Edmonds School District honors scholar-athletes

Seventeen scholar-athletes took center stage last week in the Great Hall at Edmonds-Woodway High School.

The fifth annual Edmonds School District Scholar-Athlete and Coach/Community Recognition Banquet brought together a diverse mix of students, parents, coaches and supporters of athletics, all of whom gathered on May 24 to honor the accomplishments of the district’s best and brightest seniors.

Top honors went to Lynnwood’s Mike Olson, Edmonds-Woodway’s James Lagucik and Meadowdale’s Caitlyn Rohrbach. Each received a $3,500 scholarship.

“It was such an honor just to be at the banquet,” said Rohrbach, who was awarded the Ken and Pat Allen/First Horizon Home Loans scholarship. “It meant a lot to me that the district thinks highly of me not only athletically but academically.”

Sports has played an important role in Rohrbach’s development into a young adult. Rohrbach, a four-year member of the girls basketball and volleyball teams, had to develop time management skills in order to juggle her academics, sports and other school-related activities.

“It (sports) just taught me a lot about who I am and taught me how to have a good work ethic,” Rohrbach said.

While some athletes choose to specialize in one particular sport, Rohrbach, whose main interest is basketball, also played volleyball all four years at Meadowdale.

Rohrbach made a conscious decision not to be a one-sport athlete.

“I considered focusing on one sport,” she said. “High school is still a time to try new things and to get involved with as much as you can. I loved playing volleyball. I’m really happy that I stuck with that.”

Rohrbach experienced a lot of success with Meadowdale’s girls basketball team, including winning a state championship during her sophomore season.

The volleyball team didn’t have as much success as the basketball team.

But volleyball was an important part of Rohrbach’s high school career and she learned just as much from it as basketball.

“I love the sport of volleyball. It’s so much fun to play,” she said. “I like the variety it supplied. I was not focused on one sport all year. It was a nice change. It taught me a lot about dedication and perseverance. The volleyball team was not as good as the basketball team. It taught me how to lose with dignity, so that was good.”

Rohrbach would not have been able to accomplish all that she did without the support of her parents Mike and Karen.

Having her parents at her games meant so much to Rohrbach.

Rohrbach’s parents encouraged her to be more independent, especially when dealing with issues related to sports.

“They taught me if I have a problem with a coach or something, I need to take care of it myself,” Rohrbach said. “Kids try to have parents deal with problems. That’s something that was hard for me. It’s hard to go to a coach if you have an issue. It’s a good lesson to learn.”

Rohrbach is headed to the University of Alaska (Fairbanks) to play basketball. Family and friends played a role in her decision.

The school plays some of its games in Washington.

“My family and friends would be able to see me play sometimes without having to travel too far,” Rohrbach said.

If there was a bit of advice Rohrbach would give to today’s student-athletes, it is to work hard at anything you set your mind to and above all to have fun.

“If it’s not fun, you’re not going to get anything out of it,” Rohrbach said. “Don’t take anything for granted … because it goes by quickly.”

Lynnwood’s Olson pays tribute to father

For Mike Olson, a four-year member of the boys golf team, the awards banquet was a perfect way to wrap up what has been a busy senior year.

For his senior project, Olson organized a charity golf tournament in memory of his late father that raised more than $12,500 for the American Cancer Society. Olson’s father Skip passed away from lung cancer a year ago.

“I think the biggest thing I learned is that there are people willing to help you if you’re willing to ask,” said Olson, the First Horizon Home Loans scholarship recipient. “So many people helped with the tournament. It would have not been possible to do it without them.”

The Skip Olson Memorial Golf Scramble, which took place April 9 at Eaglemont Golf Course in Mount Vernon, drew 144 players. Olson lined up 23 hole sponsors and had 30 companies and 15 individuals donate prizes.

“I started in late August and ended in April,” he said. “It was eight or nine months of work, 200 hours or so.”

Olson only started playing golf his freshman season. Yet in his junior season Olson advanced to the state tournament, where he finished 16th overall.

“I didn’t start until my freshman year. By my junior year I was competing with every one,” Olson said. “It was great to see the improvement.”

While some view golf as a pastime, it’s more than that to Olson.

“It’s more than just what I do,” he said. “It’s kind of who I am.”

Olson hopes to pursue a career in the golf industry.

In the fall, Olson will be attending Methodist College in North Carolina. Methodist College is one of 17 schools in the nation that offers the PGA’s Professional Golf Management program Olson is interested in. The program is a four- to five-year college curriculum for aspiring PGA professionals.

While golf is clearly Olson’s passion, he also found time to be a member of his school’s bowling team the last three years. He advanced to the state tournament this year, where he placed seventh.

This year Olson also played tennis for the first time.

“I was pretty unorthodox,” Olson admitted. “But I had the desire to win.”

Olson’s parents, Skip and Jean, always were supportive of him and his athletic pursuits. Skip was an avid golfer and he and Mike played almost every week together.

“I had two of the best parents,” Olson said. “They always wanted me to do my best … it was really nice that they gave me the freedom to be successful for myself, not for them.”

