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EWM IMPACT ATHLETES
Econ Wealth Management and OverTime Sports is proud to celebrate local IMPACT athletes. IMPACT athletes display strong values of Integrity, Motivation, Passion, Achievement, Community, and Teamwork.
Mason Leiphart
Econ Wealth Management is proud to announce the IMPACT athlete for the month of July, Mason Leiphart. Skip Skipperson, OverTime Sports wrestling fanatic recently caught up with Mason with an exclusive interview.
Just talking with Mason for a few minutes you take notice that Mason is one of the most humble and grateful individuals you can meet. He strives to excel in the classroom and on the wrestling mat. He demonstrates the utmost respect to his family, coaches, and opponents throughout the years. His hard work and dedication only continues to grow as he ends his high school career and transitions to the next level.
Skip added his two cents to describe his own wrestling career before the interview began. “I used to wrestling in elementary school and hold the record for running around the mat the longest without making contact” said Skipperson. “What got you into wrestling?” he asked Mason. “My family, both my uncles, wrestled so when I was in kindergarten, and failed tremendously at soccer, I gave wrestling a shot and continued with the sport.”
One of the reasons we like to recognize IMPACT athletes is for their involvement in the community. We asked Mason why it’s important to be involved in the community. “Community involvement is good for two reasons. First, it generates a lot of support and backing for both yourself and the sport in general. Two, I have been helping out with the youth program and feel the more I help out with the youth in wrestling the chances for Dover to be better at the sport in the future increases.”
Mental adversity, and overcoming obstacles, is something that all IMPACT athletes have shown the ability to do. Things can change quickly in a wrestling match, as Skip relayed to Mason. “I was standing up and the next thing I knew I was on my back and the ref was pounding the mat,” said Skipperson. Clearly, Skip wasn’t the same caliber of wrestler that Mason is! “What helps you overcome adversity?” asked Skip. “Adversity is something everyone overcomes in a different way. I tend to get through things by imagining what would happen if I don’t, like if I were to give up, how much would that negatively impact me. Then it’s simply that I try to avoid that outcome. I also like to prove myself capable and by overcoming challenges I feel that I do just that.” Skip added, “I would have loved to imagine not being pinned in 3.6 seconds but it happened not once but five times in my career,” he explained with a sheepish laugh..
We always like to ask our IMPACT players what advice would you pass on to the youth of the sport? “Stick with it. I know it may be tiring and difficult right now, but if you continue to put the work in it will show. When I started wrestling, I was terrible, only winning two matches in my first two years, one of which was a forfeit. But by keeping at it, I continued to get better and eventually got to where I am today,” said Leiphart.
Skipperson asked Mason to tell readers something most people don’t know about him. “I have played three different sports in my life. Wrestling, obviously, is the only one that I still compete in and is the only one I was any good at. I played soccer for one year in kindergarten and wasn’t all too good. I also played football for maybe a year or two in elementary school and rode the bench the whole time, only going in for one game where it was snowing and no one else would go out. “Ha, I can top that,” exclaimed Skipperson. “In a baseball game, our second baseman got hurt and I was the only player left on the bench. The coach chose to finish the game with 8, rather than put me in. I get it though. The team was way better without me out there!”
Mason plans on attending, and wrestling at, Franklin and Marshall College where he plans to graduate with a mathematics degree and an eventual master’s degree in Engineering. Good luck Mason and keep up the hard work.
We are certainly looking forward to watching Mason progress through his college career and we say THANK YOU for being a role model and giving back to the community. Good work, Mason!
If you know of young athletes who you’d like to recognize as Econ Wealth Management IMPACT athletes, who display passion, motivation, and the desire to make a difference in their community, let our staff know by emailing media@overtimesports.net.
Deven Jackson
Econ Wealth Management is proud to announce the IMPACT athlete for the month of June, Deven Jackson. Deven’s story is one of extraordinary adversity and willingness to overcome terrible obstacles that life throws your way. We had the privilege of talking to Deven about his story. We can all take some notes!
Deven graduated from West Perry High School on Thursday June 2nd. Seems typical for a high school senior. Deven is anything but typical. At the age of 8 he contracted Bacterial Meningitis (Meningococcal septicaemia) and was given a 10% chance to survive. His body fought, and he survived, but at the cost of both his legs below the knee and multiple skin grafts. While it was an adjustment, he was happy to be alive. As he told us, “After multiple surgeries and some setbacks, I was able to return to being an active kid like I was prior to losing my legs. I just had to find a new approach to some things.”
