Aurora Griffin receives Courage Award

CAC works with athletes at all levels of sport in an effort to
promote a Catholic sports culture.

Following are more detailed descriptions of the accomplishments of the student athletes:

Aidan Gelbach / Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High
School, Dumfries

As a senior, Aidan has left her mark on the John Paul the Great
athletic department —  playing varsity
sports in swimming, basketball, field hockey and lacrosse. She has been captain
of both the field hockey and lacrosse teams for the past three years. She has
been named school MVP in two sports and was named All Tournament MVP at the
Steward Lacrosse Invitational Tournament in both 2014 and 2015.

Aidan is student government president, a member of the National
Honor Society, and has scored “Magna Cum Laude” for three straight years on the
National Latin Exam.

Aidan is committed to leadership in pro-life work at school and
her home parish (St. Raymond of Penafort Church in Springfield), where she has
overseen school’s several pro-life evangelization projects, parish pro-life
events, including “40 Days for Life,” and assembled classmates to help her
serve meals at local homeless shelters and Catholic Charities centers.

 Thomas Gildersleeve / Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High
School, Dumfries

Thomas has been a standout athlete at John Paul the Great while
playing varsity football, lacrosse and basketball. Coaches say that he is the
player known by all for his integrity, virtue and honesty.

Thomas has 4.5 GPA, is a National Honor Student, and has been a
faithful altar server for the past 10 years at his home parish (St. Patrick Church
in Fredericksburg). Father Bjorn C. Lundberg, school chaplain, says, “Thomas is
a leader among his peers, and lives his faith in all that he does. His parents
raised an outstanding young man who by word and example leads other to Christ.”

Jane Pennefather / Seton School, Manassas

Jane is a senior who has distinguished herself for three years on
both the varsity volleyball and soccer teams. For her dedication and
leadership, she was elected by her teammates as captain of both teams. During her four years at Seton, Jane has been a leader in pro-life
work. She has coordinated numerous programs to support local Catholic crisis
pregnancy centers, and programs to collect medical supplies to be sent to a
Catholic mission in Haiti. For her pro-life work, she was recognized in her
school by the Knights of Columbus as Catholic Woman of the Year.

Mike Byers / Seton School, Manassas

Mike is senior who has led Seton to many victories on the varsity
baseball and basketball teams. He was captain of the basketball team this past
year.  Mike is president of the National
Honor Society and spends free time each week as a volunteer tutor and mentor
with younger students. He is very active in programs at his home parish (St.
Andrew the Apostle Church in Clifton), and was recognized at Seton by the Knights
of Columbus as Catholic Man of the Year.

Lucie Drahozal / Bishop O’Connell High School, Arlington

Lucie is a senior who has played three years on the varsity
volleyball team. Her coach says that Lucie’s example of hard work, love of the
game, love of teammates inspired both the coaches and players. Lucie is very active in her home parish of St. Joseph Church in
Herndon, and in campus ministry programs at O’Connell, such as student Masses,
retreats, prayer groups and service projects to help those in need.

Chris St. George / Bishop O’Connell High School, Arlington

Chris, a junior, is known for his hard work and “never give up”
attitude, playing all three years on both the varsity soccer team and wrestling
teams. Chris also has been one of the leaders of the youth ministry program at
his home parish of St. Teresa Church in Ashburn. Each week, Chris leads a small
faith discussion group among high school students called the “Upper Room Squad.”
His deep faith and knowledge of the scriptures has helped the group to attract
new members, and Chris was selected by the youth minister to train other teens
to play leadership roles as well.

Isabella Toma / Paul VI Catholic High School, Fairfax

Izzy is a senior who has played varsity softball and swimming for
all four of her years in high school. She has also served as captain of both
teams. Her hustle and leadership have been a key reason for many team
victories. Her example of faith and humility has had a powerful effect on her
teammates. Izzy is always encouraging teammates to pray and attend Mass, to
live their faith and take time to serve others. Izzy has helped teammates to
find time for team prayer, and to play roles in the School Big Brother and Big
Sister program.

