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. 10, 2015)
The gesture is a subtle one and could easily go unnoticed. Taylor Dunn, on the arm of Nick McGee, gently touches her escort’s shoulder just before the announcement that he has been selected homecoming king. And without any words, Dunn has told her good friend, ‘This is your moment.’ McGee and Lily Bowman – both of whom have Down syndrome – were named king and queen of Central Bucks South’s homecoming court, and the YouTube video capturing that remarkable night has gone viral on social media, boasting over a million views. McGee’s joy when selected homecoming king was contagious as he immediately sprinted to the student section to lead his favorite cheer, and Dunn’s affection for her friend is unmistakable. “I’m not a big crier – I rarely ever cry, but that was just amazing,” she said. “Everyone on the field was in tears. That was such a great moment. It was so great being part of it. It obviously was not about me at all. I was just the random girl in the white dress. It was so great for Nick and Lily because they deserved it more than anyone.”
This isn’t just lip service for Dunn. The CB South senior is a council member of the school’s Titans Connect, a club that works with student who have disabilities or special needs. For Dunn, it’s far more than an activity to list on her college resume. It’s an involvement she hopes to turn into a career. “I’m leaning toward special ed or occupational therapy,” she said of her potential major. “But I want to go into a career working with kids who have special needs. That’s what I’m really passionate about and want to do in my future. I’ve been friends with Nick since kindergarten. I just love being around kids that are so happy like that, so I definitely want to do it throughout my life.”
Another of Dunn’s passions is basketball. The sport has been part of her life for as long as she can remember. A three-year varsity player, Dunn has been in the starting lineup since she was a sophomore and is a captain of this year’s squad. “Her overall personality and makeup is what makes Taylor great on the basketball court and also a great person because she’s hard working and gives everything she has,” Mattern said. “When we’re at basketball practice or whatever it may be, she’s a leader. She wants to make sure her team succeeds, and she’s going to do the work to make sure that happens.”
A top-notch student, the CB South senior – who is enrolled in AP and honors classes – is a member of National Honor Society and is active in school life. She organized the school’s annual 5K run – A Run for the Heart – that attracted approximately 250 runners and raised over $8,000 that was donated to CHOP for its cardiac unit. Dunn deflects credit for its success to the CB South community. “All the kids at South are great,” she said. “I couldn’t ask for a better high school. Honestly, everyone in the school is such a great community, and we do such great things to help everyone.”
To read Dunn’s complete profile, please kick on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/female/taylor-dunn-0058108
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete (Week of Dec. 10, 2015)
The moment Tommy Haas picked up his first golf club about age six, he fell in love with the game. When he won the Junior Member Guest Tournament at Old York Road Country Club as a middle schooler, Haas realized that golf was not just a hobby but a passion. Throughout high school, Haas knew golf was the sport he wanted to pursue in college. Even though he had taken up the javelin during track and field season and had proven to be quite adept at it, Haas fully expected that he’d eventually be wearing his college’s colors while walking the greens and the fairways. Then he stepped onto the runway to throw the javelin at last spring’s District One Championships, and 173 feet, 6 inches later, everything changed.
That throw was good enough to place Haas fifth in District One and punch his ticket to the PIAA Championship meet at Shippensburg University. There, he tossed a 162-02 to claim 19th place in the state. “We didn’t think Tommy would be where he was by the end of his junior year,” said Michael Harmon, who coaches both the boys’ golf and track and field teams at Hatboro-Horsham. “I figured it could be a reality his senior year, but Tommy’s work ethic and dedication put him in States last year. His hard work paid off to get him to that point.” Haas’ will be captain of this year’s track and field squad and has his sights set on the school record of 194-05. And after making an appearance in states last year, he’s looking to make a name for himself on the state level as well.
A captain on a senior-heavy golf squad this fall, Haas saw the team struggle through numerous close losses as the Hatters finished near the bottom of a very solid Continental Conference. But no matter what Haas carded, no matter the final score of meets, Harmon said Haas’ efforts as a leader were nothing short of exceptional. “He’s the kind of guy who can get the rest of the team back on track,” Harmon said. “He’s got a very open personality, and he leads by example. He goes out and has a lot of passion and always wants to give his best.”
Haas has committed to compete in track and field at Shippensburg University where he will major in biology with a concentration in biotechnology. “Originally, I wanted to be an architect,” Haas said. “My Pop Pop had Parkinson’s disease, and I saw what it did to the body. It made me think about pursuing medicine. I want to do medical research, learn about how things work to improve the body and improve people’s lives.” Haas, who is taking AP and honors classes, participates on student council, advisory board and is part of the school’s Students for Jewish Awareness Club. “Shippensburg is gaining an outstanding young man in every facet – socially, academically, athletically,” Harmon said. “Tommy is the complete package.”
To read Haas’ compete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/male/tommy-haas-0058103
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