Cedars, February 2019

February 2019 18 SPORTS by Abigail Hintz S ara Beste, Branden Maughmer, Bethany Sholl and Jonny Stephens are four freshmen student athletes at Cedarville University who have had standout seasons in their respective sports. Though they have found success in their new roles, the transition from high school to college athletics was not an easy one. The group detailed the positive and negative aspects of transitioning from high school to college sports. One consistent ideal found in all four of the athletes is the fact that the jersey put on and the sports they play are not the most important thing. Rather, Christ and His kingdom are what these athletes strive to glorify. From High School to College Athletics Sara Beste // Volleyball “I’m not the most important person on the court.” Beste definitely made her mark in her first season with the Lady Jackets volleyball team. She made an appearance in every match and started in many of them, contributing 165 kills and 244 digs on the season. In high school, Beste’s coach relied on her. If a mistake was made, she felt as though it was her mistake no matter what. Her talent meant she carried her team. “In high school when I did something good, I was like, ‘Oh yes, that’s good enough,’” Beste said. “But I’m finally real- izing that it’s never going to be good enough because someone is always better than you.” This realization, combined with her goal-driven personality, has pushed Beste to her success on the court. She learned humility in no longer being the star on the floor, as all of these athletes were in high school. She learned from her mistakes this season, as well as a coach who was new to all of Cedarville. Coach Greg Smith is in his first season with the Lady Jackets, coming to them from a Division I school. Because of this, his expectations are high, and he has pushed the team hard this season, all to their benefit. Looking to 2019, Beste is ready to work hard and better herself. She hopes to continue to set goals as she always has. This pushes her to achieve what she thought she couldn’t, which benefits herself and her team. “I’m excited to see how our team can work together to win,” she said. Branden Maughmer // Basketball “Basketball is not the most important thing.” Maughmer is in the midst of his freshman season with the men’s basketball team and has contributed greatly thus far. He is averaging 13.8 points per game and boasts a shooting percentage over 50 from the field. Playing time is a huge concern for all freshman athletes, and many of them fear the idea of coming to a place where they were no longer “that man” as Maughmer put it. “I knew my role was going to change,” he said. Head coach Pat Estepp has seen past Maughmer’s age, however, giving him the start in every game. Maughmer says Estepp has taught him how to be a man. Not only that, but he understands that basketball should never overshadow the important things: Christ, family and the brotherhood of the team. Playing for a Division II school has its challenges off the court. Maughmer said the time commitment that comes with juggling school work and basketball is similar to that of a job. He is thankful, however, to have a set time carved out by team study tables to get his school work done. Maughmer is excited to come in next year having one year of experience under his belt. He’s ready to play the game knowing what to expect and thinks the 2019-20 season will be an overall better year. He said of his time as a Cedarville student-athlete so far, “It’s challenging, but in the end it’s so worth it.”