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 Dec. 3, 2014)
Jessica Chang had exactly one day to enjoy the news that she had been named a captain of her Central Bucks East basketball squad. Less than 24 hours after receiving the good news, the senior guard found out she would be sidelined for the entire season with a torn ACL. It was devastating news for Chang, who had bided her time as a reserve but was penciled into this year’s starting lineup. Instead of reacting to the news with anger and bitterness, Chang chose the high road. “I was looking forward to basketball because I knew it would be my year,” she said. “I finally had my chance, but I try to make the best out of things.”
And make the best out of things is exactly what Chang has done. She arranged her surgery so she would not miss one minute of her final high school basketball season. Beyond the leadership she brings to the team, Chang just might be the ultimate teammate, enjoying the success of her teammates every bit as much, if not more, than her own. “She is the most infectiously positive person you have ever met,” coach Liz Potash said. “She is genuinely a really good teammate. You can’t teach people to be the way she is. She is genuine about everything she does. Whether she’s on the floor or off the floor, it’s ‘Let’s get the job done.’ She could not be more all about the team.”
Basketball has been front and center in Chang’s life since she began playing for the high school. “The program at East is so great,” she said. “I have so much respect for all the coaches and everyone who’s involved.” The script was going according to plan until her soccer team’s late-season game at Quakertown when she went down with an injury that brought an end to her high school athletic career. A reserve on a Patriot soccer team that was the district runner-up and advanced to the state semifinals, Chang was a positive presence on that squad as well. “Jess has a great attitude, very positive, and she is a great model for the underclassmen,” coach Paul Eisold said.
Chang also excels in the classroom. The treasurer of the National Honor Society, she took five AP classes last year and is taking four more this year. Her list of potential colleges is an impressive one with UC Berkeley topping her list. She is considering a neuroscience major with her sights set on a possible career in medicine, an interest that was nurtured during a medical service trip to Belize last December. Music has also been an important part of her life, and she is a member of the National Art Honor Society. With a diverse range of interests, Chang is at home in any situation. “We had a camp over the summer, and the kids loved being on her team,” Potash said. “She’s just so happy, she’s so positive and she’s fun. She’s an awesome kid.”
To read Chang’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/female/jess-chang-0048927
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete (Week of Dec. 3, 2014)
Matt Thompson’s athleticism and leadership skills were not all he brought to coach Bret Stover’s Upper Dublin football team as a wide receiver/defensive back. The Univest Male Featured Athlete of the Week contributed a measure of wisdom well beyond his years. “I always had some good role models, especially sports-wise,” said the UD senior, who has quickly shifted gears from the gridiron to the hardwood where he is a returning starter as a combo guard. “My brother (Andrew Thompson who played at Haverford School) and my cousin (Anthony Cognetti, a starting linebacker for La Salle’s 2009 state championship team) – we all learned from my grandfather (Dominic Matteo). We learned to be respectful athletes who play the game correctly, hold ourselves with honor and not do anything you would be ashamed of.” And he relishes the notion that he not only upheld the rich tradition but will be able to pass it down to following generations. He can tell them that he was a team captain and the guy giving impassioned pep talks for a football team that made school history.
Thompson’s coach became his biggest fan. “Matt had an exceptional senior campaign for Upper Dublin this fall,” Stover said. “Matt was chosen as a captain by his teammates, he led the SOL American Conference and most of the area in receptions (57), touchdown catches with 10 and yards receiving (819). Matt was our go-to guy. Other teams knew it, and he often drew double coverage, yet still found ways to get open. Matt was chosen as a unanimous first team SOL American wide receiver and defensive back for his hard work on the field this fall. Matt is the kind of player who would never come off the field and the kind of player that makes everyone around him better.”
Thompson spent most of his career playing quarterback. The ball was in his hands. It was his show, and he relished the chance to make things happen. After quarterbacking the junior varsity team and getting some varsity snaps as a sophomore, Thompson found himself behind a senior captain on the depth chart with heir apparent Ryan Stover following a year behind. He opted to try playing wide receiver, and it turned out to be a perfect fit. A rare three-sport athlete, Thompson plans to finish up in the spring with his second year on the varsity baseball team.
Thompson’s parents, Bill and Marie, are both lawyers. While he could easily play football at some level, his sights are set on majoring in business and/or law and a large school. “Once I get to college, something could change,” said Thompson, a member of the National Honor Society.
To view Thompson’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/male/matt-thompson-0048944
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