot
10 varsity letters accumulated  in cross country, basketball, and track & field...All-conference first team in cross country 4 years and basketball 1 year...Team MVP in cross country 4 years, track & field 2 years, and basketball 1 year.

Essay
“ALWAYS EARNED, NEVER GIVEN.” This motto overlays my basketball team’s banner in our school gymnasium. I see it every day, and it truly represents the ultimate life lessons that academics and athletics has taught me. Every grade, test score, athletic award or milestone that I have accomplished was based on what I put into it. From a very young age, my parents taught me to always strive for excellence, make the right choices, then joy and success would follow. I realized in order to do this in school, I had to set goals and make priorities. I had to prepare and be accountable for all of my work. I learned that sometimes this meant studying late after an exhausting night of sports or applying creative time-management to my studies. In athletics, I learned I had to: follow my passions, physically prepare, work hard, and push myself beyond my comfort zone. I discovered the value of patience and self-control in learning to pace myself in a long-distance race and gained the attributes of respect, trust, selflessness and solidarity with my team on the basketball court. I earned success, but I also faced defeat and disappointment. Injured in my sophomore track season, I battled recovery for months to follow. As the lead runner in cross-country for two years, I entered my third season at the back of the pack. I continued with the same character and work ethic and gained the greatest life lesson of all – to persevere regardless of your situation. 

 

Megan Scheidt, Aquinas High School – 4.0 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
8 varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and softball...Member of two-time State champion basketball teams...All-conference first team in softball 1 year.

Essay
My high school athletic and academic achievements have helped me develop numerous life skills that will help me later in life. 
I have developed a strong work ethic from both aspects. In school, I complete my work at an above-average level that will help me attain the best grade that I can. In sports, my work ethic has been the part of me that defines me as an athlete the most. I started my freshman year of basketball on the junior varsity team, and by my senior year I started on the state championship winning team because I worked hard all four years to obtain my spot. My work ethic will always be helpful. I also learned to have a strong sense of teamwork. I always have to learn how to work well with new people each sports season or for every different class project. I feel as though I do a great job of working well with all types of individuals at all different levels of talent or intelligence. These two qualities only begin to list the great lessons I have learned from sports and school. Because of my involvement, I feel ready to tackle the next chapter of my life.

 

Lydia Murphy, Lancaster High School – 3.99 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
11 varsity letters accumulated in cross country, basketball, soccer, and track & field... Member of State champion cross country team...All-conference first team in cross country 4 years and soccer 3 years...Team MVP in cross country 4 years and soccer 1 year.

Essay
Participating in athletics and academics throughout high school has taught me an array of lessons.  This includes the classic qualities of teamwork, determination, and reliability, but also encompasses much more. Throughout high school, I aimed to be involved in as much as possible including athletics, academics, clubs, and music. In order to succeed with this workload, large amounts of time and effort were put into every task.  However, hard work was just a small portion of what led me to achieve my goals.  Improving upon my mistakes, I believe, was the key to my success. It is difficult to analyze one's own mistakes or flaws, but once done so, it opens doors to countless opportunities for self-improvement.  To be completely honest, as a perfectionist, I always strive to reach my fullest potential and have never enjoyed being incorrect or criticized.  My academic and athletic experiences, however, have helped me to recognize and accept my mistakes and faults, and to ask, "What can I do to become better?"   believe realizing how to better oneself, and then actually making a change is crucial to one's success.  It has taught me to be self-motivated, coachable, and persevering which will benefit my future self not only in the workplace but also at home.  As an athlete, student, family, friend, and person, I believe that this form of self-reflection has helped me grow immensely. I have learned to take criticism, to not fear mistakes, and to focus on becoming the best version of myself.

 

Alexis Rolph, Lourdes Academy – 3.64 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
10 varsity letters accumulated in volleyball, tennis, basketball, softball, and track & field...All-conference in basketball 3 years...Team MVP in basketball 3 years and track & field 1 year.

Essay
If there is one word I could use to describe what sports have given me, it would be family. Over the past four years, my basketball team has been my crying shoulder, my helping hand, my encouraging words, and my family. My team got me through some of the toughest moments of my life. Not only did basketball provide an escape but it gave me girls that genuinely cared for me. When things in my life began to get better I mimicked the kindness that they had shared with me. That kindness was then extended through our team and throughout the school. I will take this kindness with me wherever I go because I truly believe that group success revolves around a family environment over a selfish one. Another thing I have learned is that there are more important things than sports. That is why I strive to achieve the best grades I possibly can, as well as be an active community member because I know that a good work ethic will take me farther in life than any sport will.

 

Division 4

Makaylee Kuhn, Hilbert High School – 4.00 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
11 varsity letters in volleyball, basketball, and track & field...Member of 3 state champion relay teams...All-conference first team in volleyball 3 years and basketball 3 years. Team MVP in basketball 3 years, track & field 3 years, and volleyball 2 years.

