GIRL POWER
Sat, 2016-03-05 15:19
News Staff
Six Lady Dawgs sign to play their respective collegiate sports
By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press
The worth of a student-athlete is often determined by their athletic prowess but, for the six Copperas Cove girls participating in a signing ceremony on Wednesday, it was about the complete package.
Volleyballers Katy Ranes, Jennifer Eubanks and Alexis Foret, along with powerlifters Danielle Garcia and Kelsey Wheadon and golfer Tyler Morrison all participated in a signing ceremony on Wednesday to their respective colleges and a common theme throughout the ceremony was academic excellence.
“Anytime we get an opportunity to highlight our student athletes, we think that’s a great time,” said Jack Welch, Copperas Cove ISD athletic director. “These girls are not only quality athletes, but quality students and quality community members.”
Junior Danielle Garcia will compete in her last high school powerlifting meets over the next few weeks as she competes at regionals and then on to state - not because she’s not competing as a senior but because her hard work over the summer is allowing her to graduate a year early to further her education and powerlifting career at the Division I University of Texas – San Antonio (UTSA).
“This was supposed to be my junior year but I’m graduating a year early so this is my senior year also,” said Garcia. “I’m a regional qualifier right now and all I have to do is lift a regionals and I’m a state qualifier.”
Garcia was drawn to UTSA for the powerlifting program but she was also impressed by the school itself.
“They have one of the best collegiate girls’ powerlifting programs,” she said. “And they are just a great campus, great school and great education so I though why not.
Family played a large role as well.
“It was really stressful deciding what school was the best for me,” said Garcia. “There was Texas A&M, UT and Angelo State where Kelsey Wheadon is going. UTSA just spoke to me considering I was from San Antonio. I can be around my family and do the sport I love at the same time.”
San Angelo State spoke to fellow powerlifter Wheadon.
“I really didn’t want to go to a big campus and their nursing program is really strong,“ she said. “I started doing more digging into it. When I found out they had a team, I contacted the coach and he was like, let’s do it. The next thing you know I’m signing and it’s an awesome feeling to be continuing on at the next level something you love so much.”
For Ranes, the No. 8 student out of 500 at Copperas Cove High School, academics played a huge role in her decision to play for Texas Women’s University in Denton.
“That played a lot into it,” said Ranes. “I was able to apply for a lot of academic money there too and that really helped out.”
The team and campus is what sold her though.
“I love the coaches, the team and everything about it,” she said. “It’s a college town so it was the perfect fit for me.”
An early visit felt right but return trips solidified her choice.
“We went to visit and it was really nice,” she said. “I kept in contact with them and had a couple more visits where I got to meet the team. I became more comfortable and it all worked out.”
Foret had to depend a little more on her offseason efforts as the senior was behind a talented slate of volleyballers on the high school team and couldn’t get much playing time.
She did, however, have her chance to shine during club volleyball and college camps and that’s where the No. 22 student at Cove found her new home at Macalaster College in Minnesota.
“It’s really amazing,” said Foret. “It was almost a shock that a coach really wanted me. I met her through a college camp through offseason and club. I did a lot of college camps where coaches come down and watch. They invited me to a camp and the coach was there and she saw me. She wanted to keep in contact with me and it progressed from there and I’m signing now.”
The native-Texan is a bit nervous to travel across the country after never leaving Texas but she is confident and excited about the opportunity.
“It’s kind of a shock,” she said. “I’m not used to being that far away. I’m an only child and I grew up in Texas all my life. Being that far away, I think I’m going to be homesick but I feel like I’m going to adjust quickly so I’m excited to experience new things.”
For Eubanks, it was also about academics. The psychology program at Northwestern Oklahoma interested her and the possibility of attaining her Master’s degree in five years was intriguing.
“The psychology program is great,” she said. “I can get my Master’s degree in five year and that drew me in. A lot of colleges contacted me but it was all about my major and what was more comfortable.”
Last but not least, Morrison saw an opportunity to grow as a golfer and that played a huge role in her decision to play for McLennan Community College in Waco.
“The beginning of my junior year I had a couple offers,” she said. “I really wasn’t sure where I wanted to go because I didn’t know how good I was going to get before my senior year. Last summer, McLennan came to me. They told me what they had to offer and what they could do to better me as golfer. I knew then that’s where I wanted to go for sure.”
Morrison has greatly improved over the offseason and head golf coach Ryan Youngblood attributes that to her work ethic.
“Tyler has spent the offseason working on her weaknesses and she has become one of the premiere players in Central Texas,” he said.
Morrison, in the midst of a breakout senior season on the links, is just glad the future is mapped out so she can focus on the present golf season.
“It gives me a lot of relief so I don’t have to be stressing about where I want to go to college,” she said. “I think now I can focus on my last year and finish really strong for golf.”
Being successful is something head volleyball coach Cari Lowery knows something about and to write your own ticket because of your work ethic is something to behold.
“It is quite an accomplishment to find something your good at in life,” she said. To find it early and be successful at it like all six of these young women right here. To get your education paid for because of the hard work you put into your sport is really an accomplishment.”
Sharing the moment with your friends and teammates just puts icing on the cake.
“It’s pretty cool,” said Garcia. “I really excited for them. They are such great athletes and it’s cool to share such a memorable moment with them.”