Central Coaches select an Athlete of the Month for their sport based on the following criteria: Work Ethic, Leadership, Contribution to the Team’s Success, Character, and Preparation for Success. The Athlete of the Month program was started in 1997 and each year nearly 100 student/athletes from all sports are recognized for their efforts and contributions to the Athletic Program. Girls Track – Kendra Flock, Gr. 12: Kendra has been a great asset to our team. She always works hard and is constantly trying to improve her skills. Her hard work has paid off and she was the city and conference champ in the shot put. She has been an absolute pleasure to have on the track and field Baseball – Lucas Warren, Gr. 11: Lucas has been a leader for us since the first day of practice. He has a solid approach at the plate and is pitching with great confidence. Boys Tennis – Victor Mirasola, Gr. 11: Victor has been having a very good season. His refuse to lose attitude in matches has really come through. I think he has a great chance to make it to State. Softball – Hannah Mickelson, Gr. 11: Hannah has struggled through some early defensive problems to become and excellent shortstop. Her defense combined with an ever improving offense has been a key to our conference championship. She is without a doubt one of the best softball players in the area. Boys Track – Drew Sierzant, Gr. 11: Drew is a very dedicated track and field athlete. He was city and conference champion in the high jump with a personal best jump of 6’4”. Girls Soccer – Kielty Wintersteen, Gr. 12: I am very proud of the maturity Kielty has demonstrated this season both as a person and as a goalkeeper. She had some struggles early in the season which resulted in other girls getting an opportunity to play at her position. Rather than complain or pout, she handled the situation with dignity and class and devoted herself to working hard in order to improve. Her actions conveyed a positive example for the younger players in our program. As a result, she earned her position back and has made more strides this season alone than in her previous three years combined. When our team has been successful this season, we owed a lot of that to Kielty’s play. She has been more aggressive and made a number of big saves this season, including 17 in a 00 draw versus city rival Logan. To notch, Kielty! Boys Golf – Adam Montee, Gr. 11: Adam has really worked hard on being a better golfer and helping the team improve including weekend rounds. He is a great student of the game of golf by using all tips from the coaches and displays outstanding sportsmanship during matches or practices. Mr. Montee scored for the low team at the Holmen Invite, thus earned a varsity letter as a Central Red Raider golfer! Congrats, Adam!! August 2007 Athletes of the Month Dance Team – Hannah Powell, Gr. 12: Hannah really took a leadership role this summer! She created a hip-hop routine with other team-mates, taught it to the team in a positive manner, and helped lead practices. I hope to see this positive attitude, dedication, and motivation throughout the year! Girls Cross Country –Callie Folcey, Gr. 12: I am very proud of the summer training Callie put in this year. She had an excellent first race in Eau Claire, showing her work ethic paid off. She has also done an excellent job acting as one of the team’s co- captains demonstrating great leadership. She has been a joy! Boys Cross Country – Derek Groskreutz, Gr. 11: Derek had a tremendous off season of training this past summer. He ran over 400 miles this summer in preparation for the upcoming cross country season. His enthusiasm has been a very positive influence on the rest of the team. Great job Derek! Girls Golf – Sara Mattes, Gr. 12: Sara has been tremendous all season with leadership and work ethic at all times for the La Crosse Girls Golf team. Her scores in competition have been the best on the team in each and every meet even while she helps her teammates improve as well. Ms. Mattes’ passion for golf and competition is unrivaled and no one on the team wants team success more than her. As far as teaching the underclass girls golfers how it is done, Sara Mattes is without peers. When I think of Central Girls Golf, I see Sara as one of the best Central’s had ever! Thank you, Sara for your years of dedication to the team. Girls Tennis – Michaela Schwartz, Gr. 9: Undefeated for the month of August. Constantly is seeking ways to improve and how to help the team. Michaela has improved 100% since the start of the season. Girls Swimming – Braeden Padesky, Gr. 12 – Braeden has been a big part of the reason our swim team is off to such a great start. She has been swimming a lot of events for us. She is one of our leaders by example in the pool and in our dry land workouts. What I like about Braeden is that she loves to race and hates to lose. Volleyball –Taylor Rowe, Gr. 10: Taylor has a positive attitude and a tremendous work ethic. She is constantly seeking out ways to improve her level of play and contribute to the team’s success on the volleyball