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State
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State CIF Office 1320 Harbor Bay Parkway, Suite 140, Alameda, CA 94502-6578
Phone: 510.521.4447 Fax:
510.521.4449
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Emmy Zack, Director of Communications
Date: Monday, May 28, 2007 [email protected]
BARTHEL AND FINLAYSON SELECTED 2007 CIF
SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
The scholarship award, established in 1982, recognizes
student-athletes who excel in the classroom, in
athletics and are strong contributors to their schools
and communities.
Both
students will be honored at the State Capitol and on the Senate and Assembly
Floors in
on
Thursday, June 21. In addition, they will receive a $2,000 award. Nominations
for this prestigious award
were
received from the 1,431 high schools that make up the CIF membership.
“I am
constantly encouraged by the young people in our schools and our two
scholar-athletes are
another
reaffirmation of the great potential the future holds,” said CIF
Executive Director Marie M. Ishida.
“I wish to personally congratulate
all the nominees. We, once again, had an excellent group of
scholar-athletes.”
NATASHA BARTHEL, Saint Francis (Mountain View
Barthel has been
a four-year member of the varsity track and field team. She boasts a 4.28
weighted
grade-point average, and has signed a
National Letter of Intent to compete as a pole vaulter at
University
in the fall.
She has been
recognized by the San Jose Mercury News as one of the Vertical Jumper of
the Year
and Athlete of the Week by the
as an
outstanding scholar/singer/athlete. As a junior, she set the league record with
a pole vault
of
12’10”. Barthel has twice placed at the state championships,
including a third place finish a year ago
and a
seventh place showing as a sophomore.
She is a third
degree junior black belt in Shorinji Ryu Karate and teaches the sport to youth
students.
She also has volunteered at pole vault camps as well as volunteering with such
activities as
working with the elderly, serving food to economically disadvantaged people and
teaching
Spanish to
middle school students.
-- more --
2007 CIF
Scholar-Athlete
2-2-2
A self-proclaimed
“science nerd,” Barthel is a member of the Science and Engineering
Club and
was
selected to the Santa Clara University Summer Engineering Seminar. In addition,
she is a member
of the
Chamber Choir and Spirit Commission. She has sung the national anthem at
numerous sporting
events and
also served at the school’s Open House for prospective freshmen and their
families.
Barthel intends
to major in Mathematics or Physics with career goals of being a Sports Medicine
Doctor,
Research Physicist and Theorist or a College Professor.
“Natasha is
the quintessential honor student with a passion for learning that makes her
totally
self-motivated and driven to perfection. She flows easily among groups of
students, as
comfortable with the chamber choir as the
spirit club, and equally as conversant with her
peers as
with her teachers. Natasha listens carefully to her mentors and friends, she
motivates
by
generously acknowledging their talents, she includes all people in her universe
and she treats
everyone
she encounters with respect and honor,” said Patricia Tennant, Saint Francis
High School Principal.
q
GPA: 4.28 (weighted)
q
SAT: 2160
q
Will Attend:
q
Career Interests: Sports
Medicine Doctor, Research Physicist and Theorist, College Professor
q
College Major:
Mathematics, Physics
q
Primary Sport: Track and
Field (pole vault)
q
Community Service: Teaches
karate and Spanish to youth students; Worked at
q
Pole Vault Camp
teaching high school students; Assisted the elderly and served food to the
q
economically
disadvantaged.
q
Activities: Third Degree Junior
Black Belt in Shorinji Ryu Karate; Science and
q
Engineering Club
member and on board of directors; Spirit Commission Member,
q
National Anthem singer at numerous school athletic events;
California All-State, Coastal
q
Region and
q
Math Team member; Mock Trial Lead Prosecuting Attorney.
q
Awards: Four-year
Scholar Athlete; National Honor Society; California Honor Society;
q
Who’s Who Among American High School Students;
Department Award for US History
q
and Calculus;
Honorable Mention in D.I.E.T. poetry contest; Featured in Campbell Reporter
q
as outstanding scholar/athlete/singer.
q
Athletics (Track and Field): Four-year
varsity pole vaulter; Two-time state pole vault
q
finalist, with third and seventh place finishes; 2005 CCS
Pole Vault Champion and
q
Section runner-up one year later; Captain of track team as a
senior; Three-time league
q
champion; Cleared 13’ at league finals in 2007 to set
school record and rank 11th
q
all-time in the state.
