Raiders select Staley, Robinson
Tara Staley is Waynesburg Central's spring sports female selection in the Centennial Chevrolet Scholar/Athlete Spotlight program.
Hunter Robinson is Waynesburg Central's spring sports male selection in the Centennial Chevrolet Scholar/Athlete Spotlight program.
Tara Staley and Hunter Robinson have similar paths to success carved out in front of them. Both will go to California University of Pa. on athletic scholarships to play a spring sport and get an education that will keep them close to athletics, even if it is on the medical side.
Now they have something else in common, as both Staley and Robinson have been chosen to represent Waynesburg Central High School this spring in the Centennial Chevrolet Scholar/Athlete Spotlight program.
Staley, daughter of Jacquelyn and Mark Staley, of Waynesburg, maintains a 3.6 GPA and has an older sister, Taylor, who was honored in this program last year and is a freshman at West Virginia University. Robinson, son of Lee Robinson and Jennifer Stephenson, of Waynesburg, maintains a 3.7 GPA and has three sisters, Mackenzie, a sophomore at Seton Hill University; Emma, an eighth grader, and Daisy, who is in kindergarten, and one brother, Waynesburg Central freshman Luke.
Staley is a softball player at Waynesburg Central and will play the sport at Cal U. 鈥淭he last three years, I played first base, but this year so far I鈥檝e been playing third base,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 committed to Cal U to play softball for them and I will study athletic training.鈥�
She used to play volleyball for the high school team, but gave it up to dedicate her time to softball.
鈥淚 like to be involved with sports and I wanted to be able to help people,鈥� Staley said of her choice of a college major. 鈥淚 went to a camp there for softball when I was 12 and I always wanted to be able to play there, plus their athletic training program is strong.鈥�
So, too, is the softball program at Waynesburg Central.
鈥淲e are starting off pretty strong this year,鈥� Staley said. 鈥淲e went to Tennessee and came back with four wins, counting JV and varsity, plus we鈥檝e won a couple of games since then, too.鈥�
Included in those wins was a win over Southmoreland, big for the Lady Raiders.
鈥淚f we keep playing the way we are playing, a section (3-AAA) title is within our reach,鈥� she said.
Robinson is a centerfielder and pitcher for the Waynesburg Central baseball team. He wrestled and played football through eighth grade, but decided to focus more on baseball in high school.
鈥淢y junior year, last year, I played football for the first time in three years,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淚 was a running back, but that was kind of cut short because I broke my leg in the first game of the season. But I really wanted to focus on baseball. I have always loved baseball and I wanted to keep it only baseball.鈥�
So much does Robinson love baseball that he signed to continue playing at Cal U, where he will also study biology. 鈥淚鈥檒l probably be a two-way player at Cal,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檒l probably pitch one week and play outfield the next week. Center fielders are kind of the commander out there, they have to take control, take charge.鈥�
He鈥檒l be a student for longer than his four-year Cal career, though.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to go into chiropractic, just like my dad,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淎fter four years at Cal U., I plan on going to Palmer University in Iowa. My dad and one of my cousins are both chiropractors. They both went to Palmer and they work together.鈥�
The Raiders, too, have been working well together, at least through the early stages of the 2017 baseball season.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 going great, actually,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淚 never had as much confidence in a team as I have in this one. Last year, we started off pretty weak and the remainder of the season kind of went weak.
鈥淏ut this year, we are off to a strong start, with plenty of quality wins, especially beating California. We lost to them, 15-0, last year and we beat them this year, 4-0. That definitely shows what we can do, plus we are in a tougher section this year, so we are looking for great things from this team this season.鈥