SUMMER 2011 - Liberty Christian School

2010 – 2011College SigningsCaden Compton – FootballWilliam Jewell CollegeMadison Oliver – SoccerWest PointLeah Cox – SoccerUniversity of North TexasTrevor Simms – Football/BaseballRice UniversityChad Nack – BaseballUT ArlingtonEric Heidelman – BasketballNorthwestern OK State UniversityJared Lawson – FootballAbilene Christian UniversityTy Dunlap – GolfTexas A&M UniversitySummer Fife – BasketballWestern Kentucky UniversityMaria Manrique – GolfColorado Christian UniversityRachel Albert – SoccerDallas Baptist UniversityJared Cook – BaseballBrookhaven CollegeTake it to the matWarrior wrestlers achieved many milestones this season.They won the Southern States Private School Championshipin Shreveport, La. A month later, they competed in a dualmeet with a wrestler in all 15 weight classes. Libertywrestling also had its first prep state champion, PeterHammer, at the 130-pound weight class. This year, Hammerbecame the first Warrior wrestler to be a two-time TAPPSstate champion. At TAPPS, the highlight of the year, Libertyentered 14 wrestlers, the most it had ever had. Sevenwrestlers placed, the most that had ever placed, and the boysbrought home a fourth place win, the best wrestling had everdone at TAPPS in Liberty history.Boys TrackCongratulations to the 2011 statechampion boys track team and itscoaches. Celebrating their 12 th TAPPSchampionship, the Warriors dominatedat the state meet in May, winning by 25points.The team also sawthree school recordsbroken duringthe season in the100-meter, the 4x100-meter relay, and the4x200-meter relay.The Warriors cameinto the 2011 trackand field season witha lot of expectations.Coming off of a state championship lastyear in TAPPS 4A, the boys wanted tocontinue their success in 5A.“The foundation of a repeat performancecame from the seniors,” said headcoach Trent Vest. “We had a greatgroup of juniors from last year’s teamthat stepped into the leadership rolebeautifully. There was also a lot of speedthat developed from our underclassmenas well.”Vest said the team had moreparticipation this year from Warriorathletes who also play other sports.“With the addition of these athletes tothe already strong core of runners andfield event athletes, we began to look likea team that could“Our athletes outperformedtheir competition. TheWarriors were regionalchampions in the toughestregion in the state.”–Coach Trent Vestpull off the repeat,”he said.“Each week ourteam continuedto improve inevery area. By thetime we reachedthe district trackmeet, we werewinning meets inimpressive fashion,” Vest said. “Manyof the meets we competed in had teamsfrom 4A and 5A public schools. In somecases, we won meets by more than 50points.”As team members headed into district,he knew they had a great shot to winnot only district but also advance a goodportion of the athletes to the regional meet.“Our athletes went out and competed at a very highlevel,” said Vest. “We won the district title by morethan 100 points! We advanced at least one athletein all 17 events.”The weekend after Easter, the team loaded thebus and headed for Houston for the regional meet.The Warriors took 20 athletes who competed ina variety of events. The top four in each eventadvanced to the state meet in Waco.“Once again, our athletes outperformed theircompetition,” Vest said. “The Warriors wereregional champions in the toughest region in thestate.”Vest said the most important thing that came outof region was the 14 boys who qualified for state,which propelled the team to a back-to-back statechampionship.Girls TrackLady Warriors competed well at state, and six girlsplaced. In the face of stiff competition from largerschools and all-girls schools, head coach JamieMichalek said, “I am so proud of the Lady Warriors.In spite of great competition, they went out andcompeted very well, earning 13 th place out of 22teams competing at the state meet in Waco.”Michalek said that even more than just trainingto run races, the girls learned some veryimportant life lessons.“They learned about discipline, perseveranceand hard work,” she said. “They learned thatcompeting to honor the Lord with the talentsHe has given them is more rewarding thanrunning for the glory of people.“They learned that when you work together andencourage one another, even the most difficult oftasks is easily achieved.”She said they also learned that competing in trackand field events benefits them athletically for theother sports where the girls compete.Michalek added, “It also taught the girls how tostep out and compete as an individual.“These are the lessons they will take with them tocollege and into their future marriages and jobs,and in the journey of becoming mothers to otherlittle girls blessed with talent from the Lord.“These lessons, along with the amazingcompetition, are what make me so proud to be atrack coach for the Lady Warriors.”36 LIBERTY LIFE 37