This is where Deven’s story becomes anything other than ordinary. One of his teachers, Mrs. Hall, told him about wrestling and thought he should give it a try. Her son wrestled and she thought it might be something he could do. He took a signup sheet home and asked his parents if he could give it a try. That year, when he was 10, his wrestling career began. And what an unbelievable career it has been. Over 100 wins later, earning a Trojan War Championship, and two 4th place medals at the PIAA “AA” State Wrestling Championships, Deven has more than overcome adversity. He’s dominated it! He will continue his wrestling career at Elizabethtown College for the Blue Jays while pursuing a degree in criminal justice.
Overcoming that amount of adversity was a team effort. His parents, the hospital staff, and the local community were all behind Deven each step of the way. “The community provided me and my family with support and prayers during a difficult time and kept my spirits up while I was in the hospital going through all of my surgeries. I am very thankful for all the support me and my family have received over the years.
As Deven adjusted to his new life, he was able to attend amputee camps as well to try to feel like a normal 8 year old thinking he could do anything and that he was just like everyone else. His parents have always had his back and never told him he couldn’t do something because of his disability. They always told him that he could do anything he wanted, he just might have to work harder than others. Nothing is impossible.
We asked Deven, who claims he doesn’t eat vegetables which makes cutting weight difficult, what advice he would give to youth wrestlers or any kids battling adversity. “Hard work beats talent and to never give up and to keep fighting for what you love!”
Good advice from an extraordinary young gentleman. Econ Wealth Management and OverTime Sports wishes Deven nothing but luck in the future. We’re pretty sure his work ethic and attitude will be all he needs to keep the successes coming.
If you know of young athletes who you’d like to recognize as Econ Wealth Management IMPACT athletes, who display passion, motivation, and the desire to make a difference in their community, let our staff know by emailing media@overtimesports.net.
Ethan Barnes
Econ Wealth Management is excited to announce that the IMPACT player for the month of May is Central Dauphin freshman baseball player, Ethan Barnes. Chance McDermott, OverTime Sports director of youth baseball and equestrian activities, recently caught up with Ethan in the weight room at CD for a one on one exclusive interview.
“I saw Ethan helping to coach a youth rec baseball game one night, and at first I thought, ‘That dad stole some CD baseball kid’s gear,’ “ explained McDermott. “He doesn’t look like a freshman. If I had to guess he’s probably 6’4’’ 235 but definitely has Aaron Judge size. Probably benches 375 too. Diesel.”
While our data analytics department didn’t verify McDermott’s claims, we did find out a lot about Ethan and how is helping to do some good things in his community. Barnes, 15, is a pitcher for the Rams JV team but also plays for FTB. “I think that’s Feel The Burn or maybe Flip The Bat,” said McDermott. No matter what FTB stands for, Ethan is a role model for younger players, because he doesn’t have any family members on the team he is helping to coach. He just wants to make a difference.
“I wanted to help coach because I want to help the younger baseball players transition to the big field,” Barnes explained as he was pumping out his 65th pullup in the CD weight room.
“Seriously, the dude is strong,” McDermott said. “I wish I had his size when I was a freshman, and I wish I had someone to help coach me and help me transition to the big field when I played. I didn’t. Maybe that’s why I was so bad.”
Community is important to Ethan and he explained to McDermott that, “My community has helped me in many different ways such as in baseball and becoming a better person.” We love to see kids who want to give back like Barnes does. He also helps umpire during games and he helps to maintain the fields in Dauphin.
Unconfirmed rumors are that Ethan has already canned two or three unruly coaches from games and we did assess that the Dauphin ball fields are the nicest in the area because of his Picasso-like touch with a field rake.
We always like to ask our IMPACT players what advice they could pass on to younger players. “Look forward to the next play and remember, attitude is a big role on and off the field,” Barnes said.
We are certainly looking forward to watching Ethan progress through his career and we say THANK YOU for being a role model and giving back to the community. Good work, Ethan!
If you know of young athletes who you’d like to recognize as Econ Wealth Management IMPACT athletes, who display passion, motivation, and the desire to make a difference in their community, let our staff know by emailing media@overtimesports.net.
The Econ Wealth IMPACT player for the month of March is Dominic “Nico” DiSanto. Nico is a 5th grader at Paxtonia Elementary School who was recently recognized by his teacher, Mrs. Miller, for being a positive influence on a new student from Tunisia in his class. OverTime Sports head of International Relations, Tad McFadden, sat down with Nico for an OverTime Sports exclusive interview about his experience with his new friend.
