The Athlete of the Week for April 10 is senior girls lacrosse player Elia Jones. Jones and the rest of the squad have kicked off the spring in spectacular fashion, surging to a 3-1 record in their first four games.
This dominant start has set a high bar for the season, with Jones emerging as the engine of the team’s early success.
Reflecting on her individual and team growth during this opening stretch, Jones is focused on constant evolution.
“I feel like I’m really focusing on pushing myself out of my comfort zone and trying to improve on things that I’m not great at yet. This has really helped me improve as a player,” she said.
That dedication to improvement paid off in a major way recently when the girls secured a massive victory over their crosstown rivals.
“We just beat Westerville North, and this means so much to both me and my team!” Jones exclaimed. “We all worked really hard and worked together as a team to win that game. It’s been a goal of mine to beat Westerville North since my freshman year.”
Maintaining a winning record requires a disciplined daily routine, and Jones is often at the facility long before the whistle blows.
“I normally get to practice about an hour before practice to go to the trainer for preventative strengthening,” she explained. “We warm up and normally break into offensive and defensive drills and work on the basics/little things. We normally scrimmage or some sort of game play at the end of practice.”
Despite the excitement of the winning streak, the senior year brings its own set of pressures. For Jones, the biggest hurdle isn’t found on the turf, but in her planner. She noted that her biggest challenge this season has been “learning how to balance school, work, and sports.”
Thankfully, she doesn’t have to face those challenges alone.
“The team very much feels like being part of a family,” Jones said. “We all want to lift each other up and want everyone to succeed. Working together as a team has really helped me and our whole team improve so much!”
As she prepares for the next chapter of her career, Jones has officially committed to the collegiate level. “I will be playing at the University of Findlay next year!” she confirmed.
While she’s excited to become an Oiler, Jones is determined to cherish every moment of her final high school campaign. Her primary goal for the rest of her senior year is simple: “To have fun! I love my team and I want to have fun for my last season at South!”
Thank you to everyone who voted for Athlete of the Week! Congratulations once again to Elia Jones. Good luck to the girls as they look to build on their 3-1 start throughout the rest of the season.
