RIDGEFIELD – One of the most successful fall sports seasons in Ridgefield High School history saw coaches Bob Ball (boys golf), Sabrina Dobbs (volleyball), and Angela Shields (cross country) each earn Greater St. Helens League Coach of the Year honors, while student-athletes Madi Harter (volleyball), Silas Griffith (boys cross country), Taryn Ries (girls soccer) and Riley Smetzler (girls soccer) take home GSHL Player of the Year honors.
The Spudders’ success wasn’t limited to the courts and fields, however, as 118 of Ridgefield High School’s 233 fall student-athletes earned Scholar Athlete status for carrying a 3.2 GPA or better. The girls cross country team led the way with an overall GPA of 3.84, while the girls soccer team, with 30, had the most Scholar Athletes.
Ridgefield athletes are supported by a series of Core Covenants that emphasizes sportsmanship, perseverance, teamwork, and excellence. Coaches across the school’s athletic programs teach the Core Covenants and stress that academic success is every student-athlete’s top priority.
“Providing each student with a quality athletic experience to develop his or her whole self through participation is our priority,” notes Debbie Bentler, the district’s athletic director.
That experience includes a very intentional emphasis on hard work and a laser-like focus on the team rather than individual accomplishments; two big reasons for all the Spudder success, both inside and outside the classroom.
“The team environment is unlike anything else. We are a family. Being an athlete pushes me to achieve in all things,” said Brandon Lehto, a junior on the cross country team.
Sarah Kaufman, a senior goalkeeper, said the soccer program enjoys a strong team bond as well.
“We have an amazing family atmosphere; we’re all so close,’’ Kaufman said. “It makes me want to play at a higher level. That desire to be better for my teammates motivates me to give my best every day.”
Ridgefield’s coaches play a big role in all the success, working countless hours throughout the year to provide a life-changing experience for every athlete. All that hard work has paid off for the coaches too. Angela Shields has seen her cross country program explode in participation numbers, with more than 50 students participating in her program this year.
“What I have learned from Coach Shields and her team environment cannot be fully measured. She stresses to us that we can be anything we want if we work hard,” Lehto said.
Sabrina Dobbs, head coach of Ridgefield’s highly successful volleyball program, recently led her team to a third-place finish in the Class 2A state tournament. But it is not just volleyball skills that she is teaching her athletes.
“I noticed in the past couple of seasons that several girls were having a hard time consistently maintaining their grades for eligibility and decided to include a study hall as part of our weekly routine to provide support for the kids,” Dobbs said.
Spudder athletes are confident that all the long hours and exhausting practices will pay dividends well beyond high school.
“Sports have helped me to be relentless. I know the hard work I put in will pay off,” said Kaufman.
Reflecting back on the successful fall, Bentler gave a big smile and said, “The fall season was so exciting and really fun. Our coaches and athletes put in a lot of work all year and it is really nice to see them rewarded.”
By the Numbers: Ridgefield High School Fall athletics academic success:
• Boys cross country – 3.38 GPA, 18 Scholar Athletes
• Boys golf – 3.38 GPA, 10 Scholar Athletes
• Cheer – 3.03 GPA, 4 Scholar Athletes
• Football – 2.95 GPA, 19 Scholar Athletes
• Girls cross country – 3.84 GPA, 17 Scholar Athletes
• Girls soccer – 3.67 GPA, 30 Scholar Athletes
• Volleyball – 3.05 GPA, 20 Scholar Athletes
