Oswego East Student-Athlete of the Week-Sarah Mustafa

Oswego IL

14 January, 2022

12:02 PM

Description

Junior Sarah Mustafa has been a gymnast for most of her life. Having competed her entire life for her club USGA team, Sarah decided to switch over to the Oswego Co-Op team. Not only has Sarah's scores helped the team reach new heights in competition, but her work ethic and supportive attitude for her new teammates have made her an ideal teammate, which is why she is this week's Oswego East student-athlete of the week. Sarah has competed in gymnastics for nearly her entire life. "When I was 3, my parents enrolled me in gymnastics class, and then I continued to compete and enjoyed it," says Sarah. As a level 8 gymnast competing in gymnastics, Sarah switched from her USGA club team to the high school co-op. "I wanted more time to work on school and prioritize my time management," says Sarah.Head coach Amanda Zielske recognized early in the season that Sarah's presence would make a great addition to the team. "Sarah has a great work ethic, making her a role model for everyone. She is also very supportive of her teammates," says Amanda. Because of the bonds she has formed with her new teammates and more time to prioritize her school work, Sarah's parents, Omer and Umia Mustafa believe the change has been good for Sarah, saying, "Sarah loves her new teammates and has created lasting relationships with them." They go on to say, "The switch to Oswego's Co-Op gymnastics team has helped Sarah create a better time management schedule as well." Sarah competes in all four events and excels on the bars and beam. "Sarah has helped our team score on bars," says Amanda. She goes on to say, "She recently got a new dismount on bars that has increased her start value. She also has a solid beam routine and a higher level vault that can score well when she stands it up." The team has been able to meet their goal of scoring over a 140 as a team already this season, is undefeated in conference, and has also placed in the top three at most of their invites, including first place at the Erin Olmstead Varsity Invite last weekend. Sarah earned 3rd place in that event and has set a personal goal this season of achieving a score of 8.5 or higher on most of the events in which she competes. The team has set a goal of winning sectionals and earning a bid to the state tournament this season, one which seems more achievable each day. Sarah's excelled on the mat and in the classroom. Sarah carries a 4.4 G.P.A., and in addition to being a member of the gymnastics team, she is also a member of the Science National Honor Society and Best Buddies club. Her challenging course load includes AP Chemistry, AP Language, AP U.S. History, Honors Medical Interventions, and Honors Algebra 2. Not only is Sarah an excellent student at OE, but she has already set her sights on her goals after high school. Sarah plans to major in biology and eventually head to medical school. As a volunteer at Suburban Medical Group, Sarah is already gaining first-hand experience working in the field. Although unsure of what college she would like to attend, Sarah's dream school of Northwestern is attainable with her work ethic. Cari Carlton, Sarah's AP Physics teacher, thinks she will be successful, saying, "Sarah is an excellent student." Cari goes on to add, "She is diligent and dedicated to her studies and always gives her best effort. She is not afraid to challenge herself and works hard to persevere through any difficulties. Her passion for science and strong work ethic will enable her to succeed in her future studies. In addition, Sarah is a very kind and compassionate student who always comes to class with a positive attitude and willingness to learn. It is a pleasure to have Sarah as a student, and she is an excellent role model for her peers." Sarah is more than a model teammate and student; she is also a model person. "Sarah is loving and caring and makes sure people around her are comfortable and happy," says Omer and Umia." Her work ethic and success speak for themselves, and she advises future Wolves who wish to follow along a similar path these words, "Make sure you focus and finish all of your work. Try to make sure you are not procrastinating and leaving things until tomorrow." Sarah and her teammates will take advantage of every minute on the mat in their quest for an opportunity to go downstate.