-- more --
2007 CIF Scholar-Athlete
3-3-3
Barthel Essay:
“Words of Wisdom Ring True”
Sullen
and angry, I shoved my pole inside its tube and slammed into my track chair,
kicking off my spikes. My training
shoes felt comfortable on my sore feet as I looked
down the runway at the bar still lying on
the pit. I had just eliminated myself from the
CIF State Track and Field Pole Vault
Championship by failing to clear 12 feet, a
height well within my ability. I
wanted to run off the field and release my bitterness
at my failure. As I flicked my head
back up to look at my coach, I saw my training
partner having trouble communicating
with him.
At
the same moment, I remembered my karate sensei telling me that it did not
matter if I won or lost, but how
graciously I competed. His words rang clear in
my head as I got up from my chair and
helped my training partner communicate
with our coach, cheering as she
cleared a personal record height.
A
year later, my coach, Mr. Tuite, gave me the key to the track shed that houses
more than $50,000 worth of pole vault and
track equipment. He told me I could
use the shed whenever I needed. In
the mornings, I use the shed to store my poles
so they are safe while I am in school.
This convenience for me is an act of trust
and respect by my coach. I realize my
sportsmanship and responsibility on the field
impressed my coaches enough to trust me
with this key.
As
an elite high school pole vaulter, my training consumes much of my time,
leaving precious little time to
finish homework and making me do my best work
in a shorter time. Despite the
obstacles, I am ranked in the top 10 of my class and
have gained respect from my teachers
who allow me the freedom to ask for
extensions or help if ever needed.
When
my grandfather died this past November, my teacher, understanding
the importance of my grandfather,
graciously allowed me to turn in my paper
a few days later. My performance in the
classroom, as well as on the field, affects
the respect I am shown by my teachers
and my peers.
However, the most important aspect of
being a student-athlete is not performance
in the classroom or tough competitions,
but in helping and encouraging every
athlete that tries hard every day
whether they are successful or not. This past year,
I volunteered to coach at a pole vault
camp initially to earn community service
hours; I never thought I would actually
coach beginner vaulters to small successes
and learn the value of effort. Each vaulter listened to the comments I made and
tried to implement my corrections each
time they ran down the runway.
Every vaulter
deserves respect for the effort they make on the track. I realized
from my time coaching that many vaulters look up to me as an inspiration to
jump higher. Thus, I think of my
sensei’s words everyday at practice to remind
myself of the importance of hard work
along with respect for the game and
respect for other athletes.
-- more --
2007 CIF Scholar-Athlete
4-4-4
SAM FINLAYSON, San
Ramon Valley
(Danville
Finlayson has been a four-year member of both
the water polo and swim teams
at San Ramon Valley High School and ranks in the
top 1% in his class with a
4.39 weighted grade-point average. He will
participate in water polo at
University in the fall.
He
is a two-time water polo All-American and has been team captain and
MVP as many times. He’s been recognized
on the first team by the Contra Costa
Times and Tri-Valley
Herald and a three-time All-North Coast Section selection.
He has qualified for numerous NCS
championships in breaststroke, freestyle
and freestyle relay. As a senior, he led the
water polo team to a league championship
and an undefeated 12-0 season.
He
is heavily involved in his Church Youth Group Leadership and Service
where he wrote an orientation/training book
that is used in congregations around
the country. He serves as an
inspirational speaker for church services and
conferences and also is a volunteer academic
tutor and athletic coach. Finlayson’s
commitment to the Boy Scouts has resulted in
reaching Eagle Scout. He has
contributed hundreds of hours of
community service in such activities as gardening
and landscaping; visiting seniors and
hospitals and collecting and delivering goods
to those less fortunate.
Finlayson
is a member of the school’s Concert Choir and a first chair alto
saxophone player in the Symphonic Band. He is
a National Merit Finalist and
member of the National Honor Society and
California Scholastic Federation. In
addition, he is a national winner of the
Wendy’s High School Heisman Award
and a national finalist in the Coca-Cola
Scholars Foundation and the Intel International
Science and Engineering Fair.
