Riverside Fall Sport Senior Q&A Part 2

With school starting back up and the fall sport season in full swing, the people at EllwoodCity.org decided to sit down and talk to some of the senior athletes at Riverside High School to talk about their fall sport and their future plans. Seniors shared their favorite part of the sport, along with the prep they went through prior to the start of the season.

This is the second part of a two part series showing the senior athletes behind Riverside High Schools fall sport season, if you haven’t read the first part, CLICK HERE to read it now.

Baylee Phillips: Cheer

How many years have you been cheering?
12 years

What is your favorite part of cheering?
My favorite part of cheering is watching our football team and getting the opportunity to be under the Friday night lights.

How have you and your team been getting ready for the new season?
We started conditioning and preparing for the season in the beginning of the summer and we’ve been going ever since

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry?
The rivalry between Riverside and Ellwood.

What is one skill cheer has taught you that you will use in your future?
One important part of cheering is remaining enthusiastic even when we are losing and this is very much like staying positive during rough times in whatever may happen in the future.

What are your future plans? Has cheer helped in picking your future goals?
My future plans are to study to become a nurse practitioner. Cheering has not exactly guided me to that career path, but it has given me life skills and lessons that I can carry with me for anything I may do in the future.

Aly Yasenka: Marching Band

How many years have you been in the band?
I’ve been in marching band for 6 years, and I’ve been a drum major for 4 years.

What is your favorite part of band?My favorite part is teaching the younger kids and watching them improve as the season progresses.

How have you and your team been getting ready for the new season?
We’ve had group rehearsals at least twice a week since July, and we are expected to practice our music individually outside of rehearsals.

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry?
There aren’t really any rivalries when it comes to marching band.

What is one skill band has taught you that you will use in your future?
One skill from marching band that I will use later on is the value of hard work. It’s something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life, especially for my career.

What are your future plans? Has band helped in picking your future goals?
I plan on becoming a pediatric speech language pathologist after high school. I can say without a doubt that being in the marching band and especially being a drum major has had a major influence on my future plans.

Natalie Holzer: Golf

How many years have you been playing golf?
2 years.

What is your favorite part of playing golf?
Making new friends and being outside.

How have you and your team been getting ready for the new season?
We have been practicing all parts of the game all summer.

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry?
Neshannock. They knocked us off twice last year, this year I hope we will beat them both times in the section.

What is one skill golf has taught you that you will use in your future?
Patience. Golf can be played slow, like an all day thing. It may be raining, or very hot but we still go out and play everyday. You have to be patient with your teammates and opponents.

What are your future plans? Has golf helped in picking your future goals?
Attend the University of Kentucky. I’d like to go south so I can play golf more.

LeMarcus Cleckley: Football

How many years have you been playing football?
I have been playing football for 13 years

What is your favorite part of playing football?
Being able to find that special bond between you and your team. Knowing that you need them and they need you it’s not a one sided sport.

How have you and your team been getting ready for the new season?
We have been practicing very hard. Our Coach is keeping us well conditioned along with watching film of opponents before every practice.

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry?
Biggest rival would have to be Ellwood City, one of the biggest rivalries is WPIAL.

What is one skill football has taught you that you will use in your future?

I feel that one of the biggest things I learned in football and in all sport is to just listen. It’s the best advice from any Coach.

What are your future plans? Has football helped in your future goals?
I plan on going into the oil and petroleum field. And no it has not helped me with my goal.