court. As a setter, Taylor handles pressure well and displays confidence in herself and in her teammates. Currently, Taylor leads our team in assists. One thing I really enjoy about Taylor is her ability to make adjustments. Taylor does an outstanding job listening and taking advice from the coaching staff. She welcomes coaching with an eagerness to improve herself. Great job Taylor! Keep up the good work. Boys Soccer – John O’Brien, Gr. 12: John has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches by being elected as a captain of the boys’ soccer team for the second consecutive season, and he has proven himself as a leader both on and off the field. Prior to the start of the season John worked with the other senior leaders on the team to get the boys in shape and ready to start the season. This season John has anchored a defense that has pitched three shutouts already this year and that has allowed only one goal in conference play. He has played nearly every minute of every game and is coming off his best performance of the season in a 1-0 win over Tomah. His steady leadership and play has proved vital for the early success of the Central soccer team. He is the type of player every coach wants on their team, and rumor has it the girls at Central have been raving about his new haircut. Kudos, John. Football – Anthony Mahairas, Gr. 12: Anthony has dedicated himself to our program and I’m proud of what he has accomplished so for this season. September Athletes of the Month Dance Team – : Kasey Bruha, Gr. 10: Kasey has really impressed me with her effort and positive attitude in practice, performances, and community events. She always has a smile on her face, and is improving everyday! Keep up the terrific work! Girls Cross Country –Ella Overholt, Gr. 9: I am very proud of the effort Ella has put into her running this season. She is really improving as a cross-country runner through her work ethic. Her race in Wausau really showed her improvement as she ran great there. She also brings to the team a very friendly and encouraging personality. She has become a very supportive team member in our crosscountry family. Keep up the great work Ella…. Boys Cross Country – Jake Kuhse, Gr. 11: Jake has been the most consistent performer on the team this year. He has been our # 1 runner 4 times this year so far and has done this with a tremendous work ethic and strict training regime that he adheres to over the summer. Jake has worked hard to be one of Central’s top distance runners. Girls Golf – Morgan Keilen, Gr. 10 Morgan has been a very enthusiastic young lady for the Girls golf team this entire season. She always works hard and will follow instructions to the “tee”. As her coach, I really enjoy having her on the team since Morgan is always in a good mood and really looks forward to practices and matches. The other players on the team really enjoy Morgan, and feed off her energy. As a sophomore, she has improved to the point that she will be a leader on the team leading into next season…a season that she’s really looking forward to! Great work this month and season, Morgan!!! Girls Tennis – Laura Romeyn, Gr. 12: Undefeated in conference and helped lead Central to the MVC title. Her winning attitude and confidence has been contagious throughout the team. Out on the courts she will never be out worked and is able to find a way to win. Girls Swimming – Riley Seidel, Gr. 12: Riley has been a great leader this year for Central swimming. She has a great work ethic in the pool and is always out in front for the other girls to try to stay up with her. Her dedication to the sport of swimming the past four years has made her a joy to coach. Volleyball – Joy Deniger, Gr. 12: Joy has done an outstanding job being a leader and captain on our team. She has stepped up verbally and puts forth tremendous effort in everything she does. Joy currently leads our team in digs and is second in kills. GREAT JOB JOY! Boys Soccer – Ben Netzer, Gr. 12: After a somewhat slow start to the season, even by his standards, Ben Netzer has really come on as of late and provided a much needed offensive spark for the Central soccer team. Ben is a tireless worker who prepared for this season as hard as anyone on the team. Several observers have also commented on how hard he works during games, leaving everything he has on the field until the final whistle blows. Ben’s hard work has paid dividends, as he currently leads the Red Raiders with 11 goals on the season. In addition, Ben has shown significant improvement in his maturity on and off the field, setting a positive example for the younger players on the team. Mr. Netzer is a prime example of how a little hard work and getting a good haircut can really help one perform better. Football – Matt Mooney, Gr. 12: Matt has done a tremendous job stepping in and leading our Football team. His character certainly sets him apart along with his work ethic and commitment! October Athletes of the Month Girls Cross Country – Hannah Pollack, Gr. 11 – Hannah is having her most successful season ever as a cross-country