The Warrior Athlete of the Month (WAM) recognizes students who exemplify one of the four core pillars of a Warrior Athlete: Focus, Perseverance, Connection, and Leadership. 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: Sabrina Diedrich
Girls Volleyball | Sophomore
Nominated by Coach Prentis
“Sabrina prepares, practices, and competes with consistency AND joy! She pursues excellence in the skill-based, game-specific aspects of the sport while also striving to execute the training, agility, and conditioning portions of the sport well, too. Her commitment to hard work, athletic curiosity, and personal growth throughout the entire season fostered a culture of fierce and friendly competition both in practices and during games. She embraces the opportunity to allow volleyball to be a means of worship and seeks to glorify God through her great attitude, high effort, and Christ-like actions.”
PERSEVERE: Emmanuel Gyapong
Football | Senior
Nominated by Coach Nowak
“Eman has never backed down from a challenge and has overcome much to get to where he is today. He’s a young senior, just turning 17, but he’s committed to what he needs to do to reach his goals, regardless of any obstacle in his way. He’s committed to being the best at what he does on the field, but off the field as well. He leads in the classroom and shows that no matter how hard things get, if you keep persevering, you can achieve anything, especially with God at the center of his life. He earned first-team all-state for a reason. Great job Eman!”
CONNECT: Mallory Peterson
Cheerleading | Junior
Nominated by Coach Lewis, Marlow, and Rodgers
“Mallory builds meaningful relationships within our program and beyond. She has a special gift when it comes to connecting with our younger cheerleaders. She is often seen with the mini cheerleaders fighting for a spot on her lap at camps or clinics. She has also been an encouragement to our JV cheerleaders. Her kindness, patience, and genuine interest in their growth have helped foster a positive, welcoming culture within our team. Beyond our own program, Mallory consistently looks for ways to connect with others. At home games, she has taken the initiative to reach out to other cheer teams, inviting them to join us in prayer. This intentional outreach reflects her heart for unity, leadership, and faith, and has created meaningful moments of connection across teams that go far beyond competition. Mallory was also instrumental in our preparation for the OHSAA State Competition. Recognizing the importance of experience, she helped connect our team with a cheerleader who had competed at the state level multiple times. This connection provided valuable insight, guidance, and confidence, and played a significant role in helping our team feel prepared and supported going into the competition. Mallory Peterson truly embodies the spirit of the Connect Award through her leadership, initiative, and ability to bring people together. It is an honor and joy to coach her!”
LEAD: Ian St. John
Boys Basketball | Senior
Nominated by Coach Storey
“As a senior captain, Ian has showcased his leadership, passion, and all-around impact on and off the court all season long. He leads with his words and backs those words up with his actions. He sets a positive example for the whole team to follow. Ian sets the tone for our program through his work ethic, versatility, and leadership. He brings energy to every practice and game, has a relentless drive to improve, and has a genuine desire to see his teammates succeed. Ian consistently celebrates and elevates those around him. He is always communicating on the court, encouraging, and high-fiving his teammates. Ian is also very coachable- the little details are important to him. He is always striving to get better and owns his mistakes when he could have done better. Ian also gives the glory to the Lord and not himself when he has personal success. He is thankful and grateful to be able to play basketball and is always smiling and excited to compete and do what he loves.”