“I remember watching Top Gun in 1988 and I learned all about foreign relations when Maverick and Goose were inverted above a Russian Mig and took a Polaroid from their cockpit. It was at that point that I realized I too could make a difference in the world,” McFadden told Nico before the interview. Nico, being the intelligent young man he is, just nodded and smiled and then began to tell Tad the story of when the new student arrived in his class.
“I was a new student 2 years ago too,” began Nico, who plays football, baseball, basketball, and dabbles in soccer. His new friend plays soccer too. “I know what it feels like moving to a different school, but it had to be even harder to move to a new country too. I thought he could use a friend to help learn English better.” Nico explained to Tad that being a positive influence felt good to him. “I was first uncomfortable to approach him because he didn’t speak much English and was hard to understand. I was confident that I could be a leader and help him. I brought over ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ that I was reading at the time, and we started reading together.” Nico went on to explain that this small gesture allowed his new friend to begin to build trust in him and that made him feel important.
McFadden continued by asking Nico about how playing sports has helped him as a young man. “Sports help me to build confidence and gain strength. I now feel comfortable standing up for myself more. Team sports are fun – there are teammates who have helped me and teammates who I have helped to.” Tad explained to Nico how he wished he would’ve been one of his teammates growing up. “I didn’t have anyone as cool or helpful as Nico on my teams when I was younger,” said Tad. “I know where he gets it from though. Nico’s mom, Sarah, is a soccer legend and his dad, Bill, I think is in the East Shore Twilight Baseball Hall of Fame. Could be wrong about that, but I did once see him lend his bat to the rightfielder for Linglestown, who got jammed on an inside fastball and promptly shattered the bat. He didn’t even get mad. Cool as a cucumber that guy, just like Nico. A great teammate.”
At this point we had to prompt McFadden to continue with the interview so he asked Nico what advice he would give to younger players. “Playing a sport is more than just playing games and practicing. You build friendships and relationships – it’s about the name on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back.”
McFadden agreed. “There are so many teams, players, and parents who just care about winning weekend tournaments and miss the true meaning of playing sports. It’s nice to see a young man like Nico who really sees the big picture. My only concern is that Nico does not like onions on his cheesesteaks, his favorite food. How can you do that to a cheesesteak?!”
Aside from playing sports, Nico is involved in a lot of other cool stuff. Each summer he spends time at a STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) camp because he loves coding and engineering. McFadden explained to Nico that he once built a paper airplane and asked if that counted as engineering. Again, Nico just smiled and moved the conversation along explaining why he wears number 43. “I’ve done a lot of research on Jackie Robinson and I even did a big presentation on him last year. I wear #43 because Jackie Robinson was #42 and my dad, who I’m way better than, wore #44 as a player.”
OverTime Sports and Econ Wealth Management are proud to honor Nico DiSanto as the March IMPACT player of the month. We are proud of you, Nico, for being a positive influence and making a positive IMPACT on your new friend in your class. Keep up the good work, on and off the field! If you know of young athletes who you’d like to recognize as Econ Wealth Management IMPACT athletes, who display passion, motivation, and the desire to make a difference in their community, let our staff know by emailing media@overtimesports.net.
Dominic "Nico" DiSanto
The Econ Wealth IMPACT player for the month of March is Dominic “Nico” DiSanto. Nico is a 5th grader at Paxtonia Elementary School who was recently recognized by his teacher, Mrs. Miller, for being a positive influence on a new student from Tunisia in his class. OverTime Sports head of International Relations, Tad McFadden, sat down with Nico for an OverTime Sports exclusive interview about his experience with his new friend.
“I remember watching Top Gun in 1988 and I learned all about foreign relations when Maverick and Goose were inverted above a Russian Mig and took a Polaroid from their cockpit. It was at that point that I realized I too could make a difference in the world,” McFadden told Nico before the interview. Nico, being the intelligent young man he is, just nodded and smiled and then began to tell Tad the story of when the new student arrived in his class.
“I was a new student 2 years ago too,” began Nico, who plays football, baseball, basketball, and dabbles in soccer. His new friend plays soccer too. “I know what it feels like moving to a different school, but it had to be even harder to move to a new country too. I thought he could use a friend to help learn English better.” Nico explained to Tad that being a positive influence felt good to him. “I was first uncomfortable to approach him because he didn’t speak much English and was hard to understand. I was confident that I could be a leader and help him. I brought over ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ that I was reading at the time, and we started reading together.” Nico went on to explain that this small gesture allowed his new friend to begin to build trust in him and that made him feel important.
