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| Brianna Stovall and Ben Miller receive their Athlete of the Month awards from Cynthia Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty, sponsor of the awards program. |
Stovall is the first female given the honor at Santa Rosa since Menifee 24/7 created the award late last school year. She has adapted quickly to a key role in her first year on the volleyball team, using her 5-foot-10 frame and leaping ability to excel at the middle blocker position.
At that important position on the front line, Stovall is responsible for protecting the net from oncoming shots as well as spiking the ball when it is delivered to her by setter Taylor Flannery.
"The kills all depend on the setter, our timing and placement," she said. "You can't hit the net, either. That takes a lot of practice."
Stovall said she is excited to be part of the team as a freshman and is happy just to be able to contribute.
"I don't necessarily try to be a leader," she said. "I try to be very supportive of everyone and the decisions they make."
Although Santa Rosa has a new campus on Haun Road, most of the athletic facilities are not completed. So far, there is no gym for the Rangers to use, meaning all their matches are on the road.
"It will be nice when we get our own gym, but a lot of the parents are very supportive and come to see us play wherever we are," she said.
Miller is in his third season on the varsity cross country team. Also a soccer player, he began running cross country as an off-season conditioning program. Now, he is focused on a top-tier finish in each meet.
"I take both sports seriously," said Miller, who performed well in the team's first meet of the season, run at Linfield Christian. "I think I've improved immensely since I first started in the sport."
Daily workouts are a big part of Miller's success. He joins teammates in a two-mile run around the school and the nearby wash, building stamina with each step.
"It helps when you get near the finish line," he said. "You want to finish strong and it helps to have teammates cheering you on. I want to finish in the top 20 of races, which means I literally have to be a step ahead of where I am now."
Like Stovall, Miller looks forward to the day the Rangers have their own athletic facilities on campus. Even the soccer team has to practice at Wheatfield Park and play its games elsewhere.
"Having a home field on play on and having our own people to support us, that will be big," he said.
Miller hopes to study history in college and prepare for a career as an athletic trainer.
Each athlete received a certificate and VISA gift card from Cynthia Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty, sponsor of the award.
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