VYPE Kansas - NCK October 2024

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Salina Central’s Addison Renfro
McPherson’s Reese Elliott
Ell-Saline’s Garrison Zerger
Chapman’s Drew Elliott
Republic County’s Ellie Callaway
Minneapolis’ Hunter Milum

Salina Central’s Mallory Renfro

Three is better than one for Salina Central Tennis. The Mustangs have the rare combination of having triplets on the team.

Mallory, Claire and Addison Renfro have been really good for the Mustangs as they have all reached 100 wins throughout their career.

For Mallory Renfro, she and her sister Addison finished fifth place at state a season ago and are currently ranked number one in the state.

Renfro was introduced to Tennis at a young age.

“My dad introduced me to tennis at the early age of five,” Renfro said. “I started playing tournaments when I was around seven or eight.”

The senior and her sisters have always played tennis together which has come with their share of pros and cons.

“Some pros are that we get to practice together throughout the whole year and we help each other get better,” Renfro said. “Also playing against each other in practice helps build our competitiveness. The only con would be that some people get us confused since we look alike.”

Renfro who has took on a leadership role has all her sights set on finishing out her senior year especially with the good number of colleges she has to choose from thanks to her stellar play on the court and grades in the classroom.

Peabody-Burns’ Aiden Hurst

At the very young age one, PeabodyBurns’ Aiden Hurst fell in love with the outdoors.

“My dad started to take me fishing now that I was able to sort of learn how to do things,” Hurst said. “I may have not been very good at fishing when I started but I still loved being outside and spending time with my dad’s friends and my dad.”

A few years later, Hurst began to learn how to shoot a gun, which led to his love for hunting.

“I was around 4 years old when my dad’s friend Hupe bought me a BB gun,” Hurst said. “He also helped me learn how to be safe while using it.”

While he will fish anything that is biting, Hurst hunts plenty of game.

“When I’m outdoors, my favorite things to do are dove hunting, deer hunting, turkey hunting and fishing for anything that is biting at the time,” Hurst said. “The thing I find gratifying about being outdoors is that it’s so peaceful and it’s a perfect way to clear your head when you are stressed. It is also a great way to make memories with friends.”

The memories that Hurst has made will last a lifetime.

“The outdoors is something that provides me with memories and I would say memories are the most important thing in the world to me,” Hurst said. “The outdoors has provided me with the most memories and the most important memories.”

Lauren

PREP PERFORMANCE OF THE MONTH

Smith Clay Center

For her first three seasons of high school, Clay Center cross country runner Lauren Smith pushed herself as hard as she could.

Now dealing with an injury during her senior season, Smith is taking a different approach.

“I want to improve on listening to my body and learning to advocate for myself when things have become too much,” Smith said. “This summer I put too much on my plate which is why I am taking a step back now. If I could have gone back and told myself anything I would have told myself it is okay to take a break. Sometimes distance runners conform to a toxic mentality that more is better when taking that two-week break will benefit you more in the future.”

Last season, Clay Center took third at the state tournament and that was without one its top runners. With such a loaded team this season, Smith thinks this is the year the Tigers break through.

“I am most excited about watching my team flourish this season,” Smith said. “We have had all the assets as a team to be great, but this year it feels like we are finally putting the pieces together. I have been struggling with an injury and hope to be back to help contribute to the championship season, but even sitting on the sidelines watching my teammates excites me for what is to come”

Elley Paulsen McPherson High School

There have been a variety of injuries that has led McPherson’s Elley Paulsen to go to Advanced Physical Therapy.

From her ankle to her shoulder, Paulsen has depended on APT to provide her recovery from her injuries.

“I would recommend going to APT for any athlete because each person is very sweet and will talk with you through everything,” Paulsen said.

When it comes to her shoulder, a freak accident outside of volleyball caused the issue with her shoulder.

“I play volleyball and have overused it (my shoulder) and had many struggles with it,” Paulsen said. “Then while playing dodgeball, I threw a ball and it popped and went numb. I did a lot of strengthening

activities with resistance bands that seem to help a lot. For my shoulder I will go (to APT) for about a month and a half”

Six years ago, Paulsen went to APT for a different issue.

