North Oaks Sports Medicine Recognizes March Student-Athletes
- Category: In The News
- Posted On:
- Written By: Laura Hanzo
North Oaks Sports Medicine athletic trainers teamed up with North Oaks Physician Group orthopedic surgeons to select Gabe Garcia, Taylor Kinnison, William Rogers and Nicole Colclough as Student-Athletes of the Month for March.
Gabe Garcia is a senior at Ponchatoula High School. He has played the position of guard for 4 years on the basketball team and is now the senior team captain. Garcia leads the team with an average of 8 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists per game.
“Gabe leads by example. He coaches the younger players to do the right thing on and off the court,” shares Tom Taylor, head basketball coach.
From left are Ponchatoula High School Principal Daniel Strickland, Ponchatoula High School Basketball Coach Tom Taylor, Gabe Garcia, North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Jonathan Gantt and North Oaks Sports Medicine Supervisor Jeff Schmitt.
Taylor Kinnison, 17, is a senior at St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Catholic High School and is an academic all-state player for the basketball and tennis teams.
Kinnison also is a member of the Student Council, Beta Club, National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Light Team and Ambassadors. She is a sports medicine student and maintains a 4.0 GPA.
“Taylor is having a very successful season,” asserts Athletic Director John White. “She is a very hardworking student who displays leadership on and off the court and in her community. She is an extremely positive individual and constantly strives for perfection.”
From left are St. Thomas Tennis Coach Grace Gamble, St. Thomas Principal Jose Becerra, Taylor Kinnison, North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Vanessa Taromina, St. Thomas Athletic Director John White and North Oaks Sports Medicine Supervisor Jeff Schmitt.
William Rogers is an 18-year-old senior at Springfield High School. He is a guard and defensive tackle on the Bulldogs football team and a pitcher and first baseman for the baseball team.
He has earned honorable mention in district baseball, and this season for the Bulldogs, he has pitched 13 innings and holds a 1-1 record with 2 saves and 2 opportunities. He had 7 strikeouts with a 4.12 ERA.
Rogers maintains a 4.2 GPA and is recognized as the First Team All-District and All-Parish Guard and Second Team All-State Guard. An honors student, he belongs to the Beta Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes and serves as senior class president of the Student Government Association.
“Will is able to both play sports and make great grades,” notes Certified Athletic Trainer Mandy Trepagnier. “He helps tutor his teammates in math and other subjects.”
William also is captain of the football team and active in his church youth group.
From left are Springfield High School Head Baseball Coach John Pace, North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Mandy Trepagnier, William Rogers and North Oaks Sports Medicine Supervisor Jeff Schmitt.
Nicole Colclough, 17, is a senior at Doyle High School, where she has been a softball utility player for the past 4 years. Colclough maintains a 3.0 GPA and is recognized as a First Team All-District Third Baseman and Second Team All-Parish Infielder.
Her junior year batting average was .435 and district batting average was .538. She hit 2 home runs, 15 RBIs and 33 hits. Now in her senior year, she has hit one home run and bats at an average of .325.
“Nicole is a very special player on our team,” affirms Amanda Decell, head softball coach. “Whether it’s practice or a game, Nicole loves being on the field every day. She always has a positive attitude and is constantly trying to improve in some aspect of the game. It’s wonderful to have a senior who is such a positive role model for the other players. It really makes my job easier as a coach.”
Nicole, who credits her future success in softball to her hard work on the field and in the classroom, has signed with Lamar University in Beaumont, Tex.
From left are Doyle High School Head Softball Coach Amanda Decell, Nicole Colclough, North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Matt Stumpf and North Oaks Sports Medicine Supervisor Jeff Schmitt.
From August to April, North Oaks Sports Medicine staff and North Oaks Orthopaedic Specialty Center doctors will choose a male and a female student-athlete from both Tangipahoa and Livingston Parishes as “Student-Athletes of the Month.”
Nominations are accepted from coaches, athletic directors and principals. Athletes must:
• excel in athletic competition
• have a 3.0 grade point average or higher
• participate in school/community organizations
• respect coaches, teammates, officials, teachers and their peers.
In May, North Oaks Sports Medicine Staff will select a “Student-Athlete of the Year” from all monthly honorees.
Nomination forms are available here or can be requested by calling North Oaks Sports Medicine at (985) 230-5248.
