School is just around the corner – first day of class for Lincoln High School students is Wednesday – and the players of the fall sports are gearing up for their first games of the year. Players from all fall sports, coaches, cheerleaders and media assembled at Helling Stadium on Thursday as part of fall sports media day.
We were able to catch up with some local athletes and here is what one player from each of the sports teams has to say about their upcoming season:
FOOTBALL
Toby Kelly
Grade: 12
Parents: Sammy Jo and Justin Kelly
Years playing football: A lot
Q. What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season?
A. The refreshing new start and the new coach.
Q. What have you and the team been doing to prepare for the season?
A. Lifting, working out, conditioning to beat our opponents. It’s been all work and no play.
Q. Any tough opponents this year?
A. They’re all tough.
Q. How do you hope to improve this year?
A. Win more matches.
Q. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from playing football?
A. Work hard and give all you got in school and out.
Q. What will you miss about football after graduation?
A. Being with everyone, missing the daily grind of school in general.
Q. Future plans?
A. Undecided major at a four year university and hopefully playing football.
CHEERING
Michaela Magnifico
Grade: 12
Parents: Kim and Rob Magnifico
Q. What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season?
A. Improving from last year.
Q. What have you and the team been doing to prepare for the season?
A. Conditioning all summer.
Q. How do you hope to improve this year?
A. Just work harder to be better.
Q. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from cheering?
A. Everything is mind over matter.
Q. What will you miss about cheering after graduation?
A. Being with my friends.
Q. Future plans?
A. Go to college to be a nurse practitioner.
CROSS COUNTRY
Gage Agnew
Grade: 12
Parents: Dennis and Kathy Agnew
Years doing cross country: 3
Q. What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season?
A. Hopefully making it past WPIAL’s
Q. What have you and the team been doing to prepare for the season?
A. We started running basically two weeks after school was out so we’ve been practicing all summer.
Q. Any tough opponents this year?
A. Beaver is a really good team.
Q. How do you hope to improve this year?
A. To do better than the previous years.
Q. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from the sport?
A. Never give up.
Q. Future plans?
A. College for engineering.
VOLLEYBALL
Natalia Greco
Grade: 11
Parents: Kasey and Jamie Greco
Years playing volleyball: 3
Q. What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season?
A. Getting close with he team, having fun and building relationships.
Q. What have you and the team been doing to prepare for the season?
A. Working hard to get endurance up.
Q. Any tough opponents this year?
A. Shenango is exceptionally good.
Q. How do you hope to improve this year?
A. I want to be able to get more blocks and kills on the ball.
Q. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from playing volleyball?
A. Don’t give up because of a deficit, you might be at 15-5 and make a complete comeback and win.
Q. What will you miss about volleyball after graduation?
A. Being with friends and the memories we made.
Q. Future plans?
A. College for pediatric nursing and hopefully pursing volleyball too.
TENNIS
Savannah Lohr
Grade: 12
Parents: Melissa and Sean Lohr
Years playing tennis: 2
Q. What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season?
A. Competing and going to Sheetz after the games.
Q. Any tough opponents this year?
A. Beaver.
Q. How do you hope to improve this year?
A. Getting in the right mindset.
Q. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from playing tennis?
A. Focus and always be aware of surroundings, this is a sport that is not just physical but also mental.
Q. What will you miss about tennis after graduation?
A. My team and coaches.
Q. Future plans?
A. School for interior design.
[group photo courtesy of Amy Reisinger]
Ellwood City School District: Yesterday slips of paper were sent home to sign off on the 2017-18 school calendar and handbook. No such handbook found for current year and the Events Calendar on your web site is blank. I’m sorry I signed off before checking. Did you ever plan on publishing this information?