runner. Her work ethic and determination are the two main reasons for her success. It has been a delight to watch Hannah grow as a competitive cross-country runner. Girls Swimming – Erika Winberg, Gr. 12 – In the past month Erika has made great strides both in and out of the pool. She has become a wonderful leader and a positive role model. Encouraging her teammates by cheering at meets, and giving praise after their swims, even when hers haven’t been up to her standards. Erika has also improved in the pool stepping up when the team needs her to and working harder than ever in practice. As we approach the end of the season everyone is excited and Erika has been among the group constantly talking about the teams end of season goals and how we are going to achieve them. She has attended nearly all team functions and interacted with all members of the team. Her input is always appreciated and taken into consideration. She will truly be missed next year and has earned her position as athlete of the month. Girls Tennis – Emily Romeyn, Gr. 11 – Sectional Qualifier. Demonstrated excellent mental toughness throughout the season as well as helping lead the team to the MVC title. Emily was always an intelligent and focused player during the season. Football – Dan Shedivy, Gr. 12 – Dan in an instrumental part of our team both on and off the field. He has a vision of what we need to do to be successful as a team. Boys Cross Country – William Krumbach, Gr. 10 – William was our top finisher at the Dick Mitchell Invite and at the conference championship meet. He ran the yearly fastest time of anyone on the team at MVC, placing 5th and running a personal record of 16:42. This is the fastest time by any Central runner since 2002. Way to go William! Boys Soccer – Chang Coua Hang, Gr. 10 – Despite speaking little English to start the season, Chang Coua has found a connection to many students at Central through soccer. Cha, as he prefers to be called by his teammates, has been a pleasant surprise for the Central soccer team. Cha has worked hard and, as a result, has been readily accepted by his teammates. As the season has gone on he has become more and more comfortable, and he is currently third on the team in goals scored. Cha scored several important goals this season and has a unique ability to make his teammates and coaches smile. He has certainly has been a welcome addition to both the soccer team and the school. Volleyball – Becky Robson, Gr. 11 – Becky has shown a tremendous amount of improvement from the beginning of the season to the end. She has become a force in the front row with her hitting and blocking. In addition, Becky has also earned significant playing time in the back row where her defense has improved greatly. Becky is a competitor that works hard in practice and is constantly hustling and sacrificing her body on the court for the greater good of the team. Great job Becky! Dance Team – Jessica Butzman, Gr. 11 – Jessica has proven herself to be a dedicated and motivated member of our team. Although she does not always get the chance to perform because she is an alternate, she practices full-out everyday and always does her best with a smile on her face. I appreciate her effort, responsibility, and positive attitude! November 2007 Athletes of the Month Wrestling – Matt Bollman, Gr. 12: Matt has been an inspiration to our entire wrestling team over the past 4 years. When people doubted him if he would ever make it as a freshman in wrestling, he never listened and continued to work as hard as he could to be the best he could. He has really come a long way as a wrestler, athlete, and truly a great all around person. Matt will be successful in anything he puts his mind to. Congratulations! You’ve definitely earned it! Girls Basketball – Courtney Athnos, Gr. 11: Courtney has worked hard in preparing for this season. She has done everything that has been asked of her and more. Each practice she pushes herself to get the most out of herself she can. With continued hard work, her potential only will continue to increase. Hockey –Cody Pfennig, Gr. 11: Cody is a hard worker and leader. He’s leading our team in points and has been instrumental in our success. Boys Basketball – Tyler Shaker, Gr. 12: Tyler has done a wonderful job so far this season. He always strives to give his best effort both on and off the court and has grown into an outstanding leader for our team. December Athletes of the Month WRESTLING: Cal Thornton, Gr. 9: Cal has been one of the hardest workers in the practice room which explains why he is currently 7-0 and placed 1st in the 13-Team EC North Invite, which also helped to secure a Team Championship for Central. He is very coachable and leads by example, which will continue to add to his overall success. Congrats, Cal! Keep up the hard work and you won’t be disappointed! BOYS BASKETBALL: Martin Moe, Gr. 12: Martin has done an excellent job of giving his best each and every night. Also, he has worked very hard at being a leader on our team and continues to improve every day. GIRLS BASKEBALL: