UNF'S RUNNING SISTERS
Eden and Grace Meyer
Mandarin Swimmer Turns Her World Upside Down Keegan Fluharty
Shining Knights Rally for Inclusion Creekside High School
FAST LANE Sara Stotler, Clay High School
IN THE
GAME NORTHEAST FLORIDA
APRRIL/MAY 2018
Living Life in the
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Player Profiles Northeast Florida’s Top Athletes
Overlooking Mayfield Changing the Scope
Ponte Vedra Volleyball Coach Making Success a Legacy Robin Mignerey
Cheerleading Injuries: Prevention and Treatment JOI
Living Life in the Fast Lane Sara Stotler, Clay High School
The YMCA’s First Coast Games Creekside Boys Basketball Reaches Championship Game Hard Work Pays Off for Ribault Dual Athlete Devon Matthews
Shining Knights Rally for Inclusion Creekside High School
Mandarin Swimmer Turns Her World Upside Down Keegan Fluharty
UNF’s Running Sisters Eden and Grace Meyer
How Early is Too Early? Coaching Legend Stepping Down at Wolfson Bruce Rosebrock
Griffin Ready to Make History What’s Wrong With Kentucky? Running's Impact on Knees
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In The Game | 9
Living Life in the
Fast Lane Written by: Susannah Parmenter Photography by: Aaron Musgroves
so far, knowing that I still is a have a lot left of swimstandout swimmer, and ming in the years to come while she loves the water, and that I can still do so one of her main goals is much more,” she said. to stay grounded. Stotler comes from a With all Stotler has family of swimmers. The accomplished – at just 14 middle of five siblings, years old – that may be she discovered swimming one of her tougher goals from her to attain. older sister As a freshas a way to man swimavoid the ming for Florida heat Clay High and humidSchool, ity. Stotler was “I startthe highed swimest placing — Sara Stotler ming when I freshman was 5 years from Clay County at state old,” Stotler said. “My big in any class this year. sister came home one In addition to being day, and she said, ‘This named Long Course is great! I’m not sweaty Swimmer of the Year or anything!’ So, I started three times by Florida swimming, and I realized Swimming, Stotler also it was great because the racked up medals at the water was nice and cool, FHSAA 2A championand all my coaches noships in November: secticed that I had a feel for ond place in the 100-methe water. I started comter butterfly, third place petitively swimming when in the 200 freestyle, and I was 6.” eighth in the 200 relay. Stotler started with She also is close to hitting the Spartan Aquatic Club a qualifying time to make year-round swim team the Olympic trials for the before moving through 2020 Games. different teams and clubs “It is definitely humuntil she landed at Logbling to realize that I’ve gerhead Aquatics in Julaccomplished this much ington Creek. Although
Sara Stotler
"I started competitively swimming when I was 6.”
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home schooled, Stotler was invited to swim competitively for Clay High School. “I’m very blessed that I’m home schooled so I can balance my schoolwork to accommodate my swim schedule,” she said. Stotler trains six days a week at Loggerhead and works with coaches on aspects of competitive swimming, including using visualization and mental exercises to manage her nerves. “I definitely get ner-
vous,” she said.
“But my coaches help me with visualizing and calming myself with my nerves, and all my coaches say to ride the wave of nerves instead of letting it overcome you. So, I funnel my nerves into excitement and get excited for my race instead of focusing on the negative nerves.” A good coach is instrumental to an athlete’s success, and many
athletes have that ‘one coach’ who becomes not only a coach but a friend. For Stotler, that mentor was her former coach Shawn Delifus, who passed away in April 2016. “Coach Delifus passed away right before one of our meets, and that was rough for me,” Stotler said. “But it has definitely pushed me to be a better swimmer and a better person because he was all about staying motivated and staying positive.”
