12 Blueprint
SPORTS
Oct. 28, 2016
From ace to A+: Kling redefines student-athlete By Jake Lackner, Staff Reporter After four years of weekends consumed by homework and weekdays dedicated to club meetings and volleyball practices, the pieces are all falling into place for senior Karina Kling. Kling has recently announced her plans to continue her busy schedule while attending and playing volleyball at the University of Chicago. “I’m just so honored and so happy to have found a school that combines my passion for academics and my passion for volleyball. They’re an academically rigorous and challenging school, which is something that was number one on my list when I was looking for a college. The fact that I was able to play volleyball, that’s just the icing on the cake. It’s just perfect for me,” Kling said. Kling has gained her experience by being a middle blocker for the girls varsity volleyball team. As one of the tallest girls on the team, Kling spends most of her time in front of the net blocking spikes that most people wouldn’t dare to stand in front of. “Everybody says hitting’s the best or digging’s the best but no, I love blocking,” Kling said. “I like the fact that it’s always changing, and I like the fact that I’m always able to find something that I can improve on.” Varsity volleyball coach Trisha Kurth agrees that Kling is a stand out blocker on the DGS volleyball team. “She is quick off her feet and explosive,” Kurth said. “She reads setters and hitters well and always asks questions and makes adjustments to be successful on the court.”
Karina Kling goes up to spike the ball during the senior night game against Willowbrook. Photo by Sydney Hall
It is this dedication to perfecting both her sport and her academics that catches the eye of those around Kling. “Karina is very hard-working and always wants to do everything she can to help her team get a [win],” said Kurth. “Karina is an excellent role model for her teammates as well as younger players in the program.” Kling attended her first camp in seventh grade and fell in love with the sport. She knew volleyball was something she wanted to pursue for as long as possible. “I really just love the teamwork, the camaraderie,” Kling said. “The fact that you have ... many people that you can trust as friends, that
you can trust on the court [and] off the court. It’s just a beautiful team effort.” Kling’s determination to succeed both on and off the court is recognized by her coaches, teammates, teachers, friends and family. Kling is also a part of a club at DGS called J. Kyle Braid (JKB). This club is based around leadership in the community. Kling’s JKB advisor Matthew Quatman believes it is apparent that the discipline Kling displays during games is by no means limited to the court. “If you were to know Karina - like look at her grades and just see how well she is in school, I think a lot of kids would be intimidated. She’s
number one in the class, I think still. She excels at everything she does,” Quatman said. Kling has gone above and beyond in proving herself to everyone around her. Everybody but herself that is. “I’m a person that expects a lot from myself, so I push myself and sometimes I can push myself - not too hard but sometimes I can put a little too much pressure on myself to perform super-super well in a situation. That’s something that I’m working on right now: not putting so much pressure on myself or pressure to be perfect. Just learning how to have fun and play the game that I love,” Kling said. It goes without saying that the future holds big things for Kling as she moves onto a new beginning at the University of Chicago. However, eventually her degree will be completed and her jersey will be folded one last time. The sting of blocked shots will fade, and weekends will no longer consist of immense amounts of homework. Kling’s opportunities to prove her excellence in the classroom and on the court will inevitably one day draw to a close. Her desire to be the best she can possibly be, however, will not. In Quatman’s opinion, Kling’s excellence is not to be defined by her as an athlete or student but more so as a human being. “Karina is a person who you’d want to look up to as a freshman, sophomore - even a senior,” Quatman said. “Seniors should look up to Karina, not just because she’s smart but because she’s a good person and a genuinely great human being.”
DGS cross country team strides into state series By Marisa Kasher, Staff reporter The DGS girls cross country team is on their way toward wrapping up their season. Before it’s over, they’ll compete in two more races. Sectionals will be held on Oct. 29 and the IHSA State Finals are on Nov. 4. With big races just around the corner, cross country coach Douglas Plunkett described how he thinks the team will perform. “Our team has the talent to compete with the best teams in the state. We are currently ranked fifth in the state, and I think we can finish there or higher. This is a very young varsity squad made up of mostly freshmen and sophomores. Every week they are gaining more experience and setting higher expectations,” Plunkett said. This year, the team will take on these races in a unique way; their varsity team has only one senior and six underclassmen. Plunkett explains the difference in this year’s team. “The last few years, we’ve had freshmen in our top seven, but this year’s different because we have so many freshmen and sophomores, and Katie Stapleton is the only
senior in the top seven right now,” Plunkett said. Senior Katie Stapleton describes what the younger girls add to the team dynamic. “The younger girls bring ambition and positive energy to the team, which helps me as a leader to stay positive regardless of circumstances,” Stapleton said. Plunkett agrees with Stapleton’s positive comments on the younger girls.
“They lack some of the experience, but sometimes they’re a little more fearless because they have not experienced as much,” Plunkett said. “It’s [also] nice, because they’ll be here for four years.” The core of the young team are the three freshman, Erin Reidy, Brenna Cohoon and Kennedy Warden. All three joined cross country and quickly fell in love with the sport and the team. “[After the summer] I was soon
The DGS girls varsity team celebrates after placing one through seven at their conference meet. Photo by Megan Albers
running five to six miles with the girls and fell in love with this sport even more,” Reidy said. Warden described her decision to join and the change it’s had on her. “I was really anxious to be in cross country with so many girls that loved the sport just as much as I do,” Warden said. “I never knew how much of a difference it would be having so many friends that love to run just like me, all doing cross country together.” Stapleton and the entire team is excited for these upcoming races. “I’m super pumped for state to see what we can do and how my last four years will be wrapped up,” Stapleton said. As the season comes to an end, Plunkett feels extremely grateful for not only the three freshmen who have stepped up this year, but the team as a whole. “All of our training is geared toward running our best in October and November, so as we approach the end of the season, I look forward to seeing them reap the benefits of their hard work and determination,” Plunkett said. “I also look forward to celebrating the many accomplishments this team will reach due to their commitment to each other.”