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 for week of Nov. 11, 2020
Mention the name Courtney Pohl to Kurt Godfrey, and the Central Bucks South volleyball coach can’t find enough superlatives to describe his two-year captain. “She is by far, the hardest working kid I’ve ever had,” Godfrey said. “She is an awesome kid, she is the sweetest person on the planet, and at the same time, she has an incredible athletic drive. She never gives up, she sacrifices her body, diving on the court for every ball she can possibly get to – she’s just an amazing kid.”
Pohl’s competitive drive was underscored in this fall’s match at North Penn. The Titans, who had swept the Knights earlier in the season at South, were struggling to get untracked. “We expected – and maybe not rightfully so – to beat them in three again,” Godfrey said. “We won the first one and lost the next two. Halfway through the fourth set, someone shanked a pass, and Courtney went diving into the bench to try to dig the ball for us. She tipped the chair and ended up putting a gash in her leg that required four stitches.” The Titans went on to win in five, although Pohl was sidelined for the remainder of the fourth and the entire fifth set. While there’s nothing unusual about a volleyball player diving for a bad pass, it’s the kind of play typically reserved for the defensive specialists, not an outside hitter like the six-foot Pohl.
But Pohl – who committed in early October to continue her volleyball career at Catholic University – is a complete volleyball player. Her stats speak for themselves. In 16 matches in this year’s abbreviated season, the senior standout averaged close to 16 kills a match, providing a lethal one-two punch with teammate Millie Grove on the outside. She also averaged close to double-digit digs and had 22 serving aces. Numbers, however, are just part of the story of a captain who was provided a positive vibe to literally every setting. “If you look at any of the pictures from our matches – Courtney is always smiling, she’s always happy, she’s always that person you can look to to pick everybody up,” Godfrey said. “If we’re getting beat, she’s super positive and says, ‘Come on ladies, we got this. We’re not done yet.’”
While Pohl’s upbeat nature can undoubtedly be attributed at least in part to her genes, it’s much more than that in the senior captain’s case and has a whole lot to do with the gap in her athletic career when she was a youngster battling acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Pohl grew up competing in many sports, but it all came to a halt when she was diagnosed with ALL as a nine-year old in third grade. “When I was diagnosed, I was really scared,” she said. “I had no idea what cancer was, but I knew it was bad, and that’s all I knew.” With the diagnosis of ALL, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, came extensive treatments. “It was chemotherapy, spinal taps – I was in and out of the hospital,” Pohl said. “Lots of chemotherapy and day trips to the clinic in King of Prussia to CHOP. Pills, chemotherapy and surgery. It was rough, but me, my mom, dad and family tried to keep it positive, and my community around me was really great about it. I had a tutor at home because it would have been compromised if I did go to school, but towards fourth and fifth grade, I went back to school.” Pohl was also back competing in sports again, and she’s never stopped.
In addition to volleyball, Pohl is a member of the National Honor Society, the Science Honor Society and HOSA (Health Organization for Students of America). She was part of student council as a sophomore and junior. After eight years of CCD classes, Pohl was a teen advisor last year, helping out second grade CCD students. Although uncertain of her exact career path, Pohl is certain of her major - health sciences. “Health sciences is a passion to me because when I was younger, I had cancer, so I want to do research with that and help other people and be able to make a difference,” she said. In August, Pohl was six years cancer free. “Everything happens for a reason,” she said. “I think like that all the time now. Just living your life to the fullest honestly because I’m grateful to be here because I know it’s possible that I wouldn’t be. I try and always be optimistic about everything. I think I do bring an optimistic atmosphere wherever I go, and I try to be positive in everything. I don’t know why I had cancer, but looking back, I wouldn’t change it for the world. It made me who I am today. I would not be the person I am without it.”
To read Pohl’s complete profile, please click on the following link: https://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/female/courtney-pohl-0092190
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete for week of Nov. 11, 2020
As fall was turning to winter in 2019, Cheltenham was taking on Cocalico in the state semifinals when standout junior stud linebacker Zach Gaffin was needed to rise to the occasion on the offensive side of the ball. For head coach Ryan Nase, what happened next was a prime example of what typifies all that makes Gaffin who he is as an old-school football player wearing his heart on his sleeve. “Our starting QB (Adonis Hunter) took a shot and had to come out,” said Nase. “In all honesty, Zach hadn't taken a meaningful snap all season and is lucky if he gets 8-10 in practice each week.“ This is the same athlete who wanted to be Aaron Rodgers since fourth grade and wore No. 12 to prove it. He was not about to just take a snap or two, while playing it safe, and get off the field. “On the first play, we called a power-read play, anticipating a handoff, and they showed us something different,” said Nase. “Zach pulled the ball, got a first down and finished the play by absolutely trucking the free safety, who just so happened to be a Division I commit and 5A state defensive player of the year. Adonis returned the next play or two, and Zach continued to play his heart out on defense and special teams. The story encapsulates how he is constantly prepared for everything. His discipline and attention to detail is second to none.”
Gaffin made the rare jump from middle school football to freshman starter, and he was a key member of the 2019 Cheltenham squad that captured the SOL American crown, the District One 5A title and earned a state runner-up finish. In many ways, what happened in 2020 has been the ultimate test for Gaffin and the rest of the state runner-up Panthers. COVID-19 shelved the fall season and a chance to chase the Holy Grail of a state crown, but the prospect of a spring season is all the ray of hope the two-year captain needs. “Since the pandemic has hit and our situation has been so up in the air, we've adopted the motto: ‘You don't have to get ready if you stay ready,’” said Nase. “Very few people live that better than Zachary Gaffin.”
Always the type to look on the bright side, Gaffin believes the team bonded over facing the adversity of the school board’s decision. “I feel like it taught people what to do when they face adversity,” he said. “Just talking about football right now, we have had a lot of adversity over the summer – and especially right now – with not having a season. In the summer, we had to have workouts while wearing masks and social distancing. We also had the school board trying to stop us, so we had to try and fight against that while still trying to still get better.” In the interim, he is training for winter wrestling, where he hopes to reach the state tournament, and then for spring football against some of the other area schools that also opted out in the fall.
However, to talk about Zach Gaffin as a football player/wrestler in a vacuum, would equate to taking one’s finger off the pulse of who is he is as a full person. The same linebacker who plays with his heart on sleeve is just a byproduct of the second of Daniel Sr. and Debra’s three children. Gaffin carries close to a 4.0 grade-point average, something that will open up opportunities to play at Division II- and III-level schools that feature strong academic requirements for acceptance. “Zach is not only an extremely talented football player,” said Nase. “He is one of the most respected people on our team, in our school, and in his community. Zachary was the only captain of the 2019 State Finalist team as a junior. He will also serve as a captain during our alternate season in 2021. Zach is on pace to be the all-time leading tackler in Cheltenham history. He is a district qualifier in wrestling, and participates in our Unified Sports program, which combines interscholastic athletes and special needs athletes. They compete and raise money for the Special Olympics.”
To read Gaffin’s complete profile, please click on the following link: https://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/male/zachary-gaffin-0092189
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