Finlayson
plans to major in bio-medical engineering with a goal of becoming a
medical doctor who participates in the
collaborative use of advances in biology,
physics and engineering technologies to
create and develop new treatments and
medical devices.
“Sam
epitomizes the definition of being a ‘coachable’ athlete due to his
strong
leadership skills, dedication, determination, work ethic and his immense
loyalty and pride to his teammates,
program and high school. He is that player
who you point to in your program as
“The Example” of how to do things right
for his peers to follow and for younger
players to emulate both in and out of
the pool. Sam proved to be an exceptional
leader and gained the trust and
support of
his teammates through his knowledge and understanding of the
game. His greatest attribute as a leader,
though, was his ability to lead by
setting the
right example for all to follow,” said Matthew Mundelius, San Ramon
q
GPA: 4.39 (weighted)
q
SAT: 2220
q
Will Attend:
--
more --
2007 CIF Scholar-Athlete
5-5-5
q
Career Interest: Medical Doctor (participation in the
collaborative use of
q
advances
in biology, physics and engineering technologies to create and develop
q
new
treatments and medical devices.)
q
College Major: Bio-Medical Engineering
q
Primary Sport: Water Polo
q
Also Competed In: Swimming
q
Community Service: Church Youth Group Leadership and Service,
Boy
q
Scouts of
q
Tutor
and Athletic Coach; Collecting and Delivering Goods to Various
q
Groups;
Visiting Hospitals and
q
Painting
and Gardening Projects
q
Activities: Concert Choir; Chamber Singers; 1st
Chair Alto Sax in
q
Symphonic
Band and Jazz Band; National Honor Society;
q
Federation;
Involved with Various Water Polo Clubs
q
Awards: National Winner of Wendy’s High School
Heisman Award;
q
National
Scholar Finalist for Coco-Cola Scholars Foundation; Finalist for
q
Intel International Science &
Engineering Fair; Eagle Scout with Boy Scouts
q
of
q
Ohleyer
Memorial Award for outstanding Bay Area scholar-athlete; Recipient
q
of Numerous NCS Scholar-Athlete Awards
q
Athletics (Water Polo): Two-time All-America Selection; Two-time Team
q
Captain and
MVP; Three-time All-NCS honoree; League MVP as a senior and
q
First-team selection by Contra Costa Times and Tri-Valley Herald. Led
q
team to
undefeated senior season and semifinals of Section championships.
q
Athletics (Swimming): Multiple League
Finalist and NCS Championship
q
Qualifier in 100 Breaststroke, 200
Freestyle and 200 Freestyle Relay;
q
Two-time
Team Captain; Recipient of Coach’s Award for Leadership and
q
Dedication;
Three-time selection as school’s Athlete of the Month.
Finlayson
Essay: “Athletic
Participation Has Taught Me…”
I first began swimming as a form of physical
therapy to overcome the effects
of a debilitating childhood illness. Gradually, the dedication and discipline that
swimming requires not only enabled me to progress in health and skill, but also carried
over to inspire diligence in every aspect of my life. Swimming also introduced
me to water polo. Water polo forced me to develop strength and endurance, while
requiring me to remain quick and agile, both physically and mentally.
--
more --
2007 CIF Scholar-Athlete
6-6-6
But what has been the most meaningful to me in my sports experience was not
becoming skilled and strong, or even developing a great work ethic, but the
additional opportunities athletics have afforded me to learn about the importance of
service, integrity, sportsmanship and respect.
During my high school career, I was privileged to watch as my coaches, who
worked full-time jobs during the day, sacrificed what would have been their little
free time so that they could make our early morning and late night practices, enabling
them to serve the youth of their community by sharing the sports they love, and in
turn, strengthening my desire to serve others as well.
I witnessed teammates demonstrate complete integrity by deciding to swim
every yard of the thousands required each practice when it would have been easy
to cheat on a few, and saw others decide not to argue with a referee after a
questionable call, reinforcing my desire to hold myself to the same high
standards of sportsmanship and honesty, not just in the poll but also in the classroom
and community.