Essay
Participating in athletic and academic activities while in high school has changed me as an individual and has taught me many important life lessons. At a young age, I would occasionally express the competitiveness I had as frustration towards my teammates. I had natural-born talent and some others did not, which was hard for me to realize at times. Eventually though, I learned to control this competitiveness and channel it into a more useful tool during competition: leadership. I became a role model for other players and took it upon myself to lead the team and perform to the best of my ability, all while encouraging my teammates along the way. Participating in athletics has taught me how to take responsibility of my own life, be accountable for my team, and be empathetic towards others. Furthermore, I have also gained many significant life lessons throughout my high school academic experiences. While many students attempted to find easier ways out of doing the work in school, I quickly learned that this was not going to work for me if I wanted to be successful in the future. I embraced each and every opportunity to learn and made the most out of every day and every class at school. In the end, all of my hard work, determination, and diligent studying paid off as I was named a co-valedictorian of my senior class. In conclusion, I hope to take all of these concepts and apply them in my future education and career.

 

Ashlie Lockington, Bangor High School – 4.0 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
11 varsity letters accumulated in volleyball, basketball, and track & field...Member of state champion basketball team...Two-time State champion in triple jump and champion in the 800 relay...All-conference first team in volleyball 1 year...Team MVP in track and field 3 years.

Essay
I have had the opportunity to learn some of the most valuable life lessons throughout my high school academic and athletic careers that will continue to guide me through life. With any challenge that I have encountered, whether it be in academics or athletics, I have learned to never give up no matter how hard it might seem. This lesson has helped me overcome the challenges I have been faced with and has led to success in my academics as well as in athletics. I have learned how difficult it is to balance my academics with being a three-sport athlete, but I believe it has shaped me into a better student and athlete because of it. One of the most emotional and valuable moments of my high school career was when I tore my ACL during basketball season of my senior year. With the love that I have for sports, especially track and field, hearing that I wasn’t going to be able to compete my final year of track broke my heart. I have taken away many important lessons from my injury that I know I will live by for the rest of my life. I believe it is so important to never take anything in life for granted, always play every game like it’s your last, and give 100% effort in everything you do. I will live each day to the fullest and appreciate each opportunity I am given in life.

 

Kiana Fall, Clayton High School – 4.00 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
11 varsity letters accumulated in volleyball, basketball and softball...Member of State champion volleyball team...All-conference first team in basketball 3 years, softball 3 years and volleyball 2 years.

Essay
Along with the joy of winning a close game at the buzzer, comes the heartbreak of losing in the bottom of the seventh inning. In athletics, there are many emotions felt, memories made, and time invested. Because of this, I have learned a lot in my four years of high school. While at Clayton, I have learned many valuable lessons as a student-athlete. I have learned to be passionate, not to take things for granted, and how to deal with adversity. I’ve learned that being passionate about everything I do is important because nobody succeeds by giving only half effort. Additionally, I’ve learned to not take things for granted and to be grateful for every opportunity. Whether it be an injury or an upset loss in the tournament, every time I get to lace up my shoes and play it’s a privilege. That’s how life should be lived because we never know when it will be our last time to “lace up.” I’ve also learned how to face adversity. I’ve learned that sometimes facing adversity is a good gut check and allows people to become more invested than what they already were. Finally, I learned that nothing worthwhile comes without being dedicated and having a good work ethic. I am very grateful for the life lessons I have learned and the opportunities I have had as a high school student-athlete.

 

Kenadi Diedrich, Athens High School – 3.98 GPA

Athletics Snapshot
11 varsity letters accumulated in volleyball, basketball and softball...All-conference first team in basketball 3 years, softball 2 years and volleyball 1 year...Team MVP in basketball 4 years, volleyball 1 year and softball 1 year.

Essay
Sports have always been a passion of mine.  Even in elementary school, I knew that athletics would have a huge impact on my life. I have gained knowledge and experiences from both my athletics and academics that have made me a better and stronger person.  These experiences have taught me leadership and time management skills.  They have helped me to grow as a person.  As a student-athlete, I have realized how important it is to be respectful and responsible both on and off the court. Along with athletic skills, I have also learned that hard work, persistence, and being passionate about something will take me to unbelievable places. The hours that I’ve put into my athletics have allowed me to learn so much about myself. I have learned that faking confidence does actually help to build real confidence.  I have also learned that remaining composed and collected, even when the whole world around you is erupting, does pay off. Most importantly, I have learned to never forget to respect myself. As my high school athletic career is coming to a close, I am planning for the next stage of life. Because of high school athletics, I am prepared for my future.  I will be able to push myself and keep an eye on the long-term goals that I have set. The dedication and determination that sports have taught me will help me to handle anything life throws at me.