Local athletes attend conference

High school female athletes from the Banning-Beaumont Pass saw firsthand what is possible for them during Monday’s Citrus Belt Area Athletic Directors Association Women in Sport Conference.

A contingent of athletes from both Banning and Beaumont High Schools attended the event, held at The Grove in Riverside.

There the athletes met with and took part in a series of helpful meetings that featured female coaches from UCLA, USC, Oklahoma and California State University San Bernardino.

“This event is important due to the opportunity it provides for our female student athletes to see and hear successful women athletes and coaches,” Beaumont High Athletic Director Martin DuSold said.

Beaumont High’s contingent of athletes included Maria Antonio, Tricia Cervantes, Olyvia DuSold, Amanda Hendey, Briahna Hendey, Lauren Hernandez, Kelsey Lara, Chelsie Owens, Brooke Renna, Ria Reyes, Lindsay Ritchie, Jazmin Romero, Jayme Tickemyer, Tara Trevino and Michelle Yang.

The speakers, DuSold said, can serve as role models to the student athletes.

“The speakers at the conference have utilized their opportunities to continue their education and stay involved with athletics, and they can influence our student athletes to recognize the avenues available to them,” Dusold said.

The attending athletes qualified by accumulating a GPA of 3.0 or higher, having lettered at least twice in varsity athletics, and by garnering all league selections in at least one sport.

“Hopefully they (athletes) also receive information that helps them understand the process of transitioning from high school to college,” DuSold said.