The Next Generation of Athletes

BY SAVANNAH HICKS ’23

Each project uniquely relates to each senior and shares something about their passions, thoughts, and heart. Five of this year’s Capstone projects centered around serving the Trinity community, specifically through athletics. Each of these seniors has had a long-time connection to Trinity athletics, and they used their Capstone as an opportunity to give back.

The Trinity community benefits greatly when older students offer their talents and time to pour into younger students. When asked about these Capstones, Sophie Smith, Trinity’s Athletic Director, said, “It’s been wonderful to see these student-athletes share their gifts and talents with our community. They’ve laid strong founda- tions for other students to build on in future years, have made a distinct impact, and have left a fruitful legacy through all of their initiatives. All of them are uniquely gifted, and we are so thankful for their time and efforts for Trinity athletics this year.”

Turner Merritt created Trinity’s first Indoor Track team for his Capstone.

Students who are interested in running at Trinity have the opportunity to participate in cross-country and track & field in the fall and spring, but there is nothing for them during the winter season. Turner’s Capstone gave these athletes the opportunity to compete as well as to stay in shape for the upcoming season. Indoor track is very popular in our area, so the team traveled many times to Winston-Salem to compete and were able to experience running with many other athletes. The Indoor Track team was a great gateway to a successful track season, and it will hopefully be continued for many years to come.

Emma Johnson worked this spring with the Middle School Boys Tennis team as an assistant coach. She is an accomplished tennis player, with two State Championship titles to her name, and she has spent a lot of time on the courts. Being with the Middle School boys has allowed her to use her skills to help the next generation of Trinity tennis players hone theirs.

Elise spent the first semester of this year teaching tae kwon do to Trinity’s P.E. classes, ranging from kindergarten to eighth grade. Being with the younger kids and sharing her skills was a full-circle moment for her, since she remembers being in P.E. class at Trinity when she was young. Not only was Elise able to share her passion with her fellow Trinity students, but they also relished the opportunity to learn new skills, including break boards!

Sophie Smith, Athletics Director

Cole Kaminski shared his love of basketball by serving as an assistant coach for the Middle School Boys Blue Basketball team.

Cole has always had a love of playing and watching basketball, and coaching allowed him to experience the other side of the sport. Cole says, “I made sure that the kids knew that I wasn’t just their coach, but that I was also their older brother, someone that they could reach out to if they ever were in trouble or needed advice.”

The boys were excited to have Cole not only as a coach, but also as a friend who cared for them and wanted to see them succeed as players and as people. He hopes to continue building relationships through youth basketball, and his Capstone was one part of this goal.

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For their Capstones, Holly Copeland and Ava Miller put on a wonderful Get Active event that centered around building inclusivity in sports.

Kids from Trinity and the community in grades K–5 had the chance to try many sports, including pickleball, gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, and track & field at Get Active. Not only did the event promote staying active and healthy, but it also emphasized serving others and engaging with the community around us by bringing members of Reality Ministries and GiGi’s Playhouse to the event. Get Active allowed Holly and Ava to promote service and bring the community together through athletics.The event was a huge success—one second grader asked Ava if Get Active would continue in the coming years!

SAVANNAH HICKS is a senior at Trinity. She enjoys running cross-country and track and serving on the Student-Athlete Leadership Team and Worship Planning team, as well as enjoying the arts. Outside of school, Savannah enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, and being outdoors.