Goddard High senior Emerson Wedel is no stranger to the responsibility of leadership, and when she looks back on her volleyball career with the Lions, she can appreciate how the experience has helped to shape her as a person, “Something I’m most proud of is being team captain since my sophomore year. I think it shows just how much trust my coaches and teammates have in me. It makes me feel good knowing that other girls, and especially the younger ones, see me, at least in some small way, as a role model.”
Wedel has fully embraced her role as a leader. Now, she would like to leave a lasting legacy by helping to build a strong culture for the Lions’ program, “I’m definitely looking forward to spending time with all my teammates and having fun, but I’m a senior this year, so my overall goal is to be a leader and to prepare my team for when all the seniors are gone.”
When asked about something she is most looking forward to, Emerson had an unusual response. While unusual, it was also a very fitting reply, when one considers that Wedel is not only looking forward, but also looking back at an already accomplished high school career. “I’m most looking forward to senior night. I think that night can be an upsetting event, but it will be a special night for me. It’s going to be hard to part ways with a team I’ve been playing with for four years, but it also signifies that all my hard work has paid off in the end.”
Off the volleyball court, Wedel is highly involved in the academic and social culture at Goddard high. She is involved in FCCLA, Ambassadors, National Honors Society, and the Lions’ Spirit Club. In the spring, Wedel plays goalkeeper for the Lions’ soccer team. She has been named to the All-League team (AVCTL) all three years, once as honorable mention, and twice to the second team.
Emerson is also a star in the classroom with a GPA of 3.9. She has already committed to Newman University to continue her academic and athletic career, with plans to major in nursing and eventually to become a pediatric nurse.