McFadden continued by asking Nico about how playing sports has helped him as a young man. “Sports help me to build confidence and gain strength. I now feel comfortable standing up for myself more. Team sports are fun – there are teammates who have helped me and teammates who I have helped to.” Tad explained to Nico how he wished he would’ve been one of his teammates growing up. “I didn’t have anyone as cool or helpful as Nico on my teams when I was younger,” said Tad. “I know where he gets it from though. Nico’s mom, Sarah, is a soccer legend and his dad, Bill, I think is in the East Shore Twilight Baseball Hall of Fame. Could be wrong about that, but I did once see him lend his bat to the rightfielder for Linglestown, who got jammed on an inside fastball and promptly shattered the bat. He didn’t even get mad. Cool as a cucumber that guy, just like Nico. A great teammate.”
At this point we had to prompt McFadden to continue with the interview so he asked Nico what advice he would give to younger players. “Playing a sport is more than just playing games and practicing. You build friendships and relationships – it’s about the name on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back.”
McFadden agreed. “There are so many teams, players, and parents who just care about winning weekend tournaments and miss the true meaning of playing sports. It’s nice to see a young man like Nico who really sees the big picture. My only concern is that Nico does not like onions on his cheesesteaks, his favorite food. How can you do that to a cheesesteak?!”
Aside from playing sports, Nico is involved in a lot of other cool stuff. Each summer he spends time at a STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) camp because he loves coding and engineering. McFadden explained to Nico that he once built a paper airplane and asked if that counted as engineering. Again, Nico just smiled and moved the conversation along explaining why he wears number 43. “I’ve done a lot of research on Jackie Robinson and I even did a big presentation on him last year. I wear #43 because Jackie Robinson was #42 and my dad, who I’m way better than, wore #44 as a player.”
OverTime Sports and Econ Wealth Management are proud to honor Nico DiSanto as the March IMPACT player of the month. We are proud of you, Nico, for being a positive influence and making a positive IMPACT on your new friend in your class. Keep up the good work, on and off the field! If you know of young athletes who you’d like to recognize as Econ Wealth Management IMPACT athletes, who display passion, motivation, and the desire to make a difference in their community, let our staff know by emailing media@overtimesports.net.
CASSIDY FILLER
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This month’s Econ Wealth Management IMPACT player is Cassidy Filler. Cassidy is a 9th grade student at Central Dauphin High School and is involved as a cheerleader with Hershey Elite. OverTime Sports’ Chance McDermott, self-appointed head of cheerleading metrics, talked to Cassidy about her work in the community and as a cheerleader.
“Cassidy is a fantastic young lady,” Chance told us. “So far this year she has raised over $700 for the Four Diamonds Fund,” which assists families of young children who are battling cancer. “She’s an unbelievable cheerleader too,” McDermott told our staff. “At one of her practices, I saw her do 7 handsprings, 6 flips, and some kind of twisty, aerial, tuck, pike flying move that I thought was a move that only I could do.” Our research department looked into it and it was determined that McDermott was never a cheerleader, nor could he ever do a flip, let alone a forward roll.
In addition to helping to raise money for the Four Diamonds Fund, Cassidy has also helped her community in the past by raising money for the Pennsylvania Food Bank. “We need more young people like Cassidy,” said McDermott. “She’s just a great kid and a great athlete. She claims to get her athletic prowess from her dad, Eric. “He’s definitely the better athlete of my parents,” said Cassidy. “My mom is really cool, but my dad has been playing soccer since he was in elementary school.
“I’ve seen him play,” McDermott reports. “I’d say the top 3 soccer players I’ve ever seen are Christian Pulisic, Pele, and Cassidy’s dad.” This isn’t a story about him though. It’s about Cassidy, who loves cheerleading, helping in the community, and being a role model for young girls.
McDermott asked her what advice she would give to young athletes. “Never give up,” she says. “I say this because I have struggled on gaining skills and confidence in myself, and my coaches have helped me learn to not give up. That’s helped me become the person I am today.” Good advice from a smart young lady.
OverTime Sports and Econ Wealth Management say a big thank you to Cassidy for being an IMPACT athlete and making a difference in the community. If you know of young athletes who you’d like to recognize as Econ Wealth Management IMPACT athletes, who display passion, motivation, and the desire to make a difference in their community, let our staff know by emailing media@overtimesports.net.
Christian Wilburn & Andrew Renaldi
On weekends during the month of March, you’d find most kids, especially basketball players, watching the NCAA basketball tournament. It takes a special person to want to volunteer their time and miss watching the tournament so they can help younger kids learn the game of basketball. It’s for this exact reason that OverTime Sports is proud to announce that the Econ Wealth Management IMPACT players for the month of April are Central Dauphin High School basketball players Christian Wilburn and Andrew Renaldi.
Our own Skip Skipperson, Director of Western European and Scandinavian basketball recruiting, was in attendance at the recent 1st Annual OverTime Sports March Madness Youth Clinic and Skills Competition. “First of all, I have to say that I am very impressed with both Wilburn and Renaldi. I’ve met a lot of basketball players in my life and no one is better at being great human beings than those two. Best kids I’ve ever met. Even better than my own!” We were able to spend a little time with both of them and ask them about their experiences as high school athletes and why being active in their community is important.
Renaldi, a senior, played for the Rams Soccer team under coach Neil Cooper and for the Rams basketball team under Coach Wayne Fletcher. “Coop, as I call him,” said Skip, “is a soccer savant and would probably be playing for Chelsea if he weren’t coaching here in the States. And Fletcher, I’m pretty sure he’s going to take over for Coach Krzyewski when he retires from Duke, or at least he should.” Bold statements from Skip, but that’s what we do at OverTime!
We wanted to know how important sports are to both young men. Renaldi, who is also a big fantasy football guy, says that sports are important because he loves competition and the camaraderie that comes with it. “I love to compete and I get out onto the field or court and do it with guys I would do anything for,” he said. Also important to Andrew (whose dad may be the best sports photographer next to Walter Iooss, Jr.) is being able to help his community. He has helped run youth basketball clinics for CD and has helped with food drives at local churches. “Helping the community is important to me because it’s amazing to watch the younger generation of player learn the game and progress their skills. I was in the same situation as them and it’s cool to try to be like some of the players I looked up to when I was younger.”
Wilburn, who is a connoisseur of obscure sports like cricket, shares many of those same sentiments. He has also helped out in the community by running clinics and volunteering for various charities. “I enjoy helping the community because I love seeing the enjoyment it brings to the people that are being helped.” Skipperson jumped in here and said that he helped out in the community once by feeding walnuts to squirrels at a local park. Not really on the same level as Wilburn or Renaldi, but we’ll let him think he was doing good.
Christian also participated on the Rams varsity team under Coach Fletcher. “His ball handling skills are second to none,” explained Skipperson. “During the relay race at the youth clinic, he absolutely smoked those young kids. They had no chance. If he were from Western Europe or Scandinavia, I’d recruit him, and Renaldi too.”
We are proud of both of these young men for giving their time to be positive influences on the young players at the clinic. “I’ve never seen kids so happy,” said Skip. “Those boys did a great thing,” he said tearing up. Almost in full tears at this point, Skipperson said he wished he would’ve had a role model like Christian, who plans to study electrical engineering in college, or Andrew, who will study finance.
We asked both what advice they’d give to younger players. Here’s what they said. Wilburn – “Keep practicing and work on becoming better everyday.”
Renaldi – “Be coachable and give it everything you’ve got every time you take the field/court. Be a team player and everything will fall into place.
It sounds like both of these young gentlemen followed their own advice and that is why they are the Econ Wealth Management IMPACT players for the month of April. Well done guys and good luck with everything that’s to come! Thank you for making a positive IMPACT on your community.
If you know of young athletes who you’d like to recognize as Econ Wealth Management IMPACT athletes, who display passion, motivation, and the desire to make a difference in their community, let our staff know by emailing media@overtimesports.net.
SIENNA BURSTON
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Our latest IMPACT athlete, Sienna Burston, displays all of the qualities that are important to the OverTime Sports and Econ Wealth Management families. Sienna, an 8th grader at Central Dauphin Middle School, recently helped her local community by participating in two community service projects. OverTime Sports Director of Community Relations, Skip Skipperson, talked with Sienna about her involvement in sports and what helping the local community means to her.
Burston, a three sport athlete, plays softball, competes in track and field, and is involved in competitive cheerleading. “She is what I would call, ‘Beast Mode’,” said Skipperson, describing Sienna as an athlete. “She has a bright future ahead, on and off the field, because she is definitely already way more athletic than her dad, Greg, who was a basketball superstar at Rider University and was inducted into the Broncs hall of fame in 2007! She’s awesome, but of course, she does have a great mentor and coach in her dad,” said Skip. “I just pray every night before I go to bed that my 2 year old daughter, Tipper, grows up to be as athletic and as nice as her!” he added.
Not only is she a good athlete on the field, she is an even better person off the field. Leading up to the Christmas holiday, she assisted at the gift workshop for Children and Youth Services and she also helped out at her church by volunteering her time to set up holiday shows and food drives. Sienna explained how being involved in sports has played an important role in her development as a young adult. “Being an athlete has showed me many things like good sportsmanship, discipline, working hard, and many other life lessons,” she told Skipperson, as he was frantically taking notes because, as he told us, “I want my daughter to be like her but I want to be like her too!” Burston added that, “It has also given me an opportunity to meet many people and learn new skills.”
She has taken those skills and life lessons and carried them into all aspects of her life, which is why she feels that community service is important. “Helping others and giving back means a lot to me because it gives me a chance to see things from a different perspective,” she said. “Furthermore, I enjoy helping others and feeling helpful and I love seeing people happy,” she explained as Skip’s eyes began to well up with tears. “We just need more people in the world like Sienna,” he said, clearly choked up at the point.
Burston hopes to continue her athletic career in cheer and softball as a Ram at Central Dauphin High School, and then possibly beyond, in college. Skipperson, who hopes that Sienna will just spend all of her time coaching his daughter, Tipper, asked what advice she would give to younger girls who play sports. “Work hard and never give up. Things may be hard and you may not feel like practicing, but you have to focus on your goals and motives for doing your sport in the first place. Specifically, in softball, things may not always go your way, but you can’t let that, or anyone, stop you from achieving your dreams.” At this point, Skipperson could barely even talk and just continuously blew his nose and wiped away the tears. “What she just said was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard,” noted Skipperson.
We are proud to name Sienna as our latest Econ Wealth Management IMPACT athlete. We wish her nothing but the best as she pursues her dreams and continues to be a role model for young athletes. Thanks for making an IMPACT on your community, Sienna!
CD KNIGHTS BASEBALL
The CD Knights baseball team is the latest Econ Wealth Management IMPACT Athlete.
This months EWM IMPACT athlete is the CD Knights baseball team. At EWM community involvement is important. The Knights also believe that it’s important to be involved in the community. This past week, the boys in orange and black continued their annual tradition of helping a less fortunate family by providing them with a Thanksgiving dinner they would have otherwise not enjoyed. Families of Knights players collected items for a Thanksgiving meal as well as personal hygiene items to deliver to the family. We asked some of the players what it means to be able to give back. Here’s what they said.
Kayden Gelbaugh - "Because they are struggling and it makes me appreciate everything that I have, more."
Derrick Price - "It is important to do nice things for others because it makes them happy and that feels good. And it can change their life."
Brady Zellers - "It's important because they don't have a lot of stuff in their lives and we can help by giving them food and blankets and other things."
Jacob Baloga - "We are all part of one big community and it's our responsibility to help those who need it when we can."
Roman Mock - "I think it's important to help others because some people don't have what they need."
Colby Rissinger - "It shows that you care for them and everyone deserves to have help when they need it."
The knights will plan to continue their tradition of giving g back with a Christmas support drive as well when they provide Christmas gifts for three families in the area. This type of community oriented mindset is why the CD Knights were selected as the EWM IMPACT Athlete.
TYLER MULLEN
Our latest EWM IMPACT athlete, Shippensburg High School Senior Cross Country Runner, Tyler Mullen, is the definition of an IMPACT player. Our Skip Skipperson talked with Tyler recently about his commitment to working hard and how that hard work paid off big-time this year.
Skipperson began the interview, as only Skip could. " I can't believe you run across the entire country. That has to be tiring. And take a really long time." Tyler didn't even respond. He just kind of looked at Skipperson and waited for the next question. "I ran once," Skip said.
Mullen, whose favorite pre-race meal is his mom, Stacie's, lasagna, has been running cross-country since his freshman year. Each race consists of a 5 kilometer (~3.1 mile) outdoor trail run. He says he really enjoys the sport because of his teammates and the relationships he has made. "I have made a lot of friends from all four of my years in cross country and I hope those friendships continue for many more years after I’m done, Tyler explained. "I had a friend once," said Skip, looking somewhat teary eyed. Maybe he should have run cross country too!
