The Charlotte Latin community came together to celebrate the athletic journeys and collegiate commitments of seven Hawks this morning. In the second of three collegiate athletic commitment events the Athletics Department holds every school year, four sports and six different teams were represented by the honorees. Family, friends, coaches, teachers, and other supporters packed the Black Box to hear a bit about what these student-athletes love most about their primary sport, their impact on CLS athletics, and the thought process behind their collegiate selections. They join
three Hawks who were recognized for their collegiate commitments in November, and a final set of student-athletes will be celebrated in April. Congratulations to Ella, Sam, Tyler, Sean, Devin, Helen, and Mary Cate, as well as their families and the coaches that helped them along the way!
Click here for photos of the event.Â
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill - SoccerÂ
The spring season coming up will be my first opportunity to coach Ella, but I've been lucky enough to know her since she was in the sixth grade. Ella's soccer career began because she coveted her older brother, Kyle's, soccer uniform and she was determined to have one of her own. She's been playing ever since, and says her favorite thing about soccer is the competitive aspect of the game. She loves competing against others, and herself, by setting goals and working hard to attain them. Although she's a two-time All-Conference and All-State honoree, and last spring's CISAA Player of the Year, what I admire most about Ella is her consistency. Her consistency in attitude, leadership, and effort speaks volumes about her character and will serve her well at the next level.
Â
Ella comes from a family of Tar Heels, so it was natural for her be drawn to Chapel Hill. She says she realizes that the opportunity to get an outstanding education while playing with a soccer team of the highest caliber will push her harder than she's ever been pushed…and that's exactly what she craves. We can't wait to see all that Ella will accomplish as she follows the family tradition and heads to UNC Chapel Hill next year.
Â
Congratulations Ella!
Hampden-Sydney College - Football
Like Ella, Sam was drawn to his sport by watching older siblings – and cousins. He started playing at 9 years old, and says he immediately enjoyed the physicality and free expression it provided. He also loved being able to run past people without being touched, dusting his opponents and earning his Sam-too-shifty nickname. As a three-year starter for Latin, Sam scored touchdowns in every way possible: running, receiving, and returning…but his impact on the team extended far beyond big plays. Sam is a mentor to younger players, he models hard work and dedication, and he truly loves his teammates.
Â
That connection is what Sam was looking for at the next level, and he feels he found a place where the brotherhood is evident and the energy is electrifying. Sam is a smart guy, and he recognizes that football is just one part of life – having a top-tier education and being surrounded by a winning culture on and off the field are important to him. We will miss Sam, but look forward to seeing him continue working to be great as a Tiger at Hampden-Sydney College.  Congratulations Sam!
Â
Furman University - FootballÂ
He's currently playing basketball, and he'll run track in the spring, but his collegiate commitment is for football. The sport didn't make a great first impression on Tyler, who started playing in fifth grade and immediately hated it. He didn't play much, and when he did, he didn't like getting hit. What he did enjoy was catching drills, so when he got the opportunity to play receiver in Middle School, he found his passion for the gridiron. As a senior, Tyler was a veteran starter and a captain for the Hawks. He played all-out in every play, in every game, scoring on long touchdown receptions, intercepting passes, and pancaking defenders.
Â
When Tyler was considering his options for college, he took a visit to Greenville, South Carolina, and immediately fell in love with the campus and the athletic facilities. He was impressed by the coaching staff and their interest in learning about the person behind the player, including his family, and the details they shared about how Tyler could make an impact in their program. While we will definitely miss the big-play moments, the gritty toughness, and the ability to make others better that Tyler brought to our program, we can't wait to see him shine at the next level as he heads to Furman University next year. Â Â
Â
Congratulations Tyler!
United States Naval Academy - Basketball
Sean's basketball journey began when he was six years old. He was a multi-sport kid back then, playing baseball and soccer as well. As he started to grow, he felt the most natural on the court, and he started to dedicate himself to improving his skills every day. His dad is a former player and gave Sean tips to help him elevate his game. The thing Sean loves most about the sport is actually the process of becoming a better player – putting in the work when no one is watching and then having that work show up in games. For the Hawks, Sean's ability to play outside or inside the paint make him a complete player, but it's his hard work, his tenacity, and his smile and sense of humor that make him a beloved teammate.
Â
Back in September, Sean had the opportunity to visit Annapolis and sit in on some classes related to cyber security, which is the field he is interested in studying, and heard first-hand from the professors about the career opportunities available after graduation. He also had conversations with the coaches, watched basketball practices, and enjoyed spending time with the team. He left feeling like he'd found a future home that would help him excel in all areas of life and made the decision to commit to the United States Naval Academy after graduation. Congratulations Sean!
New York University - Soccer
When he was only four years old, Devin was introduced to soccer. He says his parents wanted to expose him to every sport, so played a lot of different things growing up, but soccer was always his favorite. He took pride in being the best juggler and had a lot of fun playing in 3v3 tournaments with his friends. Fast forward to Devin's freshman year at Latin. I was actually coaching against him in the first game of that season and recognized his incredible talent as the opposing coach. Devin's skill on and off the ball, his understanding of the game, and his presence on the field have earned him well-deserved recognition. Coaching him again as a senior allowed me to get to know the incredible young man that Devin has grown into.
Â
A long-time goal of Devin's has been to attend an elite academic institution while playing for a competitive soccer program, and he thinks he found the perfect fit in downtown Manhattan, the financial capital of the world. With an interest in studying finance, Devin found the setting very appealing and he says that meeting the coaching staff and current players made him feel right at home. He'll be trading his Latin blue for NYU purple as he heads to New York University next year.
Â
Congratulations Devin!
Williams College - Cross Country and Track & Field
For those that know Helen, it will not come as a surprise that Helen's motivation for joining the cross country team her freshman year was not because she thought she had a knack for running, but because she was looking for a way to make new friends in what she describes as the "terrifying maze of Upper School life." She achieved that goal, and so much more. It seems insufficient to describe her senior season as a breakthrough year, but Helen progressed from a junior year-best of 20:28 to a perfectly-executed 18:35 at the conference championship to win the individual title and lead her fellow Hawks to a girls' team win. In spite of that success, Helen says what she enjoys most about cross country is the support, love, and acceptance found in her teammates and coaches, the thrill of pushing past her own preconceived limits, and spending time in nature.
Â
Helen is a very thoughtful student-athlete, and she can provide a very specific, detailed list of all of the attributes that played a factor in her college decision. To sum it up, a unique academic calendar, a joint study abroad program at Oxford University, a commitment to the arts, and a small-town environment surrounded by mountains all played a role. We have no doubt that Helen will make even more new friends as she heads north to Massachusetts and immerses herself in all that Williams College has to offer.
Â
Congratulations Helen!
Colorado College - Cross Country and Track & Field
Mary Cate began running cross country and track in sixth grade and clearly found her passion. She says she loves the ability running has to develop deep relationships rooted in the joy and discomfort that define the sport, and that it's given her her best friends, her happiest moments, and some of the most important lessons of her life. As a competitor for the Hawks, Mary Cate has done it all. An All-Conference and All-State athlete, she is toughness personified and will do whatever it takes to help her team.
Â
When Mary Cate started looking at schools, she took a visit to what she knew to be a small, outdoorsy school at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Their academic structure, and of course the setting, were very appealing, but it was an impromptu practice that sealed the deal. Mary Cate had asked the coach about the team culture, and his response was to invite her to join them on a run. She did, and that was all it took. The first school she visited turned out to be the only one she applied to, and we couldn't be happier to announce that Mary Cate will be moving west to compete for Colorado College next year.
Â
Congratulations Mary Cate!
Â
Â
