To Life!
SPORTS
Jordan Shifman
All-Star
Jake Clark has majored in sports
and the classroom at Lahser.
Steve Stein
Special to The Jewish News
J
ake Clark's coaches trusted
him. They trusted not only
his athletic abilities, but his
intellect.
That's why the Bloomfield Hills
Lahser High School
senior played center
in football, goalie in
hockey and catcher in
baseball for Lahser.
All three positions
require an athlete to
think on his feet, to be
a problem-solver and
decision-maker.
"Intelligence isn't
enough. You have to
quickly identify what's
happening in front of r Is.
you and communicate Jake Clark
to your teammates,"
said Marshall Shencopp, coach of the
Bloomfield Unified hockey team, made
up of players from Lahser and Andover
high schools.
Besides snapping the football and
blocking on each Lahser offensive play,
Clark called out blitzes and other dan-
gers. Among the myriad of responsibil-
ities Clark had as a hockey goalie was
serving as a "rearview mirror" for his
defensemen. And a high school catcher
is rarely entrusted with calling pitches,
but that's what Clark is doing this
spring for the Lahser baseball team.
"I haven't heard any complaints
from our pitchers or coaches, so I
guess I'm doing something right,"
Clark said. "Calling pitches is more
common sense than anything else. You
have to know your pitcher's strengths
and weaknesses and watch what the
batter is doing"
Clark was a two-year starter at
center for the Lahser football team,
including the 2005 squad that finished
12-1 and advanced to the Division 3
semifinals before losing to eventual
state champion Caledonia.
Bloomfield Unified won just 12
hockey games in Clark's sophomore
and junior years, but the Chargers won
15 games last season with Clark as
the starting goalie. He was named to
the All-Oakland Activities Association
Division II team.
Clark's smarts go far beyond the
sports arena. The 3.89-grade-point-
average student is a five-time winner
of the 0.Aiks Scholar-Athlete Award and
he's earned several academic honors
at Lahser, including the John Patrick
Higgins Memorial Scholarship in a
writing competition.
Sports and schoolwork
aren't Clark's only pas-
sions. He's been a Student
Council member at Lahser
for three years, and he
works with mentally,
physically and emotionally
impaired hockey players
at the Birmingham-based
Variety FAR Conservatory
of Therapeutic and
Performing Arts. He's
also a certified Special
MEM Olympics coach for figure
skating and speed skating.
How has Clark been
able to do so well academically with
all his other activities? "To be honest,
I don't know," he said. "I've tried to
manage my time well, and my par-
ents (Eric and Nancy) have kept me
grounded. They've made sure I haven't
neglected my studies."
Clark is headed to the University
of Wisconsin. His sister Emily is a
journalism major there and a staff
member of the Badger Herald student
newspaper.
"Kalamazoo College recruited me
for football and baseball and the
University of Arizona recruited me for
club hockey, but I chose Wisconsin for
its academics," said Clark, a 5-foot-11,
195-pounder.
Clark isn't sure about his career
path. "Every day I wake up with a dif-
ferent idea," he said. "One day I want
go into business; then I want to be a
doctor; then I want to be a lawyer. At
the moment, I'm considering studying
pre-law or pre-med at Wisconsin:'
Coach Shencopp is confident Clark
will be a success no matter what he
pursues. "Jake will succeed because he
has a fantastic work ethic); Shencopp
said. "He understands that you have to
work for what you want. You can't wait
for things to come to you."
We are so proud of you and all your
accomplishments. You are an amaz-
ing young lady with a beautiful soul.
We wish you a lifetime of health,
happiness and success. Good luck
at Fashion Institute of Design and
Merchandising.
Love,
Mom, Dad and Zac
lAVatukt ,
Wishing you a lifetime of good
health, happiness and success. We
hope you have a wonderful college
experience. GO BLUE!
Wejtive,
J.,
Pt
j.,;"
901,
0,V:4 •
Alexa Bernstein
Reach for the stars and be the best
you can be. We are so proud of you!
Grammy, Les, Aunt Amy, Uncle Alan,
Spencer, Connor and Uncle Sammy
We are so proud of all you have achieved!
Keep up the great attitude and hard
work — Life will bring you great things.
4wer,
Please send sports news to
sports@thejewishnews.corn.
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.(4
May 24. 2007
51