“I have gone to APT before for my ankles,” Paulsen said. “After my ankle surgeries about six years ago, for both of those I went to physical therapy for about two months.”

The way APT was able to lay out how Paulsen could effectively recover was impressive.

“Their mapping out of my treatment plan was giving me all of my appointment dates at the first appointment, while explaining the types of things I would be doing,” Paulsen said.

A 6-foot-1 guard from Derby, Kansas, Tyler Brown was Hutchinson Community College’s third-leading scorer in the 2019-20 season at 12.8 points per game. He shot 43 percent overall and was the Blue Dragons’ second-best three-point shooter at 36.4 percent, hitting 56 of 154 attempts. He was a 2020 AllJayhawk West Honorable Mention selection.

Playing sparingly through the first two-thirds of his freshman season, Brown joined the Blue Dragon starting line-up in Game 19 of the 2018-19 season and never left. Brown’s entry into the starting lineup sparks the Blue Dragons all the way to the Region VI Tournament Championship game.

In 65 games as a Blue Dragon, Brown averaged 8.8 points per game. He was a career 39.3 percent shooter from three-point range. His 92 career 3-pointers are the 16th most in Blue Dragon history. He ranks seventh in Blue Dragon history in 3-point percentage.

Brown signed a national letter of intent to play at Ivy League school Brown University. He was the second Blue Dragon to sign with an Ivy League school. The only other Blue Dragon to sign in the prestigious league is Rowdy Meeks, a member of the 1988 National Champion Blue Dragons, who signed with Cornell University.

Tyler Brown

Salina Central’s Addison Renfro

Addison Renfro is one of three standout sisters from Salina Central.

Mallory, Claire and Addison Renfro are triplets who will go down in history as some of the best tennis players in Salina Central history.

Renfro started playing at age five when her dad introduced all of them to the sport that they dedicated their whole life to.

“It has been great playing tennis with my sisters,” Renfro said. “We bring a lot of energy on the court and support each other on and off of it. We mesh well together and complement each other’s game really well. We know what each other are thinking and going to do and can anticipate each other’s moves on the court. Tennis is such a big sport in Kansas, and having the opportunity to compete in the state tournament means so much.”

The senior competes in doubles with her sister Mallory and has already amassed over 100 wins together including a 23-2 start to this season. Renfro has placed at State the last three years and has also won regionals the past three years as a team. Her and her sister Mallory also set the school record for the most wins with 37 a season ago.

Don’t be surprised when the Renfro’s come out on top and win a state championship this season.

SCOTT AUSHERMAN AMERICAN FAMILY ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Minneapolis’ Hunter Milum

The atmosphere of high school football is the most exciting thing for senior kicker Hunter Milum of Minneapolis.

Friday night lights, as some people call it, has all the feels, the popcorn and hotdogs from the concession stand and the bright lights shining on the field. The sense of community, that is what Milum loves the most about football season, how everyone comes together to watch the Lions play football.

To prepare for this season Milum continuously hit the weight room to get stronger and went to lots of kicking camps to improve on his specialty.

“I worked on kicking all summer by practicing at home as well as going to kicking specific camps in Omaha (Kohl’s & Kicking World), Lawrence (KU), and Manhattan (KSU), and I even made it to the National Kohl’s Scholarship camp in Gatlinburg in Tennessee,” Milum said.

Milum has also been wanting to specifically get better at point after touchdown attempts as well as kickoffs.

“Just getting the ball through the uprights and, for kickoff, getting the ball where the coaches want it, is my goal,” Milum said.

Having a good kicker is very vital for a team to win games and Milum last year made 24/29 of his PAT’s to help the Lions win games.

Milum is also team oriented in hoping that they can host some games this year in the playoffs and make it past the first round as well.

Wichita Collegiate Tennis

Wichita Collegiate head coach Simon Norman is a living legend in the state of Kansas whenever you mention high school tennis.

Norman has been coaching for 40 years which include high school for 25 of them with 22 being at Wichita Independent and the last three of them being at Wichita Collegiate where he took over for another living legend, Dave Hawley.

