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. 21, 2010)
Chloe Thomas is one of the top swimmers in the state. The Souderton senior finished seventh in last year’s PIAA state meet in the 50 freestyle, and this season captured first in the 50 free in the Bucknell Invitational, which included 56 teams. She has established herself as a frontrunner to compete for the gold this time around, but don’t expect to hear a whole lot from Thomas. “Some of the best swimmers I have coached have had a little attitude about them,” coach Todd Bauer said. “That’s one of the reasons they’re good, but she doesn’t have that attitude. During the last four years, I could probably count on two hands how many times she has spoken up or said something during practice. She’s a really quiet kid but extremely motivated. The bigger the meet, the bigger she swims.”
The lone captain of a young Indian squad, Thomas is a quiet but effective leader. Making her ascent to the top of her sport more impressive is the fact that she didn’t come into high school with the big name or the big reputation. “Something happened when she hit high school,” Bauer said. “She just became a superstar.” As a sophomore, Thomas was part of Souderton’s record-shattering 200 and 400 free relay teams that captured state titles.
An excellent student, Thomas has accepted a swimming scholarship to Liberty University and is projected to be one of the cornerstones of a program in its first varsity season this year. She plans to major in elementary education. “Of all the swimmers I have coached in years past, Chloe ranks in the top one percent in terms of both character and swimming ability,” Bauer said.
To read Thomas’ complete profile, click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/female-featured-athlete
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete (Week of Dec. 21, 2010)
Kyle Peters is the consummate student-athlete. The Pennridge senior plays football, basketball and baseball and is also ranked number one in his class. The quarterback of the Rams’ football team this fall, Peters is captain of a basketball squad that – just two years removed from a 1-21 season – is off to an 8-0 start. It would have been easy for Peters to walk away from basketball, but that was never a consideration. “Sticking it out was just kind of a life thing,” Peters said. “I don’t ever want to quit just because you’re not doing well.”
Peters’ stats might not stand out in the boxscore, but according to coach Dean Behrens, his contributions have been invaluable. “He’ll draw a couple of charges, he’ll set screens, he gets on the floor for loose balls, gives us steals, rebounds, plays defense,” the Rams’ coach said. “He does everything. When you say, ‘Don’t leave it on the floor.’ Kyle doesn’t.”
It’s the same story in the classroom. Peters is taking four AP courses and has already been accepted to Villanova and Lebanon Valley and is waiting to hear from the likes of Johns Hopkins and Princeton. “I want people to remember me as someone who always worked hard and did everything I could to make myself the best I could be on the field and in the classroom,” Peters said.
He has done just that. “He’s really well-rounded when it comes to the overall individual,” Behrens said. “He’s a great student, a good athlete, he represents Pennridge well. Kyle’s a class kid. As a coach, he’s exactly the type of kid you want on your team.”
To read Peters’ complete profile, click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/male-featured-athlete
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