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. 10, 2013)
Ever since she can remember, Meghan Wheatley has been fascinated with sharks, an interest that was sparked when – as a youngster – she watched the movie Jaws with her dad. “I’ve always been really interested in them and wanted to study them,” said the Springfield senior soccer and basketball player. Wheatley hopes to make that dream a reality by studying marine biology. She knows it might not be easy, but Wheatley is no stranger to hard work. “On the court and off, she is one of the hardest workers I know,” Springfield girls’ basketball coach Bill Krewson said. “She does everything she is asked and looks to help her teammates do the same, and in time of need, she would do anything to help someone else out.”
For the past two years, Wheatley has been a captain for the soccer team, voted to that role by her teammates. She plays forward/midfield and was an all-league selection last year. “Meghan is an asset to any team,” coach Suzette Wolf said. “She is a dominant player at Springfield in both basketball and soccer. She plays with a lot of heart. She is a team player and is always positive. She supports her teammates at all times. She is a reliable and motivating leader. She always has a smile on her face while she is playing because you know she truly enjoys the game. Meghan has true sportsmanship as well. She wins or loses with dignity always.”
This is Wheatley’s final year playing soccer as she plans to pursue basketball at the collegiate level. “Meghan is such a strong player,” assistant coach Laurie Kristiniak said. “She really tries to make things happen in a game, and rarely can her hustle be challenged. We kid her about her black and blue (marks) because she is not afraid to hit the floor if that is where the ball is. Meghan also brings a sense of humor to the team, even if sometimes that means she laughs at herself. She works hard and accepts the challenge to improve.”
Wheatley is considering Bloomsburg and Millersville where she would also play basketball, but Bloomsburg does not offer marine biology. She also is looking at Monmouth and Delaware.
To read Wheatley’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/female/meghan-wheatley-0038534
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete (Week of Oct. 10, 2013)
The attributes Mike Class demonstrates on the football field, according to coach Jeff Hollenbach, are secondary to those he displays off the field. What Hollenbach remembers from his time as just a spectator before taking over the helm of the program this year was how fast No. 25 was and how tough a runner he seemed to be. He saw the ability of a running back who earlier this season set a new all-time rushing record at Pennridge, and he saw the offensive weapon who just became the program’s all-time scoring leader. “What impressed me the most watching him in the stands was how determined he is,” said Hollenbach. “He was so determined as a runner, as a blocker, as a receiver. Now, I am thoroughly impressed not only with his determination but who he is. I’m much more interested in who he is as a person than who he is as a player.”
Being on the football field is where Class feels at home. “As soon as I put on the pads for the first time, I liked it,” Class said. “I just totally got into the sport.” No matter how lofty his achievements have become, Class has never lost sight of the reason players and teams are successful in the sport. “You can’t be a one-man team,” he said. “In football, you need all 11 of them out there, so you have to look out for all of them. One thing I love about this team is we are family. We want to spend time together and we want to win for each other.” This is the part of Class’s character that Hollenbach was unaware of when he became the coach. It is what he likes most about his record-setting running back. “Mike is the ultimate team player,” Hollenbach said. “He is so about the team all the time that it is actually hard for him to talk about himself. His commitment to his teammates is so impressive. He has such respect for the other members on the team, and they show it right back for him. I’m sure he knows what his numbers are, but he never talks about them.”
As hard as Class practices on the field, he applies himself just as much in the classroom. “I have worked up to where my goal is getting straight A’s,” Class said. “It wasn’t always that way, but I know I am going off to college soon, and my study habits need to get better. Twenty years from now, I won’t be playing football, but I will still be able to use my education.”
Class also runs track at Pennridge, participating in the 100, 200, long jump and 4x100 relay. He plans to play football in college. Delaware, Navy, Villanova and West Chester are among those on his radar.
To view Class’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/male/mike-class-0038507
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