Get to Know WCA’s Future College Athletes
By Senior Evie Fordham
Six driven Wake Christian Academy seniors finalized their plans to become college athletes in the past month. Dylan Despain and Hailey Brooke McFadden signed on April 22nd, and Casey Brady, Nolan Hamilton, Sally Hart, and Isaiah Moore signed on May 13th. These students have been disciplined and dedicated on and off the field in their time at Wake Christian, so here’s a little bit more about them.
Dylan Despain has been a Wake Chris
tian student for ten years, and he will run cross country and track and field at Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina, where he received an academic scholarship.
Dylan has run since the seventh grade and said, “I love cross country because of the team atmosphere and camaraderie among fellow runners.”
Dylan is thankful for the growth, academic and athletic, his time at Wake Christian has facilitated, stating, “The excellent coaching staff at Wake Christian has… prepared me to be a successful athlete, and the curriculum has prepared me to be a successful student.”
He has decided to study psychology and biotechnology at Catawba and added, “I plan to continue to attend church throughout college and will strive to walk closely with God.”
Hailey Brooke McFadden has attended Wake Christian for eight years. She received an athletic scholarship to play indoor volleyball at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
She is contemplating majoring in pre-law or business and desires to participate in a Christian campus organization like Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
“Wake Christian has prepared me for collegiate athletics in the department of emotional and spiritual maturity,” remarked Hailey Brooke, “I will always be able to take the lessons [the school] has taught me with me wherever I go.”
Casey Brady started at Wake Christian his freshman year and has been a part of the varsity soccer team since then too. He plans on attending North Greenville University in South Carolina and playing soccer as well as majoring in sport management with a minor in Spanish.
Casey has played soccer for “around thirteen years” and has an artistic description of why he loves the sport: “because you never stop moving, and the free-flowing creativity of the constant motion is thrilling.”
Casey is diligent not only on the field but also in the classroom. A National Merit Scholarship finalist, he was awarded academic and athletic scholarships by North Greenville University.
He is thankful for his time at Wake Christian Academy for helping “strengthen me in my faith so I may be a good testimony and sport on and off the field.”
Nolan Hamilton began his time at Wake Christian in the ninth grade. He will attend Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio next fall as part of the football team and will major in computer science.
Nolan recounted that he’s played football for five years, and although he loves the “competition and physicality of the sport,” his favorite part of playing the game is the friendships he has built.
He continued, “Academically and athletically, Wake Christian has always provided me with great instruction. Because of my time at Wake Christian, I am confident that I will be prepared for my studies and football.”
Sally Hart joined the Wake Christian family her kindergarten year. A veteran of the school’s cross country program, she will be running at Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina, where she will most likely study something related to math or science.
Sally has been a runner since fifth grade and plans on being a runner for life, saying, “I love running because it applies to many aspects of life, too. It taught me that you cannot quit when times get hard, but you keep going and eventually finish strong.”
Sally especially appreciates longtime coaches Ronnie Jones and Rob Frechette, saying they “were the best coaches I could ever ask for… I am super excited about running at Presbyterian College next year, but I admit it will be weird not seeing them at practice everyday.”
Isaiah Moore first came to Wake Christian his senior year. He was awarded a scholarship to play football from Emory and Henry College in Emory, Virginia, where he will study economics.
Isaiah has been a football player “since rec league,” and he loves the sport because “The game of football brings out character and separates boys from men.”
In regards to what he has learned at Wake Christian, Isaiah elaborated, “[The school] has shown me how to be a leader and how to stay in touch with my faith.”
Wake Christian is proud of its student athletes not only for their performance athletically but for their recognition of God’s role in their lives as the Giver of all their talents!