SuburbanOneSports.com recognizes a male and female featured athlete each week. The awards, sponsored by Univest, are given to seniors of good character who are students in good standing that have made significant contributions to their teams. Selections are based on nominations received from coaches, athletic directors and administrators.
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Female Athlete (Week of Oct. 31, 2013)
Kristen Upton has an unmistakably positive outlook on life. “She’s an excellent leader,” Central Bucks South coach Joe Bocklet said of his senior co-captain. She’s always positive, always encouraging. She is not someone who yells at teammates when they do something wrong. She’s more likely to encourage them and help them move on and get to the next play and continue to work.”
Upton certainly has had plenty of practice putting her positive approach to good use. In seventh grade she was diagnosed with a condition called reflex neurovascular dystrophy (RND). “It’s when your nerves short circuit, and you have pain when nothing is wrong,” Upton said. As a recommended form of treatment, she participated in an intense physical therapy program at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia five days a week, seven hours a day. The physical therapy took care of the pain, but a year later, she had a recurrence. Again, Upton traveled to Children’s Hospital for physical therapy. In ninth grade, the RND returned in the form of a stomach bug, and Upton underwent therapy yet again. Through it all, she found a way to put a positive spin on her situation. “When I was at Children’s Hospital, I made a friend who had a double hip replacement,” she said. “You see all these cute little kids being pulled in wagons, but then on the back of the wagons is the label ‘oncology,’ so as bad as I was feeling, I recognize that my condition was minor and temporary compared to the other children that are down there.”
In the fall of her sophomore year, Upton’s close friend Caroline Gallagher passed away, and Upton decided to channel her grief into something positive, planning a 5K in memory of her friend called Sweet Caroline 5K. Planning is something that comes naturally to Upton, who enlisted volunteers, ordered and distributed t-shirts, found sponsors and organized the entire race. The second annual race was held this fall, and close to $15,000 has been raised with the proceeds donated to Children’s Hospital since that is where Gallagher spent the final weeks of her life.
Organizing the race is just one item on Upton’s lengthy resume. She is a Titan Ambassador and a member of the Key Club and Livestrong Club. An excellent student who has taken numerous AP classes, Upton is a member of the National Honor Society. She also volunteers her time at Tabor House, which works with children being placed in foster care.
Somehow Upton has found a way to stay involved with soccer year round and plays club for the Ukranian Nationals. A three-year varsity player, Upton is a standout defender. “The last two years, she’s been on the field almost every minute of every game,” Bocklet said. “She has good instincts. She’s good at making runs to cut attackers off, and she’s good in the air with her head. She has real good technical skills and is an excellent communicator.”
Playing collegiate soccer is part of Upton’s future, although she is uncertain where that will be. She plans to study molecular biology and biochemistry and hopes to continue on to medical school.
To read Upton’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/female/kristen-upton-0039170
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete (Week of Oct. 31, 2013)
Mycah Mollohan, according to his coach, is a “high character kid.” “He’s a hard worker,” Pennsbury coach Galen Snyder said of his senior captain. “He demands a lot of himself, and he’s a real supportive kid for the others. He’s provided a lot of leadership, and he’s a good student. He’s the whole deal.” Mollohan is one of those players who won’t find his name in the spotlight, but he’s played a key role on an offensive line that has allowed the Falcons’ vaunted ‘ground and pound’ to put up some remarkable numbers this season. Heading into the final week of the regular season, the Falcons had close to 2,900 rushing yards. That’s an average of 322 yards a game, and Mollohan has been paving the way for the Falcons’ stable of gifted running backs at offensive guard. “He’s very good in the sense that he’s a mobile lineman,” Snyder said. “He’s strong, he’s athletic, and he’s mobile. We need guards that can move and pull and block, and he’s perfect for our system.”
Just as Mollohan has been a perfect fit for the Falcons’ offensive system, he also has been a natural fit for the role of captain as well. “Coming in as a senior, I think everyone knew who the captains would be right from the start of camp because there were certain guys, including myself, that took on the leadership roles for the younger guys,” Mollohan said. “Underclassmen always look up to the upperclassmen.”
In addition to playing football, Mollohan volunteers his time to the Bucks County Challenger Mustangs football program, a program that provides an opportunity for high school players from around the league to come to Neshaminy every Sunday to help special needs children play football and have fun. “I started with the Bucks County Challenger program as a freshman, looking for a way to help those in need,” Mollohan said. “But as I continued through the program until now, as a senior – seeing the same amazing and gifted people every Sunday made it easy to keep attending the program. Seeing all the kids laughing and having a great time – that’s the greatest reward of all. It is such an amazing opportunity to devote my time to them.”
Football will definitely be part of Mollohan’s future, although he is uncertain where that will be. “I’m not done playing football yet,” he said. Mollohan plans to major in sports training and sports management, and although he is passionate about football, Mollohan places an even higher priority on academics. “Football is a bonus, especially in high school,” he said. “That’s what keeps me focused and disciplined outside the classroom. Inside the classroom, that’s the most important aspect of high school – getting your grades, doing what you’re supposed to do, so that you can be the best you can be for the future.”
To view Mollohan’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/male/mycah-mollohan-0039188.
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