Patch March 22, 2019 BY: Florida Orthopaedic Institute
Gaither and Plant City Athletes Earn ‘Athlete of the Week’ Honors by Florida Orthopaedic Institute
Tampa, FL – Mar. 22, 2019 – Florida Orthopaedic Institute (FOI) is pleased to announce Kendall Gaudens and Jarod Ellingsworth, from Plant City High School and Gaither High School respectively, as the ‘Athletes of the Week’ for the week ending March 22nd, 2019.
Gaudens, a senior cheerleader at Plant City, was nominated by head coach Karen Snapp for displaying exemplary leadership qualities on and off the mat.
“Kendall is captain of the Varsity and Competition Cheer Teams,” Snapp said. “She leads by example via her work ethic and dedication to the sport. Kendall is also sixth in her class out of 579 students and has a 6.84 GPA. She is admired and respected by the staff, administration at PCHS and by her peers. Besides cheer, Kendall is also involved in FFA, NHS, Interact Club, Cosmetology, Relay for Life, Peer Jury and is a PTSA student liaison.”
Looking to keep her fellow athletes motivated and excited about the sport, Gaudens believes that mental toughness and establishing support systems is key to reaching the goals of her squad.
“Every day, I strive to bring a positive and humble attitude to practice, games and competitions,” Gaudens said. “No matter the circumstances. I have also worked with my coach and fellow upperclassmen to implement a ‘Big Sister, Little Sister’ mentoring program. The goal of this program is to further inspire the family dynamic on the team while providing guidance and support to the underclassmen.”
Ellingsworth, a Gaither soccer captain, was nominated by head coach Trevor Scott for his ability to lead and teach the younger and upcoming players who seek direction and guidance.
“Jarod demonstrates leadership on and off the field,” Scott said. “He takes the younger kids under his wing and makes sure that they are part of the team at all times. This is important as a captain because all kids need help with becoming part of a team and Jarod has done a great job at this. He is an outstanding student and athlete.”
Seeking to make it past Regionals, Ellingsworth is dedicated and willing to give it his all and to help his team push through any obstacles.
“I am going to help the team to train their hardest,” Ellingsworth said. “We have to improve our agility and stamina to their highest potential. By furthering my own skills and the skills of my team, we can overcome anything that might appear, whether it be injuries or tough opponents, and continue towards our goal. ”
Gaudens finished with a piece of advice that she would give to all athletes.
“Remain humble,” she said. “It seems like a simple and cliché statement, but I believe that it goes much deeper than most people see it. Being humble means to never get complacent with your current state and know that, regardless of your talent, there is always room to improve. Putting in the extra effort is worth the sacrifices to achieve your goals. However, in the midst of achievement, you must not forget the work that was required to get you there and respect the level of work in the athletes around you.”
Florida Orthopaedic Institute’s Athlete of the Week campaign is designed to focus on student-athletes, recognizing them for their hard work and dedication both on and off the field. The Athlete of the Week award can be earned by displaying one of the following characteristics:
Team Player: Athletes who are nominated for excellence in team play are chosen by a coach who feels the athlete does his or her best to put direction into action, makes a significant contribution to the team and continuously works to improve his or her skills, attitude and training.
Leadership: Athletes who earn the award in recognition of excellent leadership must exemplify strong relationship building skills, show excellent initiative and serve as role models for his or her peers.
To view last week’s award winners, please follow this link.
Florida Orthopaedic Institute
Founded in 1989, Florida Orthopaedic Institute is Florida’s largest orthopedic group and provides expertise and treatment of orthopedic-related injuries and conditions, including adult reconstruction and arthritis, chiropractic services, foot and ankle, general orthopedics, hand and wrist, interventional spine, musculoskeletal oncology, orthopedic trauma, physical medicine and rehabilitation, physical and occupational therapy, sports medicine, shoulder and elbow, spine and chiropractic services, among others. The organization treats patients throughout its surgery centers in North Tampa and Citrus Park, two orthopaedic urgent care centers in South Tampa and Brandon, and 9 office locations in Bloomingdale, Brandon, Citrus Park, North Tampa, Northdale, Palm Harbor, South Tampa, Sun City Center and Wesley Chapel. For more information, please visit: FloridaOrtho.com and ‘like’ us on Facebook: facebook.com/Florida.Orthopaedic.Institute.
