LANSDALE, PA – North Penn Field Hockey coach Carrie Jankowski sees plenty of parallels between atheltics and academics, and the common denominator in each is what it takes to be successful.
“Dedication and a work ethic go hand in hand with success in sports and in the classroom. When players and students are willing to put the hard work in, they are usually rewarded with success,” Jankowski said.
High School athletes garner a lot of attention for big game performances and championship runs, but beyond on field competition, many high school athletes deserve perhaps just as much praise for being the total package in the classroom and in their school community.
North Penn High School is renowned for its successful athletic programs, and this fall’s girls sports teams perpetuated that recognition. This season the girls Water Polo team took home the state title with only two seniors on the team: Brooke Else and Alex Kajari. The girls Cross-Country team did not win a state title but Meghan McGovern brought home the individual state title for North Penn. A girls Field Hockey team led by Emilie Ikeda, Bobby Dougherty, Laura DeLongis, Carly Pickford, and Lauren Dale made a strong run through districts and into to the PIAA state playoffs.
Not only are the girls listed above great athletes and competitors. but they are also dedicated students. An aspect of high school that people don’t always read in the papers is that these student- athletes are students first.
“We don’t get a lot of sleep,” said Brooke Else followed by laughter from the other girls.
Else, is one of the two seniors on the state champion water polo team and is an AP and Honors student involved in National Honor Society. She plans on studying Fashion Merchandising at Marist while continuing her water polo career.
Else continued by saying “We are all motivated people in sports and in school.”
Alex Kajari, the only other senior on the water polo team, said, “We are not up all night balancing, we set up early to prepare for the future,” an attribute used on and off the field by all the girls.
Kajari, an AP and Honors student, plans to major in political science at either Pitt, JMU, PSU, or Duquesne. She is also involved in the Social Studies Scholar Program and is an intern for State Representative Bradford.
Both polo players agreed that they are self-motivated and that it takes a lot of work to balance the work load of AP courses and the rigors of water polo.
Meghan McGovern, North Penn’s first individual state champion in school history for girls Cross-Country is bound for the College of William and Mary. She plans on running cross-country and majoring in psychology or business. McGovern is also an AP student who is involved with National Honor Society, Key Club, Yearbook, and track and field in the winter and spring.
McGovern’s performance and sportsmanship at the state meet not only got the attention of her own coach and teammates, but also other coaches. Strath Haven coach Bill Coren sent a letter to North Penn Principal Burt Hynes praising McGovern for not only her success but the way she carried herself in competition.
“Win or lose, she is always smiling and complimentary of her opponents” said Coren.
McGovern beat out Strath Haven’s Hannah Grossman by a matter of seconds.
“It’s easy to be nice when you win, but Meghan has been the same person her entire career,” added Coren.
Not to be confused with being one dimensional at North Penn, McGovern also dedicates herself to some of the most time demanding clubs at the high school.
“Key Club and Student Government are important because you need leadership your whole life” McGovern said when speaking about what organizations she feels affect her the most.
Five scholar athlete field hockey members agreed on one thing being a key to sustaining success on and off the field – food is vital.
“Before I do homework I eat, or I can’t think” Carly Pickford said.
With a team filled with great athletes and great students these girls need food on the field and in the classroom.
Pickford, and AP student is also involved in National Honor Society and Key Club. She plans to attend either Penn State of Maryland and study business or English and play club field hockey.
Pickford stated that “all of us are self motivated,” which led to mass agreement from all the girls.
Emilie Ikeda, an AP student is committed to American University for field hockey and plans to major in broadcast journalism so she can become the next Oprah. She fittingly is involved with North Penn Television but is also involved with National Honor Society, Key Club, and Salsa Club.
“We all have more free time for other events this year because senior year is almost not as rigorous [as junior year],” Ikeda said.
None of these girls have any hints of “senioritis” though, and they are taking full advantage of their free time and continuing to be productive off the field as well as in the classroom.
Laura DeLongis an honors student, is involved with the Key Club, Special Olympics, North Penn Television, and Lacrosse. She is interested in studying business with an emphasis on music technology at either JMU, Salisbury, Temple, or St. Joe’s.
“I think sports help us do better in school, when I’m not in season I dilly dally” DeLongis said.
Lauren Dale applies the same skills to both the field and the classroom.
“Teamwork is used throughout life not just on the field- how to work with other people and how to deal with a new situation.”
Dale is an Honors student who plans to major in Physician Assistant Studies at either Quinnipiac, Penn State, Philadelphia U., or Desales. She also plans on playing club field hockey and soccer. Aside from field hockey Dale participates in National Honor Society, Key Club, Soccer and Special Olympics.
“Each of these girls are leaders and examples for their team because they are hard working, determined, and dedicated. Those qualities make them standout in the classroom, on the field, and in their community. I have been lucky to coach such well-rounded and outstanding young ladies,” added Jankowski.
All of the girls poked fun at how long Bobby Dougherty’s list of activities was but if anything she optimizes how to balance schoolwork and other activities. Dougherty is an AP student who plans to major in psychology at Cornell, Dartmouth, Wake Forest, or Bucknell. At North Penn she is the president of the Goodwill Ambassadors, the Future Health Occupations Club, and the Medusa Mythology Club. She is also the community service chair in the Student Government cabinet and also is the chair of the 2012 Republican Mock Convention. As if that is not all enough, Dougherty also participates in concert band.
“I just try to work hard and take it day by day,” Dougherty said.
All of these girls have many things in common: great athletic ability, stellar academic records, and a plate full of activities. It takes a special kind of person to have the time management skills to handle all of these things so well. Like all of the girls said, they are self-motivated. Most coaches and educators would agree, it is difficult to teach someone motivation; this collection of student-athletes used their self-motivation to propel them to success in everything that they do whether it be other sports, clubs, or activities. The North Penn community should be proud of these girls and what they have done athletically, but they should be just as proud of what they have done off the field.
Longtime Cross Country Coach Jim Crawford, Jr. said it best when speaking about McGovern, but what he says applies to all athletes and certainly to this collection of female scholar-athletes:
“The ability to focus on your goals no matter how difficult the challenge may be, and being consistent over the long haul, go hand and hand with athletics and academics.”