10 minute read
Student Athlete of the Month
At a home game against Gaither High School on March 5, Aidan Miller (‘22) swung at a pitch. Miller got a single, and the Mustangs ended up winning the game 5-4. Photo by Emma Diehl
By Ostina Myrtil
Advertisement
The male Gregg Schindler State Farm Agency Student-Athlete of the Month, sophomore Aidan Miller, is a member of the varsity baseball team at J.W Mitchell High School. Miller holds the positions of pitcher, third baseman and outfielder, with a batting average of .526 percent and an on-base percentage of .645 according to MaxPreps.com on March 8. Miller’s baseball career started at the age of six. His father played professional baseball for the Texas Rangers, and his brother Jackson plays in the Cincinnati Reds organization. “My dad and brother taught me to play, and then I ended up loving hitting and throwing the ball,” Miller said. In addition to playing on Mitchell’s varsity baseball team, Miller also played for Team USA, a team of the best players in the 15U division. The process requires many tryouts, with them eventually selecting 18 players to play other teams in Mexico. In 2019, Miller and his teammates won the gold medal during the tournament.
“Depending on the situation, I feel many emotions such as excitement, frustration, joy, and nerves,” Miller said. Baseball Coach Howard Chittum has worked with Miller for two years and values having Miller as a player. “We get along great. He is a wonderful person. Every day he carriers himself so well. He comes to practice and games ready to do what’s best for his team,” Chittum said. Miller’s continuous dedication and work on the field since he was six-yearsold has landed him a full scholarship to the University of Arkansas. Miller was able to share the memorable moment with family and friends. “[In that moment] I felt a ton of relief knowing my hard work is paying off,” Miller said. In sports, the University of Arkansas is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Miller plans to major in Business with hopes of making it to the major leagues. “I hope to be a very good professional baseball player,” Miller said.
By Sofia Chianella
Maintaining a rigorous schedule consisting of Advanced Placement classes, volunteer activities, and time spent playing the guitar and drawing art did not stop J.W. Mitchell High School junior Sonya Babski from earning a spot on the a varsity tennis player. Choosing this sport at a young age, Babski has improved her tennis skills throughout the years, reaching the varsity level. As a young child, Babski had tried to discover a hobby that was best for her lifestyle and her skill set, leading her to the sport of tennis. “I was a kid, I was switching between hobbies. All of the hobbies were boring besides tennis, so I stuck with it,” Babski said. Practicing takes up a large part of Babski’s daily schedule, and she still feels that room for improvement can be needed, causing her to set goals for herself this tennis season. “Some of my strengths in the sport are my serves; they’re pretty good. I’m also very fast. My weaknesses probably have to do with the consistency with my shots. My goals for this season are just to generally improve, playing more often, and getting more practice,” Babski said. While maintaining positive relationships with her coach and the team, Babski achieves her goals even through the difficulties of COVID-19 and its regulations to quarantine. “I would say I have a great relationship with the team. Everyone is outgoing, positive, and we cheer everybody on. I would say that they help me a lot. The coach is pretty nice as well. We communicate with each other to get things done. However, she got quarantined so there was a lot of communication that had to occur,” Babski said. Facing challenges has been something Babski had to overcome, yet she proved herself this season on Feb. 25, when she was named Player of the Match against Sunlake High School. “The greatest challenge is my schedule. I’m really busy, and I have a lot of things going on so getting out there and being able to practice outside of school has been difficult,” Babski said. Scheduling situations are not the only obstacle Babski had to overlook, constructive criticism she received from her family members had to be beaten. “My mom can be pretty tough sometimes but she is always there for me, so it definitely helps,” Babski said. Babski’s coach, Rob Zilay, describes Sonya as a dedicated player who leads the team with humor and enthusiasm. “She works hard during practices and continually applies what she learns on the court to improve her game. Regardless of the outcome of her match, she continues to work hard and cheer on her teammates,” Zilay said. Striving for perseverance and overcoming difficulties thrown her way, Babski used challenges she faced in her everyday life and turned them into positive attributes into her gaining skill in the game of tennis.
