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. 24, 2012)
Megan Grande is one of those special student-athletes both coaches and players enjoy being around, and the Norristown senior was a positive force on an Eagle soccer squad that did not win a game this season. “Megan always tries to cheer her team on and leaves her heart on the field, hustling through injuries,” coach Lisa Noce said. “She is very motivated and determined, and she tries to bring that out in other girls. She also is the first to reach out to new girls and try to bring the team together.” While it might be easy for some players to simply accept losing, Grande is not in that number. “Although we are so used to losing, she does take it to heart, which I respect,” Noce said. “You kind of wish all the girls would be upset about losing and not expect to lose every game.” Grande is a versatile player who is willing to fill in wherever needed. This fall, she played stopper for the Eagles after playing mid or striker in the past. “She’s one of our best players,” Noce said. “We could probably put her anywhere.”
Grande also plays lacrosse in the spring and is an all-league defender. “Megan is the sweetest and nicest player any coach could want,” coach Stacie Staufenberg said. “She smiles all the time and looks like she loves what she is doing. All the players like Megan because she is always kind hearted and never has a bad day.” Underscoring Grande’s wide acceptance was her selection as this fall’s Homecoming Queen.
A standout student, Grande, who is active in her church youth group, is a member of student council. She has her sights set on attending West Chester University next year where she plans to major in education or nursing.
To read Grande’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/female/megan-grande-002961
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete (Week of Oct. 24, 2012)
Nick Coyle isn’t your prototypical athlete. Although he’s a four-year varsity golfer and was Abington’s team captain and has played baseball and soccer too, he’s also a humanitarian, top-notch student and someone with a wide range of interests, from music to engineering. “He’s one of the most humble athletes, students, people I’ve ever been around,” Abington coach Jason Cottone “He’s a well-rounded person, and that’s one of the reasons I made him captain.”
Interestingly, Coyle didn’t fully get into golf until ninth grade, much later than many of his peers. “He wasn’t a country club kid or a golfer by nature, but he’s always working on his game,” Cottone said. “He’s extremely coachable, and he’s a great leader. He listens more than he talks, he’s very approachable, he constantly strives to do his best, constantly tries to improve.”
Coyle has been a member of H20, which educates people about the lack of drinking water in the world, and Build On, which raises money to build schools in developing countries. Coyle, a member of the National Honor Society, has a schedule that is loaded with AP courses. He has a 4.46 GPA out of a possible 4.6. Among the colleges Coyle is considering are Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, Drexel, Lehigh, Lafayette as well as several Ivy League schools. He plans to major in engineering.
To view Coyle’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/male/nick-coyle-0029611
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