“Region champs, state champs, state gpa (award),” Colony senior Kara Larson said with a laugh.
It’s the same three goals the Knights had last year, and the same three they achieved.
 ROBERT DeBERRY/Frontiersman The Colony Knights are champions on the court and in the classroom. Not only is the squad the reigning Northern Lights Conference and defending 4A state champs, but the 12 players on the varsity squad hold a 4.19 team grade point average. |
“Last year we kind of joked about it, that this year one of the criteria for trying out for the team is you had to have a 4.0,” Colony head coach Don Witzel said. “To some degree, they took that seriously.”
This year, the Knights already have the conference title and will begin the defense of their state crown as the top-ranked team at the 2009 4A tourney next Thursday. But regardless of what happens on the court next weekend, the Knights are a virtual lock for the academic award thanks to Colony’s 4.19 team grade point average.
Not only did the Knights set a high standard on the court by winning Colony’s fourth state title in program history last season, when it came to academics the players set the bar even higher.
The Knights didn’t want just a 4.0 team GPA, they wanted to exceed it. And that’s exactly what they did.
Ten of the 12 student-athletes on the varsity squad carry at least a 4.0, and two others fall just shy of that point, each with an impressive 3.8.
“We feel like, not only do we have the basketball, but we’re staying focused on our classes,” Colony senior Maria Bowker, who holds a 4.4 GPA, said.
Bowker is one of eight seniors on the varsity team. Each of those seniors carries at least a 4.0 GPA this year, and the group of seniors boast an astronomical average of 4.29.
Senior Maci Eisenhower leads that group with a 4.5 GPA, while enrolled in such classes as advanced placement calculus, advanced placement physics, psychology and creative writing.
Bowker, Larson, senior Jackie Hamann and senior Allie Grazulis each hold a 4.4. Senior Tara Garrod has a 4.2, while seniors Kysha Mallo and Alex Coon sit at 4.0.
“It’s kind of funny to say you have a 4.0, but you’re still bringing the GPA down,” Coon joked.
Most of the players on the squad regularly participate in extracurricular activities outside of sports. Coon is the senior class president, and many of the Knights are a member of the National Honor Society. Many of the players also participate in multiple sports.
About all of the seniors on the squad have earned a dozen or more varsity letters while at CHS. Coon and Grazulis have earned 18 each.
Larson competes in volleyball, basketball and soccer at Colony.
“It’s nice being busy,” Larson said. “Nice having stuff to focus on. Keeping your grades up is just one more thing.”
Most of the players on the team are enrolled in advanced placement courses, which are now available in almost every subject area, Colony guidence councelor Kim Howell said. And all AP courses are judged on a five-point scale, and success in those classes has allowed the players to push that average above 4.0, the traditional benchmark for academic excellence.
Howell said Colony typically has a few students a year meet or exceed the 4.0 mark, because of the amount of AP classes the school does offer, but the number of student-athletes on one team with such high averages is unique.
“It’s a lot of work to get to that point,” Howell said. “They really have to be dedicated and organized with their time.”
Howell said the Colony counselors and teachers always encourage all of their students to put an emphasis on academics, but do stress the need for a solid academic background for those who want to pursue academic interests.
“You’re more likely to get a scholarship in an academic area,” Howell said.
That’s certainly a message the Knights have received.
“When you set your goal to play (at a top school), you can’t have bad grades,” Eisenhower said.
A pair of seniors on the team have already committed to schools to play basketball next season. Coon is UAA bound and Grazulis is headed for Colorado School of Mines.
Grazulis actually turned down a full-ride scholarship to play Division I basketball at Utah Valley University in favor of attending Colorado School of Mines and play basketball for its Division II program because of the schools academic opportunities.
It’s a move that proves the Knights have put as much emphasis on academics as athletics.
“(Sports) can only take you so far,” Colony junior Jessica Farrell, who holds a 3.8 GPA, said.
Witzel believes there are a number of players on his squad who have the ability to play college basketball on the next level, but like Grazulis, many are favoring their academic options.
Witzel noted Bowker specifically. Bowker plans to attend Union University in Tennessee to study mathamatics and eduction. She also may walk-on to earn a spot on Union women’s basketball squad that is currently ranked as the top NAIA program in the nation.
A number of Knights are focusing on academics at the college level. Hamann plans to study finance at the University of Oregon, Garrod is aiming for the University of Arizona and its nutrition program, Eisenhower is off to Seattle Pacific University to study mathamatics and Larson has an opportunity to attend Regis University to study biochemisty.
“These kids have some good options,” Witzel said.
Witzel had the opportunity to coach one of the top women’s basketball players to ever come out of Alaska — former CHS standout Jessica Moore who now plays professionally for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association — but is also proud to note the academic accomplshments of his former players.
“When I look back through the years at the kids who played for me, there’s probably three to four doctors, several lawyers,” Witzel said. “They’re very succesful.”
Witzel said there’s certainly something special about this varsity squad, the eight seniors in particular.
“They’re just a fun group to work with. Even though they’re serious students and serious athletes, they joke and like to have a good time with eachother,” Witzel said. “They’re a pleasure to work with. I’m going to miss them.”
Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.
MAKING THE GRADE
Not only do the Colony Knights — the defending 4A state champions — stand out on the court, but they also excel in the classroom. The 12 members of the Colony varsity girls basketball squad currently hold a team grade point average of 4.19
Player Class 2008-09 GPA
Maria Bowker Senior 4.4
Megan Bowker Junior 4.0
Alex Coon Senior 4.0
Maci Eisenhower Senior 4.5
Jessica Farrell Junior 3.8
Tess Forstner Soph. 4.0
Tara Garrod Senior 4.2
Allie Grazulis Senior 4.4
Jackie Hamann Senior 4.4
Kaitlyn Klapperich Soph. 3.8
Kara Larson Senior 4.4
Kysha Mallo Senior 4.0
Comments
2 comment(s)Pro Knights wrote on Mar 13, 2009 5:17 PM:
Alaskan Assasin in AZ wrote on Mar 13, 2009 4:43 PM: