Like many of you, I’m a huge sports fan. I’ve already told you that I love to watch the Browns. But I like watching all kinds of sports and I find athletes to be inspiring because they work hard and set challenging goals for themselves. Recently, we caught up with Milena, who is a senior at Streetsboro High School. She’s a top-notch athlete and student and her work on and off the field earned her this week’s A+ Award.
Milena is a multi-sport star competing in sled hockey, track and field, and basketball and she’s very close to qualifying for the 2024 paralympics in the shot put! She told us that she got involved in track and field when her school’s coach invited her to join the team when she was in ninth grade. On the track team, she competes in racing events and throwing events using specially designed chairs. She told us that when she’s throwing the shot put, discus, or even the javelin, she has to rely on core strength and good technique. Milena told us that racing is pretty tough because you have to be able to predict how even the slightest changes in your technique will affect how the chair handles.
Milena also competes in sled hockey and basketball. When she’s competing in team sports, her teammates can sometimes be much different ages and sizes, so you have to be aware of their skill levels when you pass the puck or ball to them. She told us it really takes a lot of planning and strategy to make sure your teammates are in a position to succeed.
Milena plays hockey and basketball through a non-profit organization called Adaptive Sports of Ohio. Adaptive Sports of Ohio removes barriers to ensure that individuals with physical disabilities have a chance to play, and utilize sport to elevate their ability and empower futures. She told us that the group has coached her in all of her sports and provided the equipment for her to have a chance to play. She also shared with us how she had reached out to the Cloverleaf track coach to lend a throwing chair from them. She was very grateful and is using the chair to help her accomplish more in the field.
Milena’s coach, Coach Autumn, told us that she feels really lucky to work with an athlete like Milena. She said that Milena is a dedicated young woman who never backs down from a challenge and is always ready to put in the extra effort. But Milena isn’t just a star athlete. She’s also a great student. She’s even taking college-level courses through Kent State, my alma mater, and could have graduated high school a year early.
Milena wanted us to tell all of you that your time is valuable. You should make sure you use your energy doing the things that you love and to follow your passions. That’s great advice, Milena.
This week’s A+ Award winner is Milena for her achievements on the athletic field. We want to wish Milena good luck next year at the University of Arizona where she will be studying and competing on the track team.