Beginning his freshman year, Tyler set a goal for himself - qualify for districts. Goals are nothing if you don't put in the work. "I had a goal once," added Skipperson. The difference is, Tyler worked. And worked. And continued to work. His motivation and his passion for the sport led him to reach his goal this year. He qualified for the district meet! Apparently Stacie's lasagna has got it going on. "From freshman year, my one and only goal was to make it to districts. I worked hard in-season and during the off season to become the best runner I could be. And just to finally have all that hard work pay off in the end is a really, really great feeling," said Mullen, pumping his fist.
We asked Tyler what advice he would give to younger runners. "My advice that I would give to future runners is to follow three rules: 1. Work Hard 2. Train Smart and 3. Believe in Yourself. If you follow all three of these rules, you can accomplish your running goals." Good advice, Tyler. Skipperson added, "I believed in myself once."
Congratulations, Tyler on reaching your goal and being named an Econ Wealth Management IMPACT player. With that attitude and work ethic, and some home-cooked lasagna, we are sure there are big things ahead!
MIRANDA ULREY
Our latest EWM IMPACT athlete, Miranda Ulrey, can answer the question, " You even lift?" with a simple answer. "Yes, all the time, and probably more than you!" That's because as a 17 year old, she is currently ranked 4th in the world and 2nd nationally in her 16/17 year old weight class. You read that right. Mirana Ulrey is a beast! She's also a very down to earth, mature, and just all around cool kid! We had a chance to sit down with her to talk about her recent trip to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for the Youth World Championships.
Before the interview, OTS intern, Chip Kinglsey, who's never even sniffed a weight room, was curious as to just how strong Miranda is. He challenged her to a best of 3 arm wrestling competition. We don't need to report the results, but Ulrey destroyed Chip in a total of 8 seconds to win 2-0. "That hurt," said Chip. "She's the strongest person I know."
Miranda, who competes in the snatch and clean & jerk, hasn't always been a weight lifter. About two years ago, while a gymnast, she was looking for something more challenging. She had developed some significant muscle as a gymnast and wanted to keep using what she had built up. Weight lifting seemed the perfect fit. After an internet search, her and her dad found a USA Weightlifting affiliated gym in Lemoyne and decided to check it out. The rest, as they say, is history.
She began training immediately and only 9 months ago began competing. After a qualifying competition in Detroit in June, she found out that she had qualified for the Youth World Championships in Saudi Arabia! The Youth World Championships was only her 6th competition but you'd never know. She finished with a lift of 77 kg in the snatch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBc5N_-xdqo) and 92 kg in the clean and jerk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HyWjAk7fhY. "That's like, 1000 lbs, right?" asked Kingsley. Well, no Chip, not really, but for you math whizzes out there, there are 2.20462 pounds per kilogram.
Those lifts were good enough for a bronze medal in the snatch and a 5th place finish in
the clean & jerk to finish 4th overall! While she is proud of her accomplishment ( who
wouldn't be?!) she says that weightlifting has taught her discipline and maturity. She
has disciplined herself to sleep well and eat well. Sleep is extremely important and for
you weight lifters out there, she says she gets at least 8.5 hours each night. Her
favorite meal of chicken and rice provides her body with the right amount of protein to
help keep her muscles growing.
We are honored to name Miranda our latest EWM IMPACT athlete and we look forward to seeing her compete on the global stage next year! For now, we are already scheduling her next competition with Chip. He claims he can beat her in a pull up competition. One question for you, Chipper - Do you even lift?!
ALEX MURPHY
OverTime Sports Pulitzer deserving staff reporter, John C. Birdel, recently sat down with Alex in an exclusive interview to ask her about her recent commitment to High Point University and how soccer has impacted her life. “I’ve been able to travel up and down the East Coast & play from Maine to Florida. And my best friends are my teammates- amazing girls that are smart, funny, caring, and most importantly- we are there for each other,” Murphy told Birdel while in the middle of a workout/study session. She was literally juggling and working on footwork while studying for an AP biology test. Amazing stuff to be able to also conduct an interview!
Alex has experienced a high degree of soccer success throughout her career. This past summer she was a member of the Penn FC Lightning 2004 U17 Girl’s team that won the National Championship. Now, she is a key member of the Central Dauphin Lady Rams team that is currently undefeated, sits in first place in the district rankings, and is a heavy favorite to win the PIAA State Championship this fall. Knowing she is as successful as she is, she must have a very specific and regimented pregame routine including a specific pregame meal that helps her play her best. “If I told you, then the stores would be out of Skittles, Sour Patch, and Gummies. I like bananas! “ she told us!
