Friday, June 11, 2004
Reagan Still Dead, Stay Tuned to FOXNEWS for Updates
Here's an article on a Navy recruit:
Zanesville Times-Recorder (Zanesville, OH)
March 11, 2004 Thursday
It's official: Aronhalt headed to Naval Academy
dweidig@nncogannett.com
It's official: Aronhalt headed to Naval Academy
By DAVE WEIDIG
Sports Editor
ZANESVILLE -- Whew!
Drake Aronhalt let out a heavy sigh.
The soft-spoken Zanesville High School senior's big day was over. It was official. He is now headed to the U.S. Naval Academy on a basketball scholarship.
The toughest part about Wednesday's signing, in the ZHS Cove before a huge crowd of teammates, classmates, teachers, coaches, family and friends?
"The speech I had to give," he said. "I was going to write it out on note cards, but I ended up just winging it. I can't believe this many people came out to see this. It was exciting, but it kind of made me nervous."
He doesn't usually have a whole lot to say, but the turnout at his signing spoke volumes about his accomplishments. Not only did he average 19 points and over two assists per game, setting ZHS career records for free throw percentage (over 80 percent) and most threes made. But he carries an accumulative 3.982 GPA, including 4.3 last quarter, and scored very highly on his ACT test.
"He's one of those guys that if he wasn't on the basketball team, you wouldn't know he was around; he just goes about his business," said ZHS boys reserve coach Nate Seekatz.
"I'm very proud of his basketball accomplishments, but even more so academically," said his dad and ZHS head boys coach Scott Aronhalt. "He's getting a $225,000 education paid for. He has a five-year commitment after college, but that's not a negative. It's a positive, and he can make a choice of where he wants to go with his life."
"Drake is just a great individual," said ZHS athletic director Dave Bell. "He had a huge amount of determination; it's a tribute to his athletics and academics. The A in athletics actually stands for academics.
Drake's mom, Madge, felt a combination of relief and joy on Wednesday, similar to the feeling the family got on Christmas Eve when Congressman Bob Ney called with the official appointment to the Naval Academy.
"Relief that everything is finally taken care of; it was a lot of paperwork," she said. "Joy that he's getting the best of the best. They only take a few people from each state.
"It's a new life for him. It's strict and regimented, but I think he'll get along fine. It's more normal than people think it is."
Besides, as Drake likes to joke, "my mom and I will have our retirement party together."
Coach Aronhalt said the family was disappointed about the retirement of Navy head basketball coach Don DeVoe after the Midshipmen struggled through a tough season.
"He's an excellent guy; we're disappointed he won't be coaching Drake," he said. "He treated us like family."
On the plus side, Navy assistant coach Dave Wojcik, who recruited Drake, may be in line for the head coaching job. Wojcik is the former head coach at Wheeling Central Catholic.
"The new coach will probably use the same system," Drake said. "Turnovers were a problem for them this season, so maybe that will give me an opportunity for some playing time next year."
He still has some unfinished business in his high school career, being picked to play in both the Ohio North-South All-Star Classic as well as the Ohio-Kentucky All-Star Classic.
@ 1:44 PM
Here's an article on a Navy recruit:
Zanesville Times-Recorder (Zanesville, OH)
March 11, 2004 Thursday
It's official: Aronhalt headed to Naval Academy
dweidig@nncogannett.com
It's official: Aronhalt headed to Naval Academy
By DAVE WEIDIG
Sports Editor
ZANESVILLE -- Whew!
Drake Aronhalt let out a heavy sigh.
The soft-spoken Zanesville High School senior's big day was over. It was official. He is now headed to the U.S. Naval Academy on a basketball scholarship.
The toughest part about Wednesday's signing, in the ZHS Cove before a huge crowd of teammates, classmates, teachers, coaches, family and friends?
"The speech I had to give," he said. "I was going to write it out on note cards, but I ended up just winging it. I can't believe this many people came out to see this. It was exciting, but it kind of made me nervous."
He doesn't usually have a whole lot to say, but the turnout at his signing spoke volumes about his accomplishments. Not only did he average 19 points and over two assists per game, setting ZHS career records for free throw percentage (over 80 percent) and most threes made. But he carries an accumulative 3.982 GPA, including 4.3 last quarter, and scored very highly on his ACT test.
"He's one of those guys that if he wasn't on the basketball team, you wouldn't know he was around; he just goes about his business," said ZHS boys reserve coach Nate Seekatz.
"I'm very proud of his basketball accomplishments, but even more so academically," said his dad and ZHS head boys coach Scott Aronhalt. "He's getting a $225,000 education paid for. He has a five-year commitment after college, but that's not a negative. It's a positive, and he can make a choice of where he wants to go with his life."
"Drake is just a great individual," said ZHS athletic director Dave Bell. "He had a huge amount of determination; it's a tribute to his athletics and academics. The A in athletics actually stands for academics.
Drake's mom, Madge, felt a combination of relief and joy on Wednesday, similar to the feeling the family got on Christmas Eve when Congressman Bob Ney called with the official appointment to the Naval Academy.
"Relief that everything is finally taken care of; it was a lot of paperwork," she said. "Joy that he's getting the best of the best. They only take a few people from each state.
"It's a new life for him. It's strict and regimented, but I think he'll get along fine. It's more normal than people think it is."
Besides, as Drake likes to joke, "my mom and I will have our retirement party together."
Coach Aronhalt said the family was disappointed about the retirement of Navy head basketball coach Don DeVoe after the Midshipmen struggled through a tough season.
"He's an excellent guy; we're disappointed he won't be coaching Drake," he said. "He treated us like family."
On the plus side, Navy assistant coach Dave Wojcik, who recruited Drake, may be in line for the head coaching job. Wojcik is the former head coach at Wheeling Central Catholic.
"The new coach will probably use the same system," Drake said. "Turnovers were a problem for them this season, so maybe that will give me an opportunity for some playing time next year."
He still has some unfinished business in his high school career, being picked to play in both the Ohio North-South All-Star Classic as well as the Ohio-Kentucky All-Star Classic.
@ 1:44 PM