Sierra Fellows, Gr. 12: Sierra has accepted her role on our team and understands that individual success is not as important as the team. She has worked on her game and has made herself into a good shooter and ball handler. She never misses practice and never lets herself get down on the team. Her demeanor is outstanding and her personality is one that brings people closer to her. It is a pleasure to coach her. BOYS SWIMMING: Trent Glendenning, Gr. 11 – Trent has shown so much improvement from last year to this season. He is one of the hardest working guys on the team this season. Trent has also been swimming many different events for us this year to help our team be successful in our dual meets. HOCKEY: Derek Finsterwalder, Gr. 9 – Derek has proven himself as a strong team player. He works hard at every practice as well as showing up for additional individual practice sessions. He’s dedicated to the team and to improving his goalie skills. DANCE TEAM: Mary George, Gr. 12 – Mary has proven herself to be a strong leader this season. She has overcome her past obstacles and has maintained a positive dedicated attitude everyday. Mary is always a team member who believes in what’s best for our team as a whole. Her quiet strength and confidence has the other dancers looking up to her, not only in her ability and creativity, but also in her enthusiasm and commitment. BOYS SKI TEAM: Eddie Overholt, Gr. 12 – Eddie, the defending State Alpine Ski Champion, will again lead the team this year. He has worked very hard all year and should help his team make a run at the team title in the State Championships. GIRLS SKI TEAM: Eva Rieder, Gr. 11 – Eva Rieder has really stepped it up a notch. She is making genuine sacrifices to better herself as a racer and to support her team. She is a dedicated, responsible team player who will be a great asset in her final two years on the ski team. SNOWBOARD TEAM: Alaina Reynen, Gr. 11 – Alaina Reynen has shown great leadership this season. She has organized and mentored new members of the snowboarding team, and is pleasant, dedicated and responsible. She is also one of the most talented racers on the team. GYMNASTICS: Amber Bartlett, Gr. 11 - Amber is a hard-working, dedicated gymnast. She is not afraid to try newer, harder tricks. Her hard work really paid off at our first meet where she took second in the all-around just missing first by a fraction of a point. I really enjoy working with someone with such a great attitude and talent. January 2008 Athletes of the Month Boys Swimming –Nick Henderson, Gr. 11: Nick has done a great job swimming many different events for us this year that has helped make our team successful. Nick has continued to improve all his times this season. He also has been one of our leaders in and out of the pool. Wrestling –Theo Jensen-Innis, Gr. 12: Theo has been just plain dominant this year. So far his is currently undefeated at 29-0, won the coveted Bi-State Classic, and has won the most valuable wrestler award at four different tournaments. He is the definite leader on the team and his hard work will most definitely pay off at State. No regrets, Theo! Go accomplish your dreams! MALON LABE! Hockey –Nick La Rue, Gr. 10: Nick is a hard working athlete. He is one of two captains on our team and has earned that position by being dedicated to our team, its players and the sport. Nick leads by example. He’s always on time and helps our team practice hard and prepare for each game. He’s very knowledgeable in our sport which helps the team improve. Girls Basketball- Ashley Hammes, Gr. 11: It is such a pleasure to coach Ashley. She is the hardest worker I have ever coached. She has had to overcome so much in her basketball career and she has not allowed it to change her as a person. No matter what is asked of her, she does it without hesitation and will never do it without giving it her all. I admire her a lot and I wish we had 12 other like her. Dance Team – Sydney Gale, Gr. 11: Not only does Sydney add humor and a positive energy to daily practices, she works hard to improve and make the team better. She also spends a lot of time outside of practices working on projects to benefit the team. Sydney has a lot of great opinions and ideas to share, and remains respectful and positive when doing so. She is definitely a team player! Boys Basketball –Ryan Ledvina, Gr. 10: Ryan has done an outstanding job for us this year. He has really given his best effort each and every day this season, whether it is in practice or in a game and as a result he just continues to improve each step of the way. Girls Ski Team – Chiyo Thompson, Gr. 12: Chiyo is a dedicated team member and has the ability to surmount a major setback and remain positive in the face of a physical handicap that does not permit her to compete at the top of her potential. Boys Ski Team - Willy Roesler, Gr. 11: Willy has been inclusive and supportive throughout the season. He is at the top of the hill encouraging the younger racers and giving them support. He is a dedicated, hard working key “player” on the varsity