Clearly that routine has led to many wins and many memories with her teammates. One of her favorite memories dates back to her freshman year, when the world quickly realized that Alex Murphy was on the soccer scene. “I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by such great players and so many wonderful memories. I guess my freshman year, I really exploded in the D3 playoffs, and even scored a goal in the state playoffs.” OTS legendary reporter, Chance McDermott, was at that game her freshman year. “That goal was like Kirk Gibson’s pinch hit walk-off home run off Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, “ McDermot told us. Murphy says, “ I’m hoping to score a goal in my senior year state playoff … in the FINALS at HP.” Now that would be a memory for a lifetime.
She will take her talents to the tarheel state to continue her education and soccer career at High Point University this fall. We wanted to know what led to her decision to commit to High Point. “High Point is so amazing. The campus is absolutely beautiful. The coaches are forward-thinking and encourage player input. The players are so dynamic (and I know Emily & Carly - Hi Emily & Carly…!). I can’t wait to create with my new HPU Panthers, “ Murphy said while dissecting a fetal pig and working on sole roles. Her plans right now are to study exercise science and biology. “I want to become a Physical Therapist, which will take 7-years (ugh) but HPU has a Doctorate (DPT) programs (yay).” Trust us Alex, those 7 years will fly by!
Being recruited can be a stressful yet rewarding time for student athletes. Alex gave us an inside look at what it takes to play at the collegiate level and what the recruiting process entails so that maybe younger players can have an understanding of what to expect. “Soccer has been a year-round commitment for me and my teammates - both HS & Club. We have been dedicated to constant improvement. That’s not saying we won’t make mistakes, but we know we won’t make them twice. I really liked visiting the colleges (and that’s where you really get recruited). Each school has some really neat buildings, grounds, training facilities, and the people are wonderful. The process is very stressful though, but knowing I had the full support of my parents, family, coaches, and teammates has made this journey special.”
Alex is more than deserving of being the latest Econ Wealth Management IMPACT player. She displays all of the right characteristics. Not only is she motivated and passionate, she’s done everything with integrity and represented the local community well. We are honored to recognize Alex and we wish her nothing but the best in everything that’s ahead! We’ll be there when she scores that goal at Hersheypark too!
MATTY MAUSNER
Harrisburg, PA - Ask any coach to describe their idea of the perfect teammate and they'd probably say things like, "Hard working" "Has a good attitude" "Always shows up" and "Coachable." As it turns out, they'd be describing local Harrisburg resident, Matty Mausner. Because of these qualities, Matty was recently named as the Pennsylvania State Special Olympics Male Athlete of the Year. We had the privilege of sitting down with Matty to discuss this huge honor!
As soon as Matty walked in to meet us, he lit up the room. It's easy to see why he was chosen as the Male Athlete of the Year. His smile is contagious and his positive attitude is something we could all learn from. He was more than excited to share his feelings about his award. "I'm really excited. I like it a lot," Matty told us smiling from ear to ear. He was chosen out of more than 50 athletes from around the state and as far as we know, he is the first from central PA to win the award.
Our team presented Matty with the first OverTime Sports IMPACT Athlete award, given to athletes who exemplify everything that Matty does. As the PA State Special Olympics Male Athlete of the Year, he is definitely making an impact on everyone he meets both on and off the field or court.
Not too long ago, it was uncertain that Matty would even continue playing sports. His love for volleyball, bowling, track and field, and basketball had gone away. Most athletes have experienced this at some point in their lives. It's natural. Out of chance, Matty was asked to play on the Harrisburg Area Special Olympics Volleyball team. He decided he would continue. It's good that he did, because he was able to help his team win the State Championship! That brought his love for sports back and he hasn't looked back since.
He was chosen as the Male Athlete of the Year because of his great attitude and that he always shows up and works hard. That's no easy task for a guy as busy as he is. He also participates in bowling, track and field, and he plays basketball and field hockey. You'd think with a schedule like that he wouldn't have time to do anything else. When he's not playing or practicing he works at Cracker Barrel, likes to draw, enjoys watching the Spider Man movies and playing video games. If he can find some down time after all of that, he likes to walk his dog, Daisy, or just relax!
Team chemistry, in our opinion, is more important that any amount of talent will ever be. You need good teammates and you need those teammates to play together and for each other. Matty Mausner is that teammate. We should all be so lucky to meet him. Those who get to play on his sports teams are lucky that he is on their side. He is, after all, the perfect teammate!
Matty Mausner being interviewed live at Studio 457