This week our 1590 WAKR Female Student Athlete of the Week is Allison Spears, a senior soccer player from Norton High School.
She says that being a Norton Student Athlete is something truly special.
“Going to practice every day and just smiling and laughing and walking through the halls and seeing my teammates every day.”
In 2019, she was named a team captain and was also a recipient of the PTC Scholar Athlete Award. She says that leadership is a dual role for her as she leads by example and vocally out on the pitch.
“It just depends on how the game is going,” she said.
Her coach Dan DiPasquale says that Spears exemplifies what you’re looking for in a student athlete.
“Allison is a soccer player that I first noticed when she was in the 8th grade! “ he says.
“Her dedication & hard work has made her into the amazing soccer player, leader & mentor that she is today, and I am very proud of everything she has accomplished!"
Away from the pitch, Spears is a member of the National Honor Society as well as the National Technical Honor Society and does some great work in the community as a Safety Town Volunteer for the past six years.
Upon graduation in the spring, Allison plans on attending the University of Akron to study Pre-Med.
Our next Male Student Athlete of the Week from Norton High School is Tim Jervis, a senior football player.
Tim says the atmosphere for Norton and their student athletes is second to none.
“It’s nice because it’s a small community and everyone supports you,” he said
His coach Kevin Pollock said he’s a great young man both on and off the field.
“Great kid, Great grades, and huge impact for us on both sides of the ball,” Pollock explained.
Tim is a two sport athlete for the Panthers playing along the offensive and defensive line in football and throwing shot and discus on the track and field team during the spring.
When not studying or playing sports, Tim is a member of the Spanish Club and a member of Superintendent Advisory Group. In addition to those activities, he also works at the Wadsworth YMCA.
He is currently undecided on where he will attend college in the fall of 2020, but he says he wants to get into the medical field.
We wish Allison and Tim the best in all of their future endeavors.
Our G&G Fitness Coach of the Week is Rod Swartz, the head baseball coach of the Norton Panthers.
Their last game they won the PTC Metro over Coventry.
Swartz says that the "third season" is going well.
"We play Marlington in the districts Monday at 2pm down in Louisville," he says. "We have a deep and experienced team, and it's been a pleasure to be around."
Their record is currently 19-1 on the season. Stay tuned for next week's 1590 WAKR G&G Fitness Coach of the Week,
This week our 1590 WAKR Female Student Athlete of the Week is Nicole Lester, a senior basketball player from Norton High School.
This week our 1590 WAKR Female Student Athlete of the Week is Madison Bennett, a junior soccer player from Norton High School.
Madison says the great thing about competing for Norton is the relationships between her teammates and the coaching staff.
She says this year’s team has a good group of freshmen and as an experienced player, it’s up to her to lead them on the pitch.
“We've just been playing hard and we're trying to adjust on the field, we're a quality team and we've learned a lot in the past season,'' she says.
"I try to lead the freshmen vocally, I try to stay positive and build relationships."
Bennett is a 3-year letter winner for the Panthers and plays attacking midfield.
She says she likes it because of the opportunity to keep her teammates involved.
Her coach Daniel DiPasquale says her versatility on the pitch is what makes her a great player.
“Madison is a complete soccer player!” he explained.
“She plays wherever is needed for what’s best for her team.”
“As good as she is as a soccer player, she’s also an even better person,” said DiPasquale.
Away from soccer, Madison works just as hard in the classroom, maintaining her grades and also staying active in her school community.
She’s a member of the Key Club, Pep Club, Spanish Club, Homecoming/Prom Committee, and serves as a Student Council Class Officer.
In the community, she’s participated in a family missions trip to Cambodia.
We wish Madison all the best in her future endeavors.
This week our 1590 WAKR Male Student Athlete of the Week is Tyler Scott, a junior football player from Norton High School.
New Norton head football coach Kevin Pollock spoke with Sam and Brad to talk about his latest coaching venture on a Feel Good Friday.
The 16-year-old student who was struck and killed by a school bus Wednesday afternoon in Norton has officially been identified.
The Norton Police Department has identified the Norton High School teen as Kyle Richmond, 16, of Barberton. The accident happened in the 3100 block Greenwich Road. Police said Richmond fell from a skate board and was hit by the school bus. Authorities said he suffered severe head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Norton Police Department released this statement: "The entire city of Norton is devastated by this loss and expresses its support to the victim's family and entire student body and faculty within the Norton school system."
The Norton Panthers have a new athletic director in the fold, and with the changes going on with the district and some new facilities going in place, he knows he'll have an exciting challenge on his hands.
Don Shimek, the new Athletic Director joined Sam Bourquin Friday to talk about the new job. With the renovations and things taking place, he knows that there's a lot of moving pieces and parts there.
"There's quite a bit that's going on there," Shimek said. "They're going to to be moving to a new high school in December, and there's a lot of construction going on to meet those needs."
Shimek comes to Norton from the North Canton school district. The Panthers compete in the Portage Trail Conference. He says that it's a competitive conference with a lot of tradition.
"There's a lot of great coaches, super kids, and great community support to provide the best kind of facilities and the best kind of opportunities for kids in the Norton district."
For the full interview, click here.