Q School: Student Athlete Profile - Kylee Quigley

25 August 2017 - Fort Pierce, FL - Kylee Quigley is the type of student-athlete every coach dreams of. Her 5’11” well-toned frame is custom built for Volleyball while her stellar 3.5 GPA at Fort Pierce Central exploits her confidence and understanding of a game that requires as much strategy as athletic ability.

Quigley, a marine science junkie, aspires to be a reporter for ESPN one day. That is, of course, after she is done playing volleyball – which by the looks of it will not be anytime soon.

Her mom is the Head Coach of a highly charged Cobra team in a district that includes SLW Centennial, Treasure Coast, Vero Beach and multi-time state champion Martin County whom the Lady Cobras just defeated on Tuesday, at County and down two sets to none. Her dad supports both Kylee and mom as an assistant coach. Kylee is the spitting image of her mom, Christy, a History & Legal Studies teacher at Fort Pierce Central and a standout Division One volleyball player at Florida Atlantic University where she still holds three school records and where her name appears 41 times in the school’s all-time record book.

Little Q, however, is on track to be one of the top volleyball players to come out of St. Lucie County and the Treasure Coast for that matter. This past summer she was selected as one of only twenty-five players for the Volleyball USA All Florida Team – quite an accomplishment considering that 170 of the top girls’ volleyball players in the state tried out for the team. And of course, Kylee’s team did not disappoint, taking home the Bronze hardware at the Fort Lauderdale tournament.

Lady Cobra Kylee Quigley -The junior defines her schools
 saying - "Central Can!"

The Outside Hitter is firmly on the radar of college programs across the country, receiving letters of interest and telephone calls from coaches on a regular basis.

“Kylee is a gamer who plays with passion and fire and has the ability to affect the outcome of a match at any given time,” says Melissa Piazza, the Director of the National Volleyball League (NVL).

“She is a true winner with a bright future and a great team player” according to Piazza who was a part of back to back FHSAA state championship teams at Winter Park that included the 2006 undefeated team. Piazza earned a full four-year scholarship to the University of Central Florida, a Division I school and has been both a high school head coach or the Director of NVL since earning her college degree, so she knows a thing or two about the game.

To call Kylee humble would be an understatement. The 16-year old knows she has the talent and support to succeed at whatever she decides to do, but she is about as low key as they come and she has a tremendous admiration for others that share in her belief of just doing their job.

“I admire Michael Jordan because he is such a talented and humble man, but he knows how to be confident and I look up to a mindset like that. If I won the Powerball I would donate much of it to my family and charities and would build the best sports complex around here for every sport and all the facilities that go with it”, she says. – Humble indeed!

Yet Kylee still has that teenage girl side of her.

“I would love to spend a day with Michael Phelps because I would get to meet one of the greatest Olympians in history and get to see all his medals. I’m sure he lives a super cool life”.

This young Cobra, who has been a starter since the ninth grade, has earned her way to the top tier of her sport through hard work and dedication. She is an example for others to follow and defines the saying of her school – “Central Can!”

Player Profile: Josh Nunes - Treasure Coast High School

John Nunes - Treasure Coast High School

"He has big talent on both the soccer and football fields.  He's a strong academic performer as well and gets along well with his peers."

- Jerrime Bell

Assistant Football Coach

Treasure Coast High School

Name:		Joshua Nunes
School:		Treasure Coast High school
Current Grade:		11
Unweighted GPA:		3.3
What Sport(S) Do You Play?:		Football and Soccer
What Position(s) Do You Play?:		Kicker and Goalie
What is your favorite subject?:		History
What are your top 5 college choices?:		UF, Ohio State, UCF,  Alabama, Wake Forest
If you could spend the day with anyone in the world who would it be? Why?:		David de Gea because he is a GREAT goalie and a good person, he's my idol.
If you could be anyone in the world who would you be? Why?:		Cristiano Ronaldo he is so successful in life.
Would winning the Powerball change your life? Why or why not?:		Yes I would be able to help others.
Outside of a family member who do you admire most? Why?:		God without him nothing is possible.
What five words best describe you?:		Competitive - Smart - Athletic - Caring and Fun Loving
What are your future goals?:		A professional football or soccer player - or who knows - maybe both!

Player Profile: Nick Barnes - SLW Centennial

Centennial Quarterback Nick Barns.