Athletics also helped me learn about leadership, allowing me to discover
that being a leader does not always mean being in charge, but often means
simply setting an example of behavior worth following, or encouraging someone
to develop potential they did not know they had.
I feel grateful to have learned that sports are more about character than
winning. For when I reflect upon my high school experience, I realize that
what I will miss the most next year is not wins or statistics, but the camaraderie
of my fellow athletes – not just my teammates’, but my opponents’ as well. For
though we often met in battle (and if you’ve ever seen a polo game, you know
that battle can be quite intense), over the years we developed a respect and
admiration for each other that surpassed and outlasted our feelings of rivalry.
I am grateful to the CIF North Coast Section for fostering an environment
of fair play where, in the end, opponents admire one another despite team
affiliation or difference. It seems to me that if coupled with the work ethic,
desire to serve others and integrity I have learned from sports, I am able to take
with me, out into the world, the ability to respect and find the best in those
different from me, even those with opposing views, then I will be well equipped
to meet and make the most of life’s challenges and opportunities.
--
more --
2007 CIF Scholar-Athlete
7-7-7
Previous CIF Scholar-Athletes of the Year |
||
|
Athlete |
High School |
Year |
|
Kim Donaldson |
|
1982 |
|
David Bernard |
Van Nuys |
1982 |
|
Cheryl Burditt |
|
1983 |
|
Michael J. Smith |
|
1983 |
|
Amy Torczon |
Taft |
1984 |
|
Michael G. Kerkorian |
San Joaquin Memorial |
1984 |
|
Kari E. Christensen |
Pleasant Valley |
1985 |
|
John J. McGrory |
|
1985 |
|
Sara Rose Lillevand |
Bishop O’Dowd |
1986 |
|
Todd Gregory French |
Canyon |
1986 |
|
Mary Katherine Cook |
|
1987 |
|
Paul S. Chan |
San Dieguito |
1987 |
|
Amy Lightner |
Point Loma |
1988 |
|
Todd Forman |
|
1988 |
|
Joy Jackson |
|
1989 |
|
Caleb Roope |
|
1989 |
|
Kathleeen A.
Hannon |
|
1990 |
|
Robert Bud Price |
Saddleback |
1990 |
|
Erin Pyka |
|
1991 |
|
Greg Siwek |
Monte Vista, |
1991 |
|
Michele Wagner |
|
1992 |
|
Terry Mann |
Sunny Hills |
1992 |
|
Betty Ann Boeving |
Monte Vista, |
1993 |
|
Steven Park |
|
1993 |
|
Lowen Cattolico |
Leigh |
1994 |
|
Bret Mobley |
Campolindo |
1994 |
|
Susie Erpelding |
|
1995 |
|
Tom Chalberg |
Campolindo |
1995 |
|
Susan Rey |
Gunn |
1996 |
|
Nathaniel Merrill |
|
1996 |
|
Cathleen Sullivan |
|
1997 |
|
Brady Beaubien |
|
1997 |
|
Ester Gurrola |
Fillmore |
1998 |
|
Jeffrey Hick |
|
1998 |
|
Samantha Piper |
|
1999 |
|
Andrew Hill |
|
1999 |
|
Rebecca Herhold |
Archbishop Mitty |
2000 |
|
Evan Fox |
West Hills |
2000 |
|
Sara Bei |
|
2001 |
|
Brett Ormsby |
Vallhalla |
2001 |
|
Scotti Nicole
Shafer |
|
2002 |
|
Shay Murphy |
Los Alamitos |
2002 |
|
Meredith McColl |
|
2003 |
|
Barry Fischer |
Campolindo, |
2003 |
|
Whitney Johnson |
|
2004 |
|
Daniel Beal |
Dos |
2004 |
|
Heather West |
|
2005 |
|
Ryan King |
Christian Brothers, |
2005 |
|
Kelly Eaton |
Menlo-Atherton, Atherton |
2006 |
|
Michael Coe |
Cabrillo, |
2006 |
|
Natasha Barthel |
Saint Francis, |
2007 |
|
Sam Finlayson |
|
2007 |
-- CIF --