Lagucik mixes sports and athletic training

In some ways, what was a traumatic injury turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Edmonds-Woodway’s James Lagucik.

During his sophomore year on the first day of tryouts for the boys soccer team, Lagucik broke his leg.

Lagucik met a surgeon, who helped him to eventually return to the sport he loved so much.

Intrigued by the recovery process, Lagucik signed up for the sports medicine program at school.

“I just fell in love with the class,” said Lagucik, who was awarded the Bryan Rogers Memorial Scholarship. “I just knew that was what I was meant to do.”

So in addition to being a member of the soccer and tennis teams, Lagucik also was a student athletic trainer.

The athletic training program definitely kept Lagucik on his toes as he juggled his sports, academic and athletic training responsibilities.

“It’s difficult. It takes a lot of dedication,” Lagucik said. “You really have to organize your time efficiently.”

Lagucik’s passion for athletic training helped motivate him to found the Sports Medicine Club. Lagucik took the initiative to find out about the program after his injury.

“I founded this club to help other people to try and find their own interests,” Lagucik said. “I wanted to give other people the opportunity to see if they were interested in sports medicine.”

Lagucik will attend Whitworth College with premed as a major. He also plans to play soccer.

Throughout his high school career, Lagucik’s parents Jim and Shelli were there for all his tennis and soccer matches. They even taped every single soccer game for him so that he could make a highlight video for potential colleges.

“My parents have always been there for me,” Lagucik said. “My mom is definitely a soccer mom. She even plays quite a bit … having them up there really showed what great parents they are and how lucky I am.”

Just as he was proactive in finding out about the sports medicine program, Lagucik would encourage others to approach their high school years in the same fashion.

“My best advice would be to get involved,” Lagucik said. “If you don’t get involved you’re not going to have the full experience.”

It doesn’t matter if it is sports, leadership, clubs or academics.

“Get involved in groups,” Lagucik said. “Make friends. That’s what it’s all about.”

The 14 other scholar-athletes honored were: Meadowdale’s Tim Ramberg ($2,500, Pacific Little League/Edmonds School District Coaches); Edmonds-Woodway’s Kelli Hansen ($2,000, First Horizon Home Loans); Lynnwood’s Briannah Wayman ($2,000, First Horizon Home Loans); Edmonds-Woodway’s Sarah Grover ($1,500, Mike Pittis/Reliable Floor Coverings); Mountlake Terrace’s Alex Lindsay ($1,500, Alumni Athletes/Parents of Mountlake Terrace High School); Edmonds-Woodway’s Rick Aaroe ($1,000, First Horizon Home Loans); Lynnwood’s Caitlin Bonney ($1,000, First Horizon Home Loans); Mountlake Terrace’s Jenna Higgins ($1,000, First Horizon Home Loans); Meadowdale’s Alex Hurt (Family of Jim Clemans/Seaview Chevrolet GMC Pontiac); Mountlake Terrace’s Andrew Knudsen ($1,000, MTYAA/Patrick McMahan); Meadowdale’s Lee Martin ($1,000, Waterfront Sport &Physical Therapy/First Horizon Home Loans); Mountlake Terrace’s Jillian Russell (Alumni Athletes/Parents of Mountlake Terrace High School); Edmonds-Woodway’s Riley Stannard ($1,000, First Horizon Home Loans) and Lynnwood’s Kyle Wise ($1,000, Limback Lumber/Edmonds School District Coaches).

Eight coaches (four with five or more years experience and four with less than five years experience) were honored and received $300 professional development stipends.

The eight included Edmonds-Woodway’s Matt Delaney (Billie Eklund Memorial Coach’s Award), Edmonds-Woodway’s Regina Joyce (Kim and Katy Wilson Coach’s Award), Lynnwood’s Lindsay Hunter (Brie McGaughey Memorial Coach’s Award), Lynnwood’s Matt Rockne (Bill Hatch Sports Coach’s Award), Meadowdale’s Jennifer Kniseley (First Horizon Home Loans Coach’s Award), Meadowdale’s Dan Taylor (Soccer West Coach’s Award), Mountlake Terrace’s Ken Higgins (Jerry Myers’ Coach’s Award) and Mountlake Terrace’s Kanoe Vierra (First Horizon Home Loan Coach’s Award).

The four community contributor’s awards went to Edmonds-Woodway’s Pete Bennett, Mountlake Terrace’s Don and Loretta Falkenbury, Lynnwood’s Steve Gordon and Meadowdale’s Linda and Bruce Wilson.

The Director’s Award was given to the four Edmonds School District athletic trainers — head athletic trainer Chris Murphy, Mountlake Terrace’s Erik Mahler, Edmonds-Woodway’s Sandy Metzger and Lynnwood’s Mike Fine.

Former Edmonds School District athletic director Kim Wilson was recognized for his recent induction into the WIAA Hall of Fame.

This was the first year of the Bryan Rogers Memorial Scholarship, a $3,500 award put together by the family and friends of Rogers, a former Woodway High School basketball and baseball player who died due to complications from ulcerative colitis in 2003.