Volleyball is big part of Sarah Woodhouse’s life as a student at Laguna Blanca.
She plays on the girls indoor team in the fall and the beach team in the spring. And she still can’t get enough.
Despite a busy schedule as a student athlete, she helps out with the boys indoor team in the spring, volunteering to work at the scorer’s table for matches and coordinating the coverage of other roles that need to be taken care of on game day.
“Sarah’s whole persona is to put team first and conveying a positive attitude,” said Athletic Director Matt Steinhaus. “Sarah will give up an entire free Saturday to support the boys volleyball program and athletic department. “That selflessness to not only bypass weekend time but also engage with her complete passion for the sport of volleyball is a tangible example of her commitment to the school and immersion in related activities.”
Woodhouse was honored Monday as Laguna Blanca’s recipient of the Phil Womble Ethics in Sports Award at the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Press Luncheon.
Steinhaus recognized Woodhouse for her “great, infectious energy.”
That energy and work ethic has enabled her to log 145 hours of community service while maintaining a 3.74 GPA and serving as editor of the school yearbook.
She also worked on the production of Laguna Blanca’s annual TEDx program, a day-long conference that brings incredible people to the campus to share ideas and experiences and stimulate dialogue.
Volleyball coach Jason Donnelly, who has seen Woodhouse’s drive and competitive spirit in the gym, said it was great to see her take charge in a different area of student life.
“I was in charge of Sarah’s team but as things started to unfold, she really didn’t need me,” he said. “She was figuring out how to lead outside of the gym, which I thought was really cool and very challenging. She just continues to develop her skillset on and off the court.
“I just really appreciate the kind of person she is and the kind of student-athlete she is,” he added. “I’ve been fortunate to present this award a lot, and Sarah is at the top of the list of the Phil Womble group award recipients.”
Woodhouse has been honored as a volleyball player, receiving first-team All-Frontier League recognition in 2022 and second-team Tri-Valley League honors in 2021. She is currently the captain of the beach volleyball team.
Sarah is the daughter of Susan and David Woodhouse.
Hop Studios
You must be logged in to post a comment.