On March 4, Sonya Babski faces off against a Gulf High opponent at a home match. Mitchell plays home matches on Seven Springs Middle School courts due to resurfacing of the courts at Mitchell this season. Photo by Sophia Henges
devices act quirky or slow down; they can even fall victim to cyber criminals. When this occurs, we need someone we trust to step in and bail us out.
“It’s stressful when our devices stop working. We need them for everything; from showing up to workfrom-home, grocery shopping, doctor visits, and even our kids’ schooling,” said Bob Dalles, of Bob The Computer Guy & Associates, Inc. “We make our clients’ repair experience swift and painless. People share how they’ve been having problems with their computer; once we have an opportunity to analyze, diagnose, and resolve the issue, they tell us they never realized their computer could run so well.”
Bob The Computer Guy & Associates, Inc. is a computer IT and cyber security company that provides onsite computer repairs, cyber security counseling, and more! They service everyone; whether it’s your residence or business. Since COVID-19, Bob quickly responded. He changed company policy to better keep his clients and staff safer throughout the pandemic. Most appointments now take place via remote session or drop off service. Surprisingly, Bob found that over 90 percent of repair calls could be performed remotely.
“A misconception folks have is they think we are a computer store,” said Bob. “We’re not a retail store. We are a service company. MY GOAL IS NOT to sell you merchandise. My professionally certified and experienced technicians and analysts actively work with you to develop a solution that is customized to your technology needs and budget. Should you need to buy something, my staff can make recommendations and usually know where the best deals can be found.”
Bob was captivated by computer technology in the late 1970s. In 1995 he launched his own computer business. In 2008 he accepted a position as the instructor for Computer and Information Technology with a Florida technical college. Bob enjoys sharing his knowledge with others who possess his passion and enthusiasm for technology. His love for technology inspired him to start writing his published column “Tech Talk,” where he shares decades of IT experience while also informing his readers how to keep their devices running well and safe.
This past year Bob’s Tech Talk has had a larger focus on cyber security. When the COVID-19 pandemic first started Bob noticed that he was getting more calls from people believing that they might have been scammed; or wondering if they inadvertently done something that compromised the security of their device.
“In early 2019 we launched a Cyber Security Division,” said Bob. “It has been a God-send for our clients’ peace of mind. We’re finding that more and more people are being proactive and taking responsibility to secure their digital world. I am extremely proud of the relief we’ve been able to provide to clients during these difficult times. We now make available a vital service for the individual and small business that has only been in the reach of government agencies and large corporations.”
Cyber crimes are on the rise even more now that everyone has turned to their technology. The criminals behind these scam e-mails, phone calls, and text messages will not hold back when it comes to exploiting any technology weaknesses you have overlooked. Bob
and his cyber security team want to ensure that you do not fall prey to cyber criminals. Bob and his staff will help you implement the proper tools and will instruct you on “best practices” when navigating the internet and your digital world. Bob’s quest is to increase your online safety awareness to lessen your chance of becoming yet another cyber crime statistic.
Here’s what some clients say:
“I should have called you a month ago. Christian has helped me twice now. He’s nice to work with, he’s got so much knowledge, I just can’t say enough about how happy I am that I found your company.” – Angie, Oldsmar
“Thank you. My son’s computer games are playing beautifully. Christian is so patient and explains things… my son is all smiles now.” – Helen, Lutz
“Bill was quick… he got my computer and printer working in a red-hot minute… He’s amazing… I’m a satisfied and smiling customer.” – Barbara, Oldsmar
“The fellow you sent was extremely polite and very quick to get the problem resolved and very friendly… I appreciate your timeliness and everything on my end is working very well.” – Don, Tampa
“After a Microsoft update, it just wouldn’t boot up… Nikki calmed down my panic, and kept me informed throughout the entire process. The fee was beyond reasonable for all they did. I highly recommend this company for your computer issues.” – Chuck, Palm Harbor
Bob The Computer Guy & Associates, Inc. offers computer and IT repair to homes and businesses. They also provide the cyber security services you need to keep you safer in your digital world. Whatever you need, no job is too small. For honest, reliable service performed by professionally certified technicians at a fair price then there is no other choice. You want Bob The Computer Guy. So Don’t Delay. Call Bob Today! 727-534-4000