Norman is a tough coach who gets the best out of his athletes every day and has the resume to do so with over 40 individual state champions and 20-plus kids go

division one from his programs.

“(We want to) work hard and strive to improve,” Norman said. “Get better as a player and a person every day. If you do that, the results will take care of themselves.”

Because of the standard he has, Norman once again has some of the best girls in the state again.

“We just hosted the Tournament of Champions this past Saturday,” Norman said. “(There were) 96 players including three strong Blue Valley teams as well as a team from Missouri. Laney Conrad and Julia Herrman. Won both the Collegiate Classic

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and the Tournament of Champions which would be two of the toughest high school tournaments of the season.”

Seniors Conrad and Herrman are the twotime defending class 3-2-1A state doubles champions.

With a stacked team this year with seniors Langley Overman and Tatum Downing competing for that top doubles spot after a top 10 finish a season ago and junior Amelia Blackman looking to improve on her singles finish of fifth place at state, Norman has very high expectations for this team.

“(Our) motto is no excuses,” Norman said. “Your attitude will determine your altitude.”

Sylvan-Lucas Football’s Ben Labertew

After Wilson High School closed a year ago, Sylvan-Lucas head coach Ben Labertew inherited five juniors who would be first-timers in his program.

The Mustangs were 7-2 a season ago, and now, with an undefeated start to the season, Labertew and his senior class of six have been seeing everything pay off.

“Coach Labertew coaches with an intensity that makes everyone want to work hard all the time,” senior Cade Brokes said. “He is extremely ‘football smart’ and has a personality that commands respect from others. In turn, he shows his players the same respect, and that makes me want to work all the harder.”

It wasn’t always easy, though, for the transfers and the coaches.

“Changing schools at the beginning of my Junior year meant that I had to learn a whole new playbook and a whole new football program,” Brokes said. “It was also at a time that I was

an upperclassman and expected to show more leadership. The coaching staff and the other players were awesome and welcomed me and my other teammates right in and it has really made us a stronger and more competitive program.”

Labertew, who is in his 22nd year as head coach, has made sure they always play football his way, no matter who has been in his program.

“I’ve always enjoyed athletics and think they’re extremely important to culture within a school,” Labertew said. “Football strategy and game planning has always been one of my favorite parts of coaching.”

GETTING YOU BACK IN THE GAME.

It takes hard work, passion, and drive to do what you love. Sometimes it takes retraining your mind and body. At Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine, our comprehensive care includes education to prevent injuries, sports performance enhancement, and the healing and preservation of damaged joints through surgery and rehabilitation. When you’re sidelined by injury, our focus is getting you back in the game.

Claire Renfro is a senior tennis player from Salina Central who will go down as one of the best players in school history.

The best part about it for Renfro is she will be joined by her sisters Addison, and Mallory who are her triplets.

Renfro is a three time regional champion and state qualifier, a two time state medalist, a two time state runner up and a three time academic all-state student athlete who already has over 100 wins to her name.

“My personal goals for myself is to enjoy my senior year and enjoy the time with my teammates, while becoming the best I can be on the tennis court,” Renfro said.

The senior started playing tennis when she was five years old thanks to her dad putting them all in the sport that he loves.

Renfro is the one sister that doesn’t play with the other two for her doubles team but plays with senior Kinsley Foth who last season finished with over 30 wins as a doubles team before Foth suffered an unfortunate injury during the Regional final where she tore her ACL. This season though with Foth back, the pair are currently ranked second in the state with a record of 21-3 after a recent tournament championship against a class 6A dominated field.

The only problem with being the sister who doesn’t play with the other two is she occasionally goes up against them.

“Some pros of having my sisters play the same sport as me is that we get to help each other get better every day,” Renfro said. “The cons of this is oftentimes we have to play against each other in tournaments.”

Chapman’s Drew Elliott

From running competitively as a second grader, Chapman high school senior Drew Elliott is continuing to make his mark.

Elliot has qualified for state each year and has finished top 15th as well. Elliott finished 13th as a freshman, eighth as a sophomore and fourth as a junior and is hoping to continue improving that placing.