team. Snowboard Team – Steve Henderson, Gr. 10: Steve works hard at practice and pushes himself to become a better racer. He has a passion for snowboarding and his positive attitude and smile on his face are inspiring. February Athletes of the Month Hockey – Drew Ghelfi, Gr. 11: Drew started the season as a defensemen. Switched to forward and has worked hard to be successful. He works at being the best he can be and has a positive attitude. Dance Team –Sarah Buchner, Gr. 12: Sarah has blossomed from a shy, quiet member of our team, into a strong leader with a positive attitude, strong determination, and great dedication to our team. She has gained and earned the respect and admiration from the other dancers on the team, and from myself. Not only that, but she has also grown into an amazing dancer, choreographer, and teacher. Sarah will be greatly missed next year! Gymnastics – Cecelia Parcher, Gr.10: Cece has been a dedicated and hard working gymnast. She has improved all season and has been fun to work with. Boys Basketball – Bobby Juan, Gr. 10: Bobby has done an excellent job for us this year. He is very coachable, always puts the team first, and works each day to improve. In addition, he also goes the extra mile to help others, whether it is to rebound for a teammate who is working on their shot, or by volunteering to work with participants of Special Olympics. Bobby’s heart is truly in the right place. Girls Basketball - Anna Boteva, Gr. 10: Anna loves the game of basketball. She is a true student of the game and has made a solid transition to varsity basketball. She is very coachable and wants to continue to improve and does whatever she can to help her team. If she continues to work hard, she can become one of the top players in the Coulee Region. Her leadership skills are starting to develop and she is a key player for us this year and the next two years. Wrestling – Dalton Beyer, Gr. 12: Dalton has stuck with wrestling the past few years when most others would have quit. He has come a long way in one of the toughest sports where you never get much glory or fame. Dalton will continue to excel in every area of his life because he was able to overcome trails, struggles and adversity; yet he continued to persevere and give his best! The coaching staff is proud to have had you on the team. Congrats! Boys Swimming – Parker Krause, Gr. 9: Parker has shown great improvement in his first year of swimming. He did not miss a practice all season and it paid off at the end of the year meet with personal best times. His willingness to be in the pool everyday and work hard will pay off for him throughout his high school swimming career. We expect great things from Parker both in and out of the pool. Boys Ski Team – Mitch Walleser, Gr. 10: Girls Ski Team – Heather Laylan, Gr. 9: Snowboard Team – Zach Swan, Gr. 9: March Athletes of the Month Baseball – Joe Branson, Gr. 12: Joe has done a great job of leading by example. He continues to work hard and his focus is something to be proud of. Softball – Kenisha McGuire, Gr. 12: Kenisha has continued to grow as a softball player. The talent has always been there, but the difference this year is her work ethic in practice and her leadership skills have come incredibly far over the last year. Right now she is everything I could ask for in a senior softball player. Girls Track – Alex Mahairas, Gr. 11: Alex has come into the season with a great attitude and a great work ethic. She is supportive of all her team members and has been there during practices and competitions cheering them on and supporting them any way she can. Alex is an asset to the Girls track team! Boys Track – Brandon Zink, Gr. 12: Brandon had a great winter season of training that is showing in his practice and performance. He has done all of the right things in regards to his running. His work ethic helps the entire group of distance runners. He and the other distance runners are very focused and complete difficult workouts without complaint. His indoor 800 meter time of 2:00.39 places him with the top few runners in the state. He is proof that hard work and determination pay off. Boys Tennis – Josh Goodman, Gr. 12: Josh has done a good job, emerging as a leader this year. He has been helping the younger guys fit in. I look forward to a good year with him this season. Girls Soccer – Jessica Haley, Gr. 11: Jessica is a tireless worker and a very good leader, both of which she continually works hard to improve. Jessica dedicated herself to preparing for this season after a disappointing sophomore season, when she only played four games due to injury, by playing soccer in the off-season and improving her strength and conditioning. She is the starting sweeper for our defense and she has earned the respect of her teammates by being selected as a captain for the 2008 season. Top Drawer, Jessica! April 2008 Athlete of the Month Baseball – John Munson, Gr. 12: John has been a good leader on the practice field. He has made great adjustments on his swing and is playing solid baseball for us. Softball – Jenna Cox, Gr. 