Patrick Casey / Paul VI Catholic High School, Fairfax

Patrick is a senior. As a defender on the varsity soccer team, he
helped lead the Panthers to the 2016 VISAA Soccer State Championship. His skill
for three years on the varsity swim and dive team had propelled Paul VI to many
state awards, including first place honors in the NOVA Catholic Invitational
tournament in both 2016 and 2017. Patrick is committed to daily prayer, the Mass and living his
faith in the world. He is a coordinator of several campus ministry projects at
Paul VI, including class retreats, service programs for the needy, and
assistance to the closeted sister in Linden.

Callan McCormick / Bishop Ireton High School, Alexandria

Callan is a senior whose athletic career at Bishop Ireton
includes ice hockey and track and field. However, she has left her mark playing
all for four years on the varsity field hockey team. She is the team captain
and the all-time leading field hockey scorer in the school’s history. In 2015,
she was named WCAC first-team All Met, and in 2016 was the WCAC Player of the
Year. (She also has a 4.0 GPA and plays oboe in the school wind ensemble).

At her home parish (St. Agnes Church in Arlington) Callan is a
lector at Sunday Mass, a leader in her parish youth group, and an enthusiastic
member of the Diocesan Work Camp each summer helping serve the poor in rural
areas. At Ireton, she is active in campus ministry, and the Catholic witness
club who coordinates pro-life work projects on campus.

Joseph Hamer / Bishop Ireton High School, Alexandria

Joey began his freshman year by playing both soccer and
basketball, but for the next three years would excel on the varsity basketball
team. He is known as the first to arrive at practice, and the last to leave.
Two of his four years he was elected captain of the basketball team.

Joey is a man of deep faith, who is always eager to help others.
He has been an altar sever for almost a decade at his home parish (Holy Spirit
Church  in Annandale), helps lead prayer
groups at school for the athletes, has gone on several service trips to inner
city projects, and serves as a camp counselor with disabled youth — where he is
known among the youth as the “cool basketball guy.”

Anne Nelson / Christendom College, Front Royal

Anne is a senior who has found success all four years on the varsity
soccer team, playing mid-field. Her teammates have voted her team captain both
junior and senior years. Her coaches say that she leads by her example of hard
work. Anne is a woman of deep faith, who has a special gift of sharing
that faith with her teammates and classmates. She organizes team rosaries,
leads team prayers before and after games, and is responsible for scheduling
the team Masses so all the players can attend. On campus she is active in student
council, fund raisers for charity, and many pro-life activities.

Stephen Foeckler /Christendom College, Front Royal

Stephen is a senior who is never seen on campus without an
athletic uniform, having played two different varsity sports (one spring and
one fall) all four years. He played four years of varsity basketball as a
guard, his last two years as team captain. He played four years as an attacking
mid-field on the soccer team, his senior year as team captain.

Stephen is a resident assistant on campus, spending many hours
helping classmates in need, leading his dorm mates in rosaries and holy hours,
and faithfully serving Mass on campus. Father Stephen McGraw (college chaplain)
says that Stephen shows heroic virtue by volunteering to serve the early Mass
on campus when no one else will volunteer.

Joanna Chenaille / Marymount University, Arlington

Joanna is a senior who came all the way from California to play
varsity soccer at Marymount. Her hard work as goalie and center midfield have
helped bring great attention to Marymount athletics. One teammate said, “Joanna
left a mark on the team by her hard work ethic, and constant encouragement of
all her teammates.”

Joanna is an anchor of campus ministry, where she faithfully
attends Masses, serves as an altar sever, trains new altar servers, helps lead
small faith sharing groups, and coordinated campuswide service projects such as
Special Olympics. She is also a resident assistant and student ambassador.

Robert Klazynski / Marymount University, Arlington

Robert is a senior from Abita Springs, La., who has distinguished
himself for four years on the varsity swim team, leading the team in butterfly
and freestyle. His coach says Robert is a natural leader, always positive and
encouraging with his teammates. Robert is a man of deep faith, who loves the Eucharist. He never
missed Mass on campus — or road trips. His commitment to find a Mass on each
road trip inspired several of his teammates to rediscover their faith, and come
back to Mass on a regular basis. Robert would often lead a large group of
athletes to Mass each weekend.

Find out more

Catholicathletesforchrist.org