As Elliott looks to get better he continues training hard in the offseason in preparation for the season.

“I trained hard this summer. I increased my mileage and also focused on my diet regimen. I also bike weekly.” Elliott said. “I train with my teammates and also spend the summer training with Distance Inc, run by Huey Counts in Salina.”

Even though Elliot is focusing hard on getting better this year he is just as focused as soaking in every moment of his last year running high school cross country.

“I am excited to see what our team can do this year at regionals and state. And though I will be sad to run my last races as the season comes to a conclusion, I have really enjoyed cross country. The best thing is my teammates and all of the friends I have made in the running community,” Elliott said.

A goal of Elliott’s was to break the school record in the 5k and accomplished that the second week of the season, running a 15:55. This is the first of many records Elliott is looking to break, but it is not his first. Elliot last year during the track season broke the school record in the 800m 1600m and the 3200m.

Republic County’s Ellie Callaway

Republic County’s Ellie Callaway had one objective this cross country season.

“My goals for the season are to qualify for the state meet, not only as an individual but as a team,” Callaway said. “So I’m doing my best to hold my team accountable and help them achieve their goals.”

Callaway’s offseason was filled with a regimented schedule that helped her head into the season in peak condition.

“During the offseason I attended our schools summer weights program four days a week and trained four to six days each week,” Callaway said. “I had various types of workouts that ranged from short speed workouts to long runs.”

There were many facets to her running that Callaway wanted to improve on this season. “One thing that I want to focus on this year is improving my time and becoming a stronger runner along with increasing my endurance,”

Callaway said. “To accomplish these goals, I did many different types of workouts over the summer. I had lots of long runs, hill sprints, and many other tough workouts so that I can accomplish my goals during the season.”

So far, so good in 2024 for Callaway, as she has finished high in all the races she has ran in.

“During my first two meets of the season, I finished in the top 10, with a 3rd place at the Concordia Invitational and an eighth place finish amongst 132 runners at the Wamego Invitational.”

Ell-Saline’s Garrison Zerger

Ready for the big meets ahead, Ell-Saline’s senior Garrison Zerger is looking to improve on his fifth place finish last year at the state meet.

Zerger, who is comfortable with performing at big meets, is beyond excited to run Wamego, Rim Rock, Wild Wind Festival, and especially the state meet. Head coach Paige Goddard also praised Zerger when asked about the Ell-Saline’s senior leader.

“Garrison is a great kid in the classroom and as an athlete,” Goddard said.

Zerger, despite placing 5th at state last year, is still not satisfied and is hoping that his work this summer will help him

get to where he wants to go. Ell- Saline’s senior also understands that to get better you need to be pushed, so this summer he ran more miles than any other summer and ran with people who are better than him so he could continue to improve.

One thing Zerger struggles with is not finishing his races as hard as he would like, so he made that a focus for this summer.

“Upping my weekly mileage as well as incorporating longer strength training workouts,” Zerger said.

In hopes of continually getting better Zerger is wanting to set a personal best at almost every course this year so that he can be prepared to run a personal best at state and break into that top three spots.

Sports Card & Autograph Memorabilia

McPherson’s Reese Elliott

Senior Reese Elliott of Mcpherson is a clear example of hard work paying off.

Head golf coach Treg Fawl tells the story of how as a sophomore Elliott missed the state roster by one spot, being the seventh best player. At her first tournament she shot 72 for 9 holes. Fast forward to her junior season she shoots a career best of 84 for 18 holes and missed going to state individually by one stroke, but earning honorable mention 4A all-state honors.

“Her work ethic is a great example for the younger athletes.” Fawl said. “She is an amazing person and teammate.”

In golf, the short game is one of the main things that will help you improve and Elliott had that as a main focus for this season.

“I focus on short game, because while I’ve only been playing for a little over 2 years, improving this has been the thing that’s changed my game the most and where I’ve learned to shave off the most strokes,” Elliott said. “I worked to improve this area this summer by doing putting and chipping drills and working on those specific parts during my lessons and on the range with target practice with wedges.

Winning the most improved player award on

her team last year is giving Elliot even more motivation to reach her goal this year.

