Geist Magazine will be featuring the 2023-2024 Senior Student-Athlete of the Year in the June issue. All the past senior student-athletes from the school year were recently featured and we allowed our readership to vote for two finalists. The winner will be voted on by our readership and featured on our cover in June with our sponsor, Central Indiana Orthopedics. Our winner will receive a $500 scholarship. Here are the two finalists:
Allison Seitz
Allison, a senior at Lawrence Central High School, was featured in the October 2023 issue after earning a medal for her efforts on the school’s girls golf team, which won the 2023 Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference championship.
“I was excited since the team came in second by one stroke in the 2022 tournament,” she said. “Many of my teammates had one of their best rounds of the season, and coming up short was disappointing. I am proud to now have been a part of the first team in the school’s history to win this tournament.”
Allison was the top medalist of the tournament, and shot a 77 at Coffin Golf Course.
“While it wasn’t my best outing of the season, I was happy that I was able to secure the medalist title for the second year in a row,” she says. “For me, golf is full time. Between practice and workouts I don’t have the time to commit to another team.”
When Allison isn’t playing golf, she’s busy at school. “I am working towards my AP Capstone diploma at Lawrence Central,” she says. “I’ve enjoyed many of the classes I’ve taken, including AP psychology taught by Nick Derado, the head golf coach. I also enjoy science. I plan to study kinesiology in college to become a golf professional.”
She also finds time for other school activities.
“I am a member of the National Technical Honor Society,” she says. “We volunteer at various events and activities throughout the community. I also run lights for the Lawrence Central show choirs.”
“I assist with the junior golf camps at the Bridgewater Club and help run summer tournaments with the Mizuno Junior Golf Tour,” she adds.
Her father, David, says he admires everything she has accomplished.
“I am proud of her success on the golf course,” David says. “However, I am most proud of how hard she works and the way she respects the game of golf.”
Allison’s mother, Jessica, is also very proud of Allison for working hard to accomplish her goals.
“Seeing your child find their passion is a joy for a parent,” she says. “To have her find mentors that support her is a privilege.”
Jake Eads
Jake, a senior at Lawrence North High School, plays basketball and baseball.
In basketball Jake achieved the three-year varsity award, varsity Hardest Worker Award, junior varsity MVP, junior varsity Hustle Award, and Freshman Player of the Year. He plays forward.
Jake says he and his basketball teammates enjoyed a great previous season.
“Our team had a winning season as runner-up in the Marion County tournament and we were very competitive in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference,” Jake says. “Our success ended during the sectional, unfortunately, but our team has top talent in the state tournament. We are expected to be ranked very high preseason. I am hopeful for a highly successful senior year for our team that extends well into March.”
In baseball, Jake won the two-year varsity award and junior varsity MVP. He plays center field.
“Our baseball team got off to a rough start last year, started winning midseason, but unfortunately fell short in sectional,” Jake says. “With several seniors returning to the team and talented underclassmen coming up, we are expecting greater success in the upcoming season.”
Jake’s mom, Pam Eads, is very proud of Jake’s achievements.
“Jake is extremely busy as a multiple-sport athlete at a large metropolitan high school, which isn’t something a lot of kids do, as most students at this stage choose one sport,” Pam says. “He’s glad he chose this path, as it has kept him active. He’s developed valuable friendships with many different teammates, and learned how to manage time and juggle priorities as he has spent many days practicing both sports while maintaining schoolwork and a high GPA.”
Jake is also a Lawrence Township Spanish Immersion student who has been taught Spanish since kindergarten, and is now bilingual and biliterate.
“Jake is an AP Scholar Award recipient, a member of National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society, and will graduate in June with a Spanish Immersion diploma and AP honors diploma, currently with a 4.6 GPA,” Pam says. “Jake is also on the Lawrence Township Basketball League board as a youth board member, and a senior spirit leader for Lawrence North. He’s played for the Indy Sharks travel baseball program for three years, and has worked for three summers as a camp counselor for the 3 to 5 age group at the Allisonville Christian Church.”
Jake loves Lawrence North High School.
“At Lawrence North there is a place for everyone to be included,” Pam says. “You can be yourself without worrying about others judging you or bringing you down. He can’t imagine attending any other high school, and is grateful for all the academic and sports opportunities.”