Stotler’s mother, Deb“When we are dealby Stotler, felt that loss as ing with her trips, we try well. She said her daugh- to keep things the same ter has had many coach- and organized,” Stotes, but Delifus was spe- ler’s mother said. “And I cial. learned from “She had their coachShawn very es when they young, and were young that my job he had a big influence on is to hand her,” Stotthem their ler’s mother water and said. “He to tell them they did a was a big tall guy, he good job.” Stotler was all into appreciates Star Wars and always her family’s support. channeling Yoda, She said and he reher parents are some of ally made her biggest an impres— Sara Stotler motivators sion on her when she is when she was little. She was so ex- in the water. cited when we ended up “My parents are alat Loggerhead Aquatics ways pushing me to be and she had Shawn as her better, and they always coach again. They had all motivate me and remind sorts of inside jokes, and me it’s going to be worth he was just one of those it,” she said. She also looks up to people that was inspirational for her.” her coaches and her two With her new coach- older siblings, who both es, Kyle Casias and Mark swam in high school and Corley, Stotler continues make sure to give their to pursue her dreams to younger sister lots of adswim at a Division I uni- vice. versity and make it to the “My siblings told me Olympic trials. to relax at meets because “For 2020 the Olympics are in Tokyo, and I high school is a lot about am trying to get Olympic having fun and meeting cuts for that,” she said. “If new people and just havI go to the Olympics, that ing great experiences,” would be great, but I will Stotler said. only be 16, so I will still be Now Stotler is getting young, so I’m really shootto pass down her own ing to make the Olympic wisdom to her younger trials.” brother who is 8 years Athletes have to hit old and beginning to disa certain cutoff time to cover his own passion for qualify for the trials, and swimming. as of now, Stotler is 1.2 “My little brother has seconds away from that started swimming too, cut off time. and he’s in year-round,” To turn her dreams Stotler said. “He’s always into a reality, Stotler asking me how to do flip keeps a tight schedule turns and how to do the and remains focused on butterfly, and I love gether sport. Her mom said ting in the water with him she refers to trips for and teaching him to do all swimming as “business that.” trips.”
“If I go to the Olympics that would be great, but I will only be 16, so I will still be young, so I’m really shooting to make the Olympic trials.”
Workout Break Push-Up/Knee Tuck With Gliders Start in the top of a plank position, with your arms straight and your hands wider than shoulder-width apart. Place your toes on gliders (or hand towels). Perform one push-up. Putting your weight onto the balls of your feet, pull your knees toward your chest, pausing when they are about three inches in front of your hips. Hold for one second and then slide your legs back out into the top of a plank. Do another push-up and repeat; keep going for 30-45 seconds.
In The Game | 37
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Shining Knights
RALLY FOR INCLUSION
Written by: Susannah Parmenter | Photography by: Laura Clary and Kaley Presnell
Creekside High School’s cheerleading team has a lot to shout about. The team recently won its first state championship, competed at the National High School Cheerleading Championship, and then performed at “The Swamp” during a Gators football game. However, as members of the team will tell you, one of the most rewarding aspects of being part of Creekside cheer is working with the “Shining Knights,” a program that pairs students with developmental and physical disabilities with varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders. The goal of the program is to form an inclusive team where everyone “shines.” Coach and Exceptional Student Education teacher Kaley Presnell said: “They learn all the cheers that the cheerleaders do at the football games and at the basketball games, and they cheer with their buddies from the JV or varsity teams. They cheer at the home football games and some of the basketball, baseball, and softball games. We try and be as active as we can, and it’s a very cool way for our students to be included.”
The fact that Shining Knights team members get to cheer on the sidelines during home games is unique to Creekside. It isn’t an additional squad; members all cheer together and all receive varsity letters and pins. The team got its start when former Creekside teacher Jamie Godfrey and her daughter, Taylar, had the idea to launch an initiative in which athletes with special needs could be included in team sports. Presnell and fellow Shining Knights coach and ESE teacher Stephanie Triay took over the team from Godfrey in 2015. “Stephanie and I are very passionate about people with disabilities, and we’re passionate about our students, and we want them to be as included as possible,” she said. “We want them to leave Creekside and feel like they were a part of the school. We really strive to mimic that typical high school experience that everybody else gets. We want our students to be able to go to the football games and cheer at the basketball games and wear Creekside letters.”
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