“This season a goal for me is to get my scoring average in the 80’s, compete in the state tournament, and earn postseason honors. For our team, we have already set 2 school records this year so further than that I really hope that we make it to day 2 of state as a team and finish our season on a high note,” Elliot said.

In non-school sports, nobody’s cheering for you. In high school sports, everybody is.

Nothing brings communities together like high school sports. Whether it’s playing a Friday night game in a sold-out gym or making a run at a conference championship, nothing compares to the thrill of wearing the uniform of your high school.

This message presented by the Kansas State High School Activities Association and the Kansas Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.
Kansas

McPherson’s Amelia Smith

The captain of the debate and forensics team is Amelia Smith, a senior at McPherson High School. Smith, above all this year, is focusing on and encouraging improvement and growth. Another goal for Smith this year is to win another state title. McPherson has held a long-standing tradition of excellence in debate and forensics and many state titles to their name. The final goal for Smith this season is to have fun. “Debate and forensics can be stressful, but by having a positive attitude and making things fun, not only will we be more productive, but we will have good team dynamic.”

Smith is really looking forward to State this year. McPherson’s debate and forensics team has a lot to be proud of. Last year the 4-speaker debate team placed first at state. During forensics, the team placed second.

To prepare for the season, Smith and her teammates spent time in the preseason researching and prepping for cases and competitions. Before school starts in the fall, the debate team hosts a debate camp, allowing the team time for research and a better understanding of the topic. It is also a great opportunity for team bonding, which is a highlight for Smith.

In addition to debate and forensics, Smith also has participated in band for four years, managed the girl’s swim team for two years, participated in International Club for three years, been a part of STUCCO and KAY Club for one year, and played basketball for one year. After graduation this coming spring, Smith plans to attend the University of Kansas to study pharmacy.

Dodge City High School

Hellas Construction recently made major updates to Memorial Stadium at Dodge City High School.

“The Hellas Team was transparent and organized,” Dodge City athletic director Jay Gifford. “We started with drawings that were approved by our BOE. The install team showed up on time and were on the job two weeks – finishing in time for us to also install a new track at the facility before we began playing games this fall.”

The Dodge City administration had a unique way to determine that Hellas was the best company to use for their renovations.

“Our district uses a scoring rubric to determine which company best fits our needs for our current project(s),” Gifford said. “Hellas scored strong in several areas: budget, customer service, past successful projects with the district, and quality of product.”

There were many reasons why Gifford thinks Hellas would fit the needs of most schools or

organizations.

“Hellas is an excellent product and team for many reasons,” Gifford said. “The customer service is excellent – and their product is high quality and easily accessible to schools in Kansas due to the number of schools in which they have installations. Also, their company has been around this area for several year – so you can find turf fields at various stages of usage/years – which is very helpful when trying to determine which company to use. Our district has been very pleased with Hellas at both our baseball, softball, and football facilities.”

HELLAS BUILDS FOR SPORTS FROM START TO FINISH

Hellas provides a complete scope of services for sports surfaces and amenities including manufacturing, design/build, construction, installation, service, and maintenance.

Beloit’s

Brooks Jones

The impact the SAFE program has had on Beloit High School is what means the most to president, Brooks Jones.

“It allows you to make a lasting difference in your school and community,” Jones said. “I’ve found that SAFE will enable you to be more involved and to learn the importance of being a good role model and working effectively with a group while making a lasting impact on those around you.”

The Beloit SAFE program puts on a variety of programs throughout the school year.

“One of the most important is seatbelt benchmarks, in which our SAFE members tally the percentage of patrons and students in our parking lot who were wearing their seatbelts and driving safely,” Jones said. “Another event our SAFE program participates in is a Christmas giveaway every year to the student body. With this activity, SAFE helps to sponsor a school-wide prize giveaway to the student body; prizes range from snacks to gaming systems.”

Not only does SAFE make an immediate impact on schools and communities, Jones thinks it will also leave a lasting impact on the students involved.