"Nick Barnes is an athletic kid with good feet and a quick release, ideal for this offense. He's been working hard since January, learning the offense, and getting stronger, which should translate to success on Friday nights."

- Josh Watkins

St. Lucie Centennial High School 

Offensive Coordinator / QB Coach 

Name:		Nick Barnes
School:		St Lucie West Centennial
Current Grade:		12
What Sport(S) Do You Play?:		Football
What Position(s) Do You Play?:		Quarterback
What is your favorite subject?:		Science
If you could spend the day with anyone in the world who would it be? Why?:		Tom Brady because I feel like I would learn a lot from him.
If you could be anyone in the world who would you be? Why?:		I would be myself because I wouldn't want it any other way.
Would winning the Powerball change your life? Why or why not?:		It would change my parents life more than it would affect mine because I would give all of it to them.
Outside of a family member who do you admire most? Why?:		Head coach Jamar Chaney , always makes sure us players are good , pushing us to be the best we can be.
What five words best describe you?:		Hard working tough smart & blessed.
What are your future goals?:		Go to college on a full ride scholarship.

Cobra Special Olympics Swimmer Qualifies for Nationals!

Tenth grade Lady Cobra Leah Scheible is all smiles after qualifying for the Special Olympics National Competition. (Photo Provided)

August 21, 2017 - Sebastian, FL - The Special Olympics Area 10 Swim Meet was held at North County Aquatics in Sebastian Saturday August 20 and Sunday 21. Area 10 includes Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, Saint Lucie and Indian River Counties. Saint Lucie is coached by Heather Gray and Carolyn Hancock.  Ten student-athletes competed over two days bringing home seven first place finishes,  six second place finishes and two third place finishes! 

Student Athletes that participated included: Richard Denike, William Denike, Wesley Glass, Stephanie Gomulka, James Jordan, Sabrina McNew, Justin Qualtieri-Terrell, Leah Scheible, Sharon Carr and Easton Santoro.

Although all the student-athletes did fantastic, representing themselves, their  school and the county the day belonged to Fort Pierce Central Sophomore Leah Scheible who won first place in the 200 and second place in the 100 qualifying her for not only the State Championship Series in October but she is the only student-athlete from St. Lucie County to earn a shot at the USA Nationals next summer in Denver.

Player Profile: Bradley Bell - The Cobra's Jolly Purple Giant!

At 6"5" and always wearing a smile from ear to ear is it any wonder why FP Central standout Tight End Bradley Bell has earned the nick name "Jolly Purple Giant?"

Name:		Bradley Bell
School:		Fort Pierce Central
Current Grade:		I’m a Senior dude!
Unweighted GPA:		3.5
What Sport(S) Do You Play?:		Football
What Position(s) Do You Play?:		Tightend
What is your favorite subject?:		History
What are your top 5 college choices?:		FIU Florida Keiser Albright IRSC
If you could spend the day with anyone in the world who would it be? Why?:		Rob Gronkowski Because he motivates me to be a better football player.
If you could be anyone in the world who would you be? Why?:		The Gronk - who else!
Would winning the Powerball change your life? Why or why not?:		Heck yea it would! I would be able to help all my family members out.
Outside of a family member who do you admire most? Why?:		Any person who tries to make the world a better place.
What five words best describe you?:		Joyful Athletic Loving Caring Funny
What are your future goals?:		Go to college and be a firefighter.

Measuring Success

The sweet smell of high school's fall sports season is filling the hot and humid air here in St. Lucie County as teams and individual players measure their success on the fields of play.

August 16, 2017 - St. Lucie County, FL - Well here we are at the start of a brand new school year. This week we will see the first volleyball and football games of the 2017 season. Swimming, golf, cross country and bowling will all start up next week.

The kids are pumped and coaching staffs primed, while athletic directors and high school principals are ready to function on only a few hours sleep. Games will be won, championships will be had and student-athletes will earn scholarships and offers to colleges.

Ah, the sweet smell of high school's fall sports season is filling the hot and humid air here in St. Lucie County as teams and individual players measure their success on the fields of play.

Yet what about the successes off the field, in the classrooms and buried deep within those dreaded school grades that the state assigns each summer? You know, the ones that determine if a child is going to be held back; if a teacher is performing to standards or if a school is going to receive bonus money or be punished.

