Sports

SPORTS Women In Leadership Conference

Teachers and students attend workshop for women in sports

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIZABETH MICHAELS PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIZABETH MICHAELS

LEADING THE WAY | The Women in Sports Leadership function took place early Feb., and was attended by a multitude of female athletes. Sophomore Elizabeth McMahon was one of the students invited to attend this conference. “I believe I was chosen to go because I am motivated to help my team improve and create a better environment for our team,” McMahon said. TEAM IMPROVEMENTS| Not only were students in attendance, but a handful of female coaches were chosen to go as well. Science teacher Elizabeth Michaels was one of the coaches who tagged along. “I attended sessions that covered topics like nutrition for athletes, addressing the social and emotional needs of studentathletes and creating and maintaining sports programs for women and girls at all ages,” Michaels said.

By Julia Magnan & Gabbi Bielak PAGE EDITOR & STAFF REPORTER

This past month, a team of women attended the annual Women in Sports Leadership Conference hosted by the Michigan High School Athletic Association. This conference took place over the course of two days, and included sessions for female student athletes, as well as female coaches and administrators. These sessions provided information on the different aspects of sports and sports training including diet, exercise and injury prevention. English teacher Diane Montgomery was one of three female North coaches to attend. She acknowledged how much the conference allowed her to grow as a coach, and spoke on some of the key ideas she was presented. “For me, this conference allows me a chance to think about how my coaching impacts athletes and parents,” Montgomery said. “It provides ideas for how to better organize my teams and build a solid leadership structure as well as a strong overall culture.”

The women who attended the conference this year included students Jordan Solomon, Annalise Thomas, Maddy Kohler, Amelia Shock, Dylan Cardinale, Elizabeth McMahon, Cemiyah Coleman, and Paige Przepiora and coaches Diane Montgomery, Lauren Nixon and Elizabeth Michaels. Sophomore Elizabeth McMahon, who is on the varsity swim team, said she took this opportunity to grow and learn more about positivity between her teammates and coach. "The best part of the conference was getting to learn from the experience of others," McMahon said. "We saw presentations from other women, coaches and athletes, and their experience helped me open my eyes to what leadership and positivity is in sports."

McMann was not the only one excited about attending the conference. Science teacher Elizabeth Michaels also enjoyed the opportunity to attend the conference for the fourth year in a row. "The conference always reminds me of how fortunate we are to be in a district that supports women in sports,” Michaels said. “It is not the same everywhere and the women before us did not have the same opportunities.”

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FIVE MINUTES WITH

By Marvin Robles INTERN Social Studies Teacher Kevin Shubnell

Social studies teacher Kevin Shubnell said he began teaching because he always had a huge interest in learning social studies as a student. Throughout his childhood he said social studies was his favorite class, and thus it encouraged him to take it on as his profession.

“I always enjoyed my social studies class growing up and I always enjoyed my teachers I had in those classes,” Subnell said. “I was kinda passionate about American History and I also enjoyed that.”

His favorite part of teaching is the student interactions he encounters on a daily basis. He likes to see them learn, struggle and try new things.

“I like when they don't understand a concept and kinda help them figure it out on their own,” Shubnell said. “That’s kind of the part I enjoyed the most, that kind of struggle.”

Outside of teaching and coaching, Shubnell said he enjoys spending time with his wife and and his three kids.

“We like to explore in the backyard.” Shubnell said. “We have a field in our backyard and we like to walk around back there and pretend we're doing animal hunting.”

Beyond his family, Shubnell coaches football at St. Joan of Arc and for the school team. Shubnell said he has been coaching football for 20 years.

“I love it, I want to get back to the game work with the kids and it’s kinda how I started getting in teaching through coaching”

Shubnell said he would love to continue to be a teacher in his future years. For him, working in the school is close to home and he has really liked working with students and faculty within the community.

“I love working with the kids,” Shubnell said. “The kids here are great, have different motivations, level of motivation and different abilities. It’s been a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it.”

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Syeda Rizvi MANAGING EDITOR Hannah Zalewski PAGE EDITORS Farrah Fasse Michael Hartt Julia Magnan Abi Murray Amelia Nowicki STAFF REPORTERS Gabrielle Bielak Grace Cueter Colin Duffy Robert Maddox Victoria Wittenberg DISTRIBUTION MANAGERS Jessica Meyers Hayley Zalewski

INTERNS Phoenix Archer Zshaquira Boyd Joleigh Jackson Brandon Miller Cassady Pierzinski Marvin Robles Emma Sanderson Areion Swain Jamison Townsend Justin Vaughan Kourtney Walk

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