12: Jenna exemplifies what a team player is. Even when she is struggling she continues to be upbeat and help the other girls in any way she can. It is easy to be a team player and stay positive when things are going well, it take a special person and a special athlete to do so when things are not. Jenna works hard every day and continually does what is right for the TEAM, not a very common trait these days. Boys Track & Field – Mitch Wilson, Gr. 12: Mitch has been running great times at 400 and 800 meters. He held off a charge from Logan’s 4x400 relay team to help win the event at the KC relays. At the Prairie Relays he ran great legs on the 4x400 and 4x800 relay. Boys Golf – Andy Brown, Gr. 11: Andy has done a great job helping the team in the last three meets. His scores continue to be lower and he’s becoming very comfortable playing against good competition. Mr. Brown is always working hard in practice and plays practice rounds with great focus. He also is a great teammate with all players on the team: always friendly and supportive! Girls Track & Field – Michelle Myhre, Gr. 11: Michelle came into the season in great shape. Her attitude and work ethic have been wonderful. She has been a great teammate, both supportive and helpful to everyone. She has been willing to do whatever we need her to do for the team. Her performances continue to improve with each meet and I know she will continue to be a huge part of our team’s success! Girls Soccer – Chelsea Ruda, Gr. 10: Chelsea never played soccer before this season and expressed some concerns about being nervous and understanding the game early in the year. However, her work ethic and eagerness to learn not only helped her make incredible strides, but also earned the respect of her teammates and a starting position on varsity. Chelsea has been a staple on our defense and has played nearly every minute of every game this season. She asks questions, learns quickly, and often realizes what she needed to do differently before her coach has a chance to finish a sentence. Her future is birth, she continues to get better each game, and she certainly represents a model of success for students who have considered playing soccer at Central, but who chose not to because they thought they would not be good enough or felt they knew nothing about soccer. Like Bill and Ted’s Adventure…..Excellent, Chelsea! Boys Tennis – Ryan Miles, Gr. 9: Ryan has shown great progress over the past few weeks. He consistently works hard in practice, and is extremely coach able. I look forward to great things from Ryan over the next four years. May 2008 Athletes of the Month Girls Track –Kendra Flock, Gr. 12: Kendra has been a great asset to our team. She always works hard and is constantly trying to improve her skills. Her hard work has paid off and she was the city and conference champ in the shot put. She has been an absolute pleasure to have on the track and field Baseball – Lucas Warren, Gr. 11: Lucas has been a leader for us since the first day of practice. He has a solid approach at the plate and is pitching with great confidence. Boys Tennis – Victor Mirasola, Gr. 11: Victor has been having a very good season. His refuse to lose attitude in matches has really come through. I think he has a great chance to make it to State. Softball – Hannah Mickelson, Gr. 11: Hannah has struggled through some early defensive problems to become and excellent shortstop. Her defense combined with an ever improving offense has been a key to our conference championship. She is without a doubt one of the best softball players in the area. Boys Track – Drew Sierzant, Gr. 11: Drew is a very dedicated track and field athlete. He was city and conference champion in the high jump with a personal best jump of 6’4”. Girls Soccer – Kielty Wintersteen, Gr. 12: I am very proud of the maturity Kielty has demonstrated this season both as a person and as a goalkeeper. She had some struggles early in the season which resulted in other girls getting an opportunity to play at her position. Rather than complain or pout, she handled the situation with dignity and class and devoted herself to working hard in order to improve. Her actions conveyed a positive example for the younger players in our program. As a result, she earned her position back and has made more strides this season alone than in her previous three years combined. When our team has been successful this season, we owed a lot of that to Kielty’s play. She has been more aggressive and made a number of big saves this season, including 17 in a 0-0 draw versus city rival Logan. To notch, Kielty! Boys Golf – Adam Montee, Gr. 11: Adam has really worked hard on being a better golfer and helping the team improve including weekend rounds. He is a great student of the game of golf by using all tips from the coaches and displays outstanding sportsmanship during matches or practices. Mr. Montee scored for the low team at the Holmen Invite, thus earned a varsity letter as a Central Red Raider golfer! Congrats, Adam!!
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