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 Feb. 28, 2011)
Annie Holland is an elite athlete. The Pennridge senior recently captured first place at the PIAA State Indoor Championship with a jump of 5 feet, 10 inches. She barely missed on a jump of 6 feet ¼ inch to break the state record. Her jump of 5-10 is the best in the country this year by a female at the high school level. “She really is a very, very good athlete,” coach Bill Smith said. “She has a lot of natural ability. If she wasn’t high jumping, she would probably still be starring in soccer. She realized at some point that the ceiling doing the high jump was much higher.”
As a junior last year, Holland struggled at indoor states but the following week finished fourth and earned All-American status with her jump of 5 feet 9 ¼ inches at the Nike Indoor Classic. Although she was sidelined with a foot injury for a good portion of the regular outdoor season, Holland still finished second at districts and then went out and won the state outdoor title with a jump of 5-8. “Timing is everything,” Smith said. “She’s had some bad luck with injuries at the wrong time. She’s always had the capability of being very good, and it’s just all come together for her. Understanding what it takes to be an elite athlete is extremely difficult, and she understands that.”
With her long list of accomplishments, Holland – an excellent student who is a member of the National Honor Society - was on the wish list of many colleges. She will be taking her talents to the University of Pennsylvania next fall, choosing the Ivy League school from a final list that included the Air Force Academy, Buffalo and Syracuse.
To read Holland’s complete profile, click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/female-featured-athlete
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete (Week of Feb. 28, 2011)
Dexter Shy, according to coach Ron Hassler, is what high school athletics should be about. “Dexter is one of those special athletes that refuses to accept not doing his best,” Hassler said. “His passion to succeed is contagious, and he has inspired players around him to play harder and become better people. For Dexter Shy, adversity is a challenge that he embraces and therefore makes him stronger. He is truly a coach’s player. Dexter has developed the qualities to succeed in life and has a bright future ahead of him.”
North Penn’s senior captain was sidelined until mid-January after tearing the meniscus in his right knee on June 7. “He remained one of the leaders on the team, which is no easy task when you don’t get playing time,” Hassler said. “Dexter gained the respect of players, coaches and fans because no one worked harder, played less and maintained a more positive attitude.” When Shy returned to the lineup, he immediately made his presence felt and was a key to the Knights’ late-season surge as they came up just short in their bid for a state playoff berth.
Shy has his sights set on pursuing a career in physical therapy – an interest that was sparked when he was undergoing therapy at the Physical Therapy and Wellness Institute in Lansdale. He has applied to West Chester, IUP and Slippery Rock. “He’s a good kid, and he’s got a great future ahead of him just because of his personality traits,” Hassler said. “He gets along with everybody. I don’t know of anybody that doesn’t like Dexter. He’s just the type of kid you’d take home.”
To read Shy’s complete profile, click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/male-featured-athlete
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