The Warrior Athlete of the Month (WAM) recognizes student-athletes who exemplify the four core pillars of a Warrior Athlete: Focus, Perseverance, Leadership, and Connection. Each month, four student-athletes and one exemplary coach are recognized. These qualities reflect not only strong athletic performance, but also a character that strengthens our school community. We are incredibly proud of these student-athletes for their dedication, effort, and desire to honor Christ both in competition and throughout the school day.
Thank you to the coaches who submitted nominations. Nominations are open year-round for all middle school and high school athletes, regardless of whether they are in-season or out of season. Coaches can nominate a student-athlete HERE.
Congratulations to last month’s honorees!
FOCUS: Emmy Fleming
Cheerleading | Tenth Grade
Nominated by Coach Tammy, Alexa, and Dana
“Emmy exemplifies what it means to stay focused on Christ and persevere. She approaches every challenge with determination, humility, and a positive attitude, consistently demonstrating an unwavering commitment to personal growth. Her strong work ethic, coachability, and willingness to seek feedback have allowed her to continually improve while inspiring those around her. Emmy’s passion for cheer is evident in everything she does and how she honors Christ through all her effort and determination. She is dedicated, resilient, and never settles for where she is today, always striving to become better tomorrow. She embraces challenges as opportunities to learn, remains focused on her goals, and consistently puts in the effort required to achieve them. Beyond her athletic abilities, Emmy’s character sets her apart. She leads by example through her focus, perseverance, integrity, and quiet determination. Her positive mindset and commitment to excellence make her a role model for her teammates and a joy to coach.”
PERSEVERE: Jack Smolenski
Football | Junior
Nominated by Coach Johnson
“Jack has quietly been through a lot the past few months. He has aspirations to play Football at the next level, and the period from May through July is a big one for football recruiting, with college camps, showcases, and connecting with coaches during on-campus visits. Since April, Jack has dealt with hamstring, knee, and toe issues that have significantly limited his ability to go out and compete in showcase/camp events the way he wanted. He wasn’t able to attend a couple of the visits he had scheduled and wasn’t able to train at the level he would have liked. Even the visits he did attend, he was limited and wasn’t able to perform at his best. Despite all that, Jack never complained. He didn’t blame anyone but just tried to rehab and get better to the best of his ability. Going through seasons like this can take a mental toll as much as a physical one, but he was a supportive teammate during his rehab and diligently took “mental reps” when he was physically limited. We are excited that his health is trending upward, but even more proud of how he has handled this adversity over the past few months, which unfortunately came at a pivotal time for him. One thing is for sure- Jack always practices hard. Since he has returned to action, he continually sets a high bar for practice habits and effort! I think he has exemplified what it means to persevere through challenges on the football field.”
LEAD: Dominic Ortega
Football | Senior
Nominated by Coach Means
“Dom continuously pursues excellence in himself and in others. He helps lead workout sessions to help him and his teammates master their craft on the field. He is always uplifting and often serves as an extra coach on the field. He plays selflessly, putting the advancement of the team over himself.”
CONNECT: Alaina Bourgeois
Tennis | Senior
Nominated by Coach De Genaro
“Alaina has been a great leader during the initial part of the season, consistently looking for ways to build bridges and connect the returning players with the new freshmen. She has been very positive and welcoming to each new girl in the program, quickly learning every person’s name. By the end of the third day of the season, she knew every new player by name and had connected with everyone. She has also been a voice of encouragement for her teammates at the Varsity and JV level, embodying the spirit of Christ in the pursuit of team unity.”
COACH: Doug Lassiter
Middle School Football
“Doug is entering his 10th year as the middle school football coach, and he has always had a heart for the kids to know, love, and serve Jesus and to learn what that means through the game of football. Doug consistently has teams that not only do well on the field but continue to improve in all areas as the season goes on. Coach Lassiter develops a love for football and for Christ each season and has impacted countless young men to be better on and off the field!”