Local Students Bestowed Honours

Two area athletes were honoured yesterday when they received accolades from the Manitoba High School Athletic Association.

Jodi Schmidt of Elm Creek school was named the "A" Female Athlete of the Year. Sports the graduating student participates in are golf, cross-country, volleyball, basketball, badminton and track & field. Schmidt was also co-captain of the volleyball and basketball teams and placed 4th at badminton Provincials.

Some of her achievements include being selected as an MHSAA Rural Athlete of the Week, and receiving all-star selections at both volleyball and basketball provincials. Schmidt also represented the Central Region at the Manitoba Winter Games and won bronze in badminton singles competition as well and she has participated in the Manitoba Half Marathon.
 
It wasn't all athletics this year for Schmidt as she maintains a 92.7% academic average, earning honour roll status.

Schmidt says balancing both her school work and athletics proved to be difficult at times, noting there were plenty of late nights put in trying to catch up on her school work, but she managed.

Now that her high school career is behind her Schmidt says she has plans to attend Columbia Bible College in B.C. to study care giving and counseling and from there wants to enroll at the U of M to take physiotherapy.

From Lundar school Joshua Drews was given the title of "A" Male Athlete of the Year. Sports on his resume entail volleyball, curling, badminton and baseball.

Some of Drews' high school career highlights include captaining the baseball team and being an all-star pitcher in last year's Provincial championships. In addition he was co-captain of the volleyball team and was the school's badminton and volleyball teams' most valuable player.

Of all the sports he takes part in, he says baseball is his favorite, because he feels more in command on the mound, adding he gets to play with a number of different people not the least of which are his two brothers. One of them is his catcher while the other patrols the outfield.

Drews, who also finished high school this year, has aspirations to become a teacher and will pursue that goal by studying education at the University of Manitoba.