Yea, those grades, the ones based on the Florida Standards Assessment (formally FCAT), learning gains, graduation rates, and a few other things. The grades based on that one test, given on that one day.

Here in St. Lucie County it is no secret that our schools have struggled over the past several years.  In fact, a couple of our schools were at risk of being taken over by the state or worse - turned into charter schools. 

E. Wayne Gent - Superintendent of
St. Lucie County Public Schools.

But alas, a few years ago the School Board (the same board makeup that is currently in place) decided that it would hire a new superintendent who was not currently employed by the county when the job came open.

Now, don't get me wrong, there is some amazing administrative talent in this school district. The prior Deputy Superintendent went on to become the Superintendent of Indian River County Schools, while the districts current Chief Academic Officer was a finalist for the same job. 

But the board wanted a to go in another direction. And, as luck would have it, the Superintendent for the nations 13th largest school district was looking for a new challenge.

Enter Wayne Gent, a former St. Lucie County School District employee who had been off the district's radar for almost a decade. Gent had been passed over for the St. Lucie job several years ago prior. He wanted the job here and he made that known in his interviews and public forums. Of the dozens of candidate's that applied, Gents resume always seemed ended up at the top of the pile.

As a former St. Lucie Public School's teacher, coach, and principal and a current resident of the Treasure Coast, Gent was well seasoned in the dynamics of the county. As the leader of Palm Beach Counties School's, he knew his way around the Florida Department of Education and the state's complex education laws. A lifelong educator, Gent knew what it took to make the gains St. Lucie's School Board demanded. He knew where to find the right talent and how to assemble a team.

School Board Members were looking a gift horse in the mouth - and they knew it, as did the search committee made up of dozens of stakeholders throughout the county.

So, just two short years ago Wayne Gent took the reins as Superintendent of St. Lucie County Public Schools. Quickly and quietly Gent shuffled things around at the district office drawing praise from not just the board that had appointed him but from the union head, teachers, parents and the community as well.

He assembled a dynamic team to lead St. Lucie County Schools with a goal of increasing just a little bit every year. Last year (his first in St. Lucie as Superintendent) saw a small increase in points as the district grade remained a C. But Gent and his team knew the district could do better and they implemented a plan for success.

"We were (are) very targeted and strategic," says Dr. Jon Prince the Deputy Superintendent in St. Lucie County and a Gent hire.

"We don't teach to a test, we teach to a standard utilizing reliable tools that help our teachers focus in on areas in which an individual student may need some extra support. We use unit assessments and chapter tests by grade and by course. And, here in St. Lucie we have some of the best teacher talent anywhere", says Prince.

And that talent showed itself off as the School District cruised to an overall B grade, an overall 9.4% increase in points accounting for the sixth highest overall district improvement state wide.

In virtually every domain measured St. Lucie kids outshined the state and even outperformed the states top rated district - Martin County. In English Language Arts the district saw a 10% point increase compared to 5% for the state and 4% to Martin and Indian River Counties. Math saw our students jump 9% while the state rose 4%. In Science, the district remained the same while the state actually lost 2% points, and Social Studies saw a 5% gain - only 1% lower than the state average. 

Middle School Acceleration  (middle schoolers taking advanced classes) saw an 18% rise compared to 14% for the state, 0% for Martin County and -4% for Indian River County, while college and career readiness recorded a 6% gain compared to 4% for the state and -1% for Indian River County. 

But the kicker - that real measure of success - is the graduation rate, a score that measures the number of students that complete high school in four years. And St. Lucie County kids hit it out of the ballpark leapfrogging from 45th place in the state to 13th - a 246% increase. An almost 20% net gain as compared to 6% state wide while racking up the equivalent of over $8,000 in college scholarships for each eligible graduating senior last year - an astounding $24 million in all.

Is it any wonder that for the first time in history, the average grade of St. Lucie's high schools is a B?

The district has no failing schools, even in the highest poverty area's and in areas in which English is a household's second language, huge barrier's to learning for children. And 23 St. Lucie County Public Schools are high performing A  or B schools.

So, while athletic teams take to the fields this week let's remember that there are a whole lot of kids that don't play sports and teachers that may not coach that deserve just as much attention and praise as those "superstars" under the lights on Fridays. 

Our children's teachers made the difference last year as our kids exceeded expectations. 

And it all started because five school board members, who are often criticized in public, decided to give a guy who was overlooked a decade ago a chance.