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 Jan. 11, 2012)
Val Stearns is a captain and leader of the North Penn Maidens’ swim team and has been a key factor in the Maidens’ 6-0 start this season, both in and out of the pool. “Val has been a great leader, a great captain of our team,” coach Matt Weiser said. “She’s the kind of person who’s always doing the right thing at the right time, she sets a great example for everybody on the team. She’s somebody who’s very dedicated to the sport and wants to work hard every day to improve. She’s a great leader for the younger kids to follow, and she’s very positive. You never get anything negative from her.” Stearns has already qualified for districts in the 100 freestyle and is closing in on district cuts for the 50 free, 200 free and 100 backstroke.
Despite her commitment to swimming, Stearns is involved in plenty of other activities as well. She is carrying an impressive courseload that includes Honors English and AP Government and has made the distinguished honor roll. She is part of the Yearbook Club and serves as the senior section editor. Stearns also is a member of the National Honor Society. In addition to being a member of her church youth group, Stearns also plays volleyball and basketball with her church’s CYO teams. “Val sets the example that we want to see here at North Penn,” Weiser said. “The younger swimmers see she’s able to put all the time in to swimming and still excel outside the pool. When you see someone successful like Val is, it gives the younger kids something to shoot for.”
Stearns will continue her swimming career at the college level and is deciding from a final list that includes Susquehanna, Syracuse or Salisbury. She plans to major in communications.
To read Stearns’ complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/female/val-stearns
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete (Week of Jan. 11, 2012)
Ryan O’Neil is defined by his relentless work ethic, and the senior forward leads by example on a Central Bucks East team that hopes to build on last year’s district playoff experience. “Ryan is someone that leads by example,” coach Erik Henrysen said. “His actions speak a lot louder than his words. He’s always working hard. He puts in a full day’s work every day. Whether it’s the day after a practice or the day after a game – he really delivers on the effort side, and he’s seen a lot of that work pay off.” O’Neil earned all-league honors and shared the team lead in scoring last season, and he has picked up where he left off this season.
O’Neil has been actively involved in the school’s annual Coaches vs. Cancer event that last year raised in the neighborhood of $50,000. “They do an unbelievable job,” Henrysen said. “They really get everybody involved and run a great event. Ryan is a big part of that.” It’s a cause that is personal to O’Neil, who lost his 19-year-old cousin to cancer in 2006. “That was a turning point for me, and I wanted to do something because I know it affected my life, and I know it affects other people’s lives as well,” O’Neil said. “We just really take pride in raising money.” O’Neil and his teammates also volunteered their time to work at a clinic for autistic children. “He’s just one of those guys at our camps that embraces the whole idea of being a role model and working with kids,” Henrysen said.
O’Neil is undecided on a college but is interested in pursuing a degree in secondary education or finance with his sights set on one day being a math teacher. He also plans to continue his basketball career at the collegiate level.
To view O’Neil’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/male/ryan-oneil.
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