The Manchester Enterprise
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Fielder wins scholarship from MHSAA
Senior is Manchester's first-ever winner of scholar-athlete award
By Ed Patino, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: March 20, 2008
Success in the classroom and on the athletic field is nothing new to Julie Fielder.
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She has played and lettered in three varsity sports, receiving several All-Conference honors in the process. Fielder has also maintained a high grade-point average and has been recognized as an All-Conference Academic performer several times in her career.
The Manchester High School senior recently added another honor to her collection when she was one of 32 student athletes in the state to receive the Michigan High School Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete Award.
Fielder is the first Manchester student ever to receive the award.
"This makes me feel like all the work I've put in academically and athletically has paid off," Fielder said. "I was one of 32 winners, and there were 2,000 applicants, so there's a sense of accomplishment."
The award also carries a $1,000 college scholarship, which Fielder will put toward pursuing a nursing degree at the University of Michigan.
She, along with the other winners, received their awards Saturday during a presentation at halftime of the Class C boys basketball state championship game at Michigan State University's Breslin Center.
"It was cool to see all the other athletes and their families receiving the same award," Fielder said.
Fielder was one of several Manchester student athletes nominated by Athletic Director Wes Gall. She also filled out the application for the award from the MHSAA. Weeks after being nominated, Fielder said she was notified by Gall that her application was among the final 12 for Class C and eventually selected by the MHSAA.
To win the award, students have to carry a GPA of 3.5 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) and participate in multiple varsity sports. Applicants must be seniors and have previously won a letter in a sport that the Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors a postseason tournament. Students must also participate in other school and community activities and write an essay on the importance of sportsmanship in high school athletics.
Fielder is a three-sport athlete at Manchester, playing volleyball, basketball and softball. In her career, she has earned three letters in volleyball and two each in basketball and softball.
In volleyball, Fielder received All-Cascades Conference First Team honors as a junior and senior. She has served as the team's captain for the past two seasons and was voted as the team's Most Valuable Player three years in a row.
"I started playing volleyball when I was in seventh grade," Fielder said. "I feel that's where I excel the most."
Manchester volleyball coach Mike Mininger has witnessed Fielder's prowess on the court for the past two seasons. He wasn't surprised that Fielder would be recognized by the MHSAA.
"Doing all that she does athletically and still maintaining her academics makes Julie a good example of a student athlete," Mininger said. "With her student leadership she's well respected by her peers and teachers at Manchester. The award is not easily attained, but it doesn't surprise me that she won."
Manchester varsity girls basketball coach Cori Kastel was also pleased by Fielder's recognition. Not only has Kastel watched her on the court the past two seasons, in which Fielder earned All-Cascades Academic honors, but she also taught Fielder in sixth grade Social Studies.
"You could see her study habits develop back then," Kastel said. "She sets goals and knows what it takes to achieve them. Julie works hard in the classroom and on the court, and is a great role model for other student athletes to look to."
Fielder has also been successful in softball, being named to the All-Cascades First Team during her junior year. In total, Fielder has been a scholar athlete award winner for 10 sports seasons.
"It taught me to plan ahead and manage my time better," Fielder said. "If I have a game or practice and have a big test coming up, I'll study ahead of time."
Fielder honed her athletic skills during the summer break, sometimes practicing all three sports. Last summer, she practiced both volleyball and basketball to get ready for the upcoming school year.
"I joined the youth hoops program when I was in fourth grade and have played basketball ever since," Fielder said. "I also played little league softball."
She has also found time to be active in several extracurricular programs at school. Fielder is the president of Students Against Destructive Decisions and is a member of the National Honor Society, serving as its secretary as a junior. Outside of school, Fielder is a volunteer for both the Manchester Chicken Broil and the Riverfolk Music & Arts Festival.
"My dad is the chairman of the drink committee at the Chicken Broil, and the softball team sells Schwan's Ice Cream," she said. "My aunt got me involved in lots of different things with Riverfolk. Last year I worked with the St. Louis Center kids from Chelsea, taking them to different events and making crafts."
Fielder was recently accepted to the University of Michigan where she will pursue her nursing degree. Michigan was her top choice of schools to attend.
"I like the atmosphere of Ann Arbor, and Michigan is a well-known school with a good nursing program," Fielder said.
While she doesn't plan to play any varsity sports in college, Fielder is hoping to find time to play intramural volleyball.
"(The award) says a lot about the person, and Julie is committed to her academics and athletics," Mininger said. "I hear a lot about the people we have now in the younger generation, and we're in pretty good hands with people like her."
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