By: Sharon Aron Baron
The MSD Athlete Scholarship has announced the winners of this year’s scholarship.
For the second year in a row, Westglades Athletics, with the support of Coral Springs Middle Athletics and Pepperoni Grille, was able to raise $2,000 from the games that Coral Springs Middle plays at Westglades in soccer, basketball, volleyball and flag football.
This year’s winners are Emily Cashion and Rachel Fishkin.
Athletic Director Paul J. Battaglia said, “Westglades Athletics is proud to offer the scholarship and look forward to continuing to raise money to provide them for Douglas athletes that played MSAA sports.”
Emily, who lives in Parkland’s Meadow Run, played basketball and flag football at both Westglades and Marjory Stoneman Douglas. She has a 3.44 GPA and will be playing basketball for Johnson and Wales University.
Rachel, from Mill Run in Parkland, played soccer at both Westglades and MSD. She has a 3.66 GPA and will be playing for the University of North Florida.
“I am thrilled that this year’s winners are Emily Cashion and Rachel Fishkin,” said Battaglia, who became the athletic director when they were both 6th graders in 2013.
“I taught Emily 6th grade World History. I coached her in summer 2014 at ALL Star basketball camp. I always appreciated how hard she tried playing basketball and flag football at Westglades, and she worked on improving,” he said.
Battaglia knew Rachel before she was at Westglades after teaching her older sister Sarah 6th grade World History.
“I knew Rachel would impact the soccer team as a 6th grader. I became the athletic director that year and did not have a soccer coach — so I had to coach soccer.”
He said Rachel became the starting goalkeeper, where she played for three years.
“I still joke with Rachel when I see her, that if she were taller, we would have won the county championship that year.”
He added that Rachel has always worked hard in the classroom and out on the soccer pitch.
Battaglia said, “I know both young women will excel in college, and they will have an impact on their college teams, teammates, and coaches just like they did at Westglades and Westglades Athletics.
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