As Fall sports have wrapped up their seasons, The Linsly Line has two outstanding athletes to highlight for the month of November!
The Linsly Line November Female Athlete of the Month is Laura Carbonell Villegas. Laura is a senior this year, and has been a cadet since her junior year. At twelve years old, Laura started playing volleyball in Spain, which is where she is from. Immediately, she had a passion for the sport and has been playing ever since. With this being her final year playing for Linsly, Laura has made it her goal to be a leader and uplift her teammates. While she is sentimental, she continues to stay focused on improving and making the most of every opportunity. In her two years at Linsly, Laura has made many valuable memories, including winning the OVAC semifinals last year. She reflects on the season by acknowledging her growth and contribution to the team. She is grateful for her Linsly volleyball experience and teammates, crediting them with helping her gain confidence and communication skills, both on and off the court. Her love for the sport has helped her decide to continue playing in college. Next year, Laura plans to continue playing at a college in Florida after acquiring a volleyball scholarship. While she realizes the intensity of college athletics, her passion and goal-focused motivation will surely lead her to success. Congrats, Laura.
The Linsly Line November Male Athlete of the Month is Jakob Schmidt-Weigand. Jakob is a current senior at Linsly, and has ran for the cross country team since his sophomore year. In his three years as a cadet, Jakob has gained many fond memories from his coaches and teammates. Through the highs and lows of every season, Jakob has gained resilience, dedication, and responsibility. It is this mentality that earned him captaincy for his senior season. Seizing this opportunity, Jakob stepped into a new leadership position and made encouraging his teammates his main goal this season. Jakob believes that he has succeeded in making his final season memorable and enjoyable, seeing greater value in his connections made through the team than the sport itself. While Jakob has had significant success in terms of personal growth, he has also made great strides in record-setting and meet placement. In his junior year, Jakob broke the school record in the 5k. This season, he broke this record again, with an even better time than before being 16:09. Through these experiences, Jakob has gained many memories and lessons. A funny memory he has is pouring water on his coach, Ms. D’Aquila, after his last meet. Outside of athletics, Jakob spends his time hanging out with his friends in his dorm and engaging in other sports, either by watching or playing. Next year, Jakob plans to continue his education and a university in his home country, Germany. There, he will pursue his interests by studying physical therapy. His mentality and resilience will surely benefit him in these next steps. Congratulations to Jakob and the cross country team on their season!
Good luck to these two standout athletes as they further their education in college!
By May Devine
