Central's Female Athletes

Women’s History Month is celebrated during March. We notice the contributions and the sacrifices women make every day, but this is the month where we celebrate women with all of our undivided attention. Different heroes, artists, club members, and such are noticed for all of their amazing work. This article will be recognizing some of the notable female athletes at Central.

Q: What sport do you play? How long have you been playing?

Abby Boland, a junior, is part of the basketball and softball teams at Central and has been playing these two sports for about 12 years.

Senior, Bri Beckler currently plays volleyball and has played the sport since she was 10 years old. She also has played softball and basketball both for travel and school teams.

Junior, Rawan Abudayeh, runs track and field and is a thrower. She’s been participating since freshman year, so it’s her 3rd year on the team.

Braelyn Alexander, a junior, runs track and plays basketball. She’s been playing for the past 6 years.

Senior, Elaine Somers, participates in soccer and basketball at Central High School.

Q: Who is your female inspiration?

Boland shares, “my two female inspirations are Lauren Daigle and Sadie Robertson. Lauren is a Christian singer/songwriter and Sadie is a Christian actress and author. They both dig deep into real-life situations and share the truth about the real world through songs, books, and speeches.”

“My female inspiration would be my mother because she is very strong-willed and overall an amazing person,” replies Abudayeh

“My female Inspiration is Adalia McKenzie. She plays for the girl Illini basketball team. I just like her energy and critique when playing. She has had injuries before like me and she comes back and pushes herself to get back in the game,” says Alexander.

Somers says some of her family members are her inspiration.

Q: What goals do you set for yourself in your sport?

“I set goals not to just better myself, but to better others throughout my sport. Whether that’s teaching them on the court or being there for them off the court. Personally, I set goals for myself to put the time and effort in to be better and do better. Not just go through the reps to get them over with,” replies Boland.

Beckler says, “the top goal I set for myself when playing volleyball is to always be a team leader and have a big smile on my face while doing so. I believe that keeping a positive atmosphere leads to great success within a volleyball team.”

Abudeyah shares, “my goals I set for myself is to become stronger mentally and physically whether that is in throwing a further distance or just being the best I can be positively.”

“To be better than the last time I played,” states Alexander.

“Being a good leader and working hard to get better,” expresses Somers.

Q: How do you feel about gender discrimination in sports?

“Gender discrimination within my sports is definitely a major problem. With basketball, we don’t get as many fans or support because people view basketball as a “boy’s sport” and don’t give us girls as much support for it. Same situation with softball because baseball and watching the boys play are more important for people. I believe that I have a sense of leadership. I may not be the best on the court or the field but I can strive to be the best teammate out there.” says Boland.

“Gender discrimination in sports is a serious issue because women do not get enough recognition on TV stations, social media platforms, and just in general they are not being talked about or given access to the resources overall nearly as much as men's' sports. I believe this will change in the near future because of how many people are becoming aware of this situation. An example from last year that initiated change was pictures from the NCAA women’s tournament facility compared to the men. Significant changes were made for this year to make it more equal.” explains Beckler.

Abudeyah replies, “ I feel that in any case scenario that anyone should be treated equally in any circumstance. But specifically in sports, I think that it is somewhat fair but there are things that need to be improved on.”

Alexander says, “honestly I don’t know how I feel about that. In some ways, it can be very unfair and awful but in other ways, if people go about it the right way then it isn’t that bad.”

Somers shares, “it’s slowly getting better, but there is still a lot of improvement needed.”

Q: What do you think makes you a good athlete?

Boland says, “I believe that I have a sense of leadership. I may not be the best on the court or the field but I can strive to be the best teammate out there.”

“What makes me stand out from other athletes is how I portray myself on and off the court. I’m always encouraging other athletes, making jokes, and have a big smile on my face. If a player makes a mistake, instead of bringing them down, I lift them up and let them know that the play is over and to not let that one play affect the way they play for the rest of the game. I am super competitive and love to win, but also try to have perspective with each match. This helps me emotionally to not get too high or low. I’ve been a part of so many come-from-behind wins because I’ve remained positive and helped to rally my team. I believe this is what being a team captain is really about,” replies Beckler.

Abudeyah states, “I think being a good athlete for me has to do with being mentally prepared and also having a positive attitude as well.”

“My speed and energy make me a good athlete,” shares Alexander.

“I am versatile and am willing to step in wherever I am needed,” says Somers.

Q: How do you keep yourself motivated?

“I stay motivated by leaning on my teammates, friends, and family that do support me in sports. I also strive to be a better teammate and person for the people around me. What inspires me most is that little girls are looking up to us female athletes; so I think that is definitely my biggest motivation,” expresses Boland.

Beckler shares, “what motivates me to play club volleyball is being able to play with such a fun and amazing group of girls. That talent is very good and I like to be challenged by them to always get better. I also have been very fortunate in club volleyball to be coached by knowledgeable coaches. They have created a lasting positive experience for me!”

“I think the environment and people around me help keep me motivated,” replies Abudeyah.

Alexander says, “my teammates really motivate me and just the fun of the game really keeps me going.”

“I am playing soccer in college, so that keeps me motivated because I know I need to get better and work hard to play at that level,” shares Somers.

The stories that these young women were willing to share show how independent and strong women are as a whole. Women have to fight almost every day to get the respect that they deserve, especially when it comes to sports. The female athletes of Central High School are noticed and appreciated every day, not just in the month of March.