“If students are interested in joining SAFE, I encourage them to do so without hesitation,” Jones said. “Through SAFE, you not only have the opportunity to make a lasting difference in your school and community, but you also learn valuable skills that will prepare you for the future.”

Sacred Heart’s Bethany Campa

Sacred Heart’s cross country team has a stand out senior runner in Bethany Campa. When Vype Magazine asked Campa what goals are set for this season, Campa responded, “One of my biggest goals is to go back to state and win state as a team again!”

For Campa the last two years of cross country have been extra special because Campa’s little sister also runs for Sacred Heart. Campa always enjoys spending time with teammates and bonding time over the years. Another aspect of cross country Campa enjoys is the opportunity to improve time at each and every race.

Campa has given off season credit to Distance Inc and coach Huey Counts. “I’ve noticed a big change in my running effort and time when I do train with him!” With all this extra training, Campa and teammates hope to see a repeat of last season. “Last year my team and I were able to win state as a team.”

During Campa’s freshman and sophomore season, the team fell just short of winning and placed third at state. Junior year for Campa was by far the best season. Finishing the season off at state with a time of 22.04.

Not only does Campa run cross country, but Campa also is a cheerleader, on the dance team, plays basketball, and competes in track and field. Although Campa is currently undecided on which college to attend or if running will be in the future college scene, Campa wants to study radiology to become a Radiology Technician.

High School Students...

Physical Therapy Exercises for Hip Pain

Hip pain is common among all age groups and activity levels. A recent study shows hip pain injuries represent 28% to 45% of injuries in women and 49% to 55% in men. In fact, hip pain can be a debilitating issue that affects your daily activities, from walking and sitting to enjoying your favorite sports and hobbies. Whether caused by injury, overuse, or conditions like arthritis, hip pain can limit your mobility and reduce your quality of life. However, physical therapy exercises can be an effective way to alleviate discomfort and improve hip function.

In this blog, we’ll explore a variety of targeted exercises designed to strengthen the muscles around your hip, enhance flexibility, and promote healing. By incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can take significant steps toward managing and overcoming hip pain.

Common Causes of Hip Pain

The location of the hip pain can help determine the exact cause of your discomfort. Pain in the groin area can often signify a core muscle injury or a pelvic floor issue. Core injuries are usually the result of overusing or straining the muscles or soft tissues in the hip, groin, or abdomen during rigorous physical activity. Injuries like this can cause pain in the hip when the root problem could be somewhere else.

Another common hip condition that often develops with age is bursitis. Bursitis occurs when fluid-filled sacs surrounding and protecting your hip joint become irritated or inflamed. This condition results in pain that can be constant regardless of whether you move your hip or stay still.

Highly active individuals are prone to hip injuries or conditions like tendonitis or hip impingements. Tendonitis can occur when the tendons are strained or overused, especially when individuals participate in activities that involve repetitive motions. Hip impingements are also very common in highly active patients but typically develop at a younger age when intense physical activities cause a patient’s hip bones to develop improperly. Not only can this cause pain and loss of mobility, but it can also increase the risk of other hip conditions if left

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untreated.

Hip fractures are another common cause of severe hip pain and are often the result of a fall or a traumatic impact injury. The risk for hip fractures increases with age as the bones become more brittle and weaker. If left untreated, hip fractures can result in conditions like avascular necrosis, in which the blood supply to the hip bones decreases, resulting in bone tissue death. Discovering the cause of hip pain is the first step to recovery and finding solutions that work for you.

Request an Appointment

If you’re experiencing persistent hip pain, don’t ignore it. We are dedicated to helping you regain mobility and live a healthier, more active life. Schedule an appointment today and take the first step towards.

How a PT Can Help

Physical therapists play a crucial role in managing hip pain and getting to the root cause of the pain. Here’s how a PT can help:

• Personalized Exercise Programs: Physical therapists can design tailored exercise regimens for hip mobility and strengthening.

• Assess: Physical therapists can assess all areas of your hip and back and check for various limitations keeping you from doing things you love!

• Educate: Physical therapists can help educate you on your injury and pain and come up with proactive ways to avoid re-injury

To locate one of our 23 convenient locations visit or call: aptclinics.com · 8

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