Oswego East Student-Athlete of the Week-Amelia Soriaga

Gymnastics can be a grueling sport because of the high demand for physicality and time commitments. For junior Amelia Soriaga and her teammates, finding time and space to work on their craft was incredibly difficult due to the pandemic, but somehow the girls were able to achieve their goals and find success. That success was due to Amelia’s, and her teammate’s, hard work and dedication, which are a couple of reasons why she is this week’s Oswego East student-athlete of the week.

Amelia, a dual-sport athlete who also competes as a diver on the swim team in which she earned a first-place finish this past fall in the conference meet, started competing in gymnastics in the 5th grade. Amelia is passionate about the sport because seeing how hard work translates into success drives her to work as hard as possible. “I love that you can really work at something and put your mind to it, and if you work hard enough you can actually see your improvement by earning higher scores and helping your team,” says Amelia.

This season Amelia, whose best events are the bars and beam, was asked to compete as an all-arounder. Head coach Amanda Zielske knows how much of a commitment this is and understands just how important Amelia stepping up was to the team. “At each meet, one gymnast has to compete as an all-arounder, which can be difficult because so many girls specialize in 2 or 3 events,” says Amanda. She goes on to say, “Amelia is a key reason our team was able to be undefeated in our regular season conference meets.”

The team was able to place 2nd at the conference meet, and Amelia was able to place fourth on the bars, 5th on the beam, and 9th on the floor as an individual. Being forced out of gymnastics for such a long period of time and coming back in shape and ready to work requires a great deal of mental toughness and grit, something Amelia’s mom, Elizabeth Soriaga, has seen throughout Amelia’s life. “Amelia’s best characteristics are her determination and dedication,” says Elizabeth.

Amelia’s sister Hailey made the varsity this season as a freshman, adding another opportunity for Amelia to serve as a leader and mentor. “Both of our daughters have been competing in gymnastics since they were little, and it is something they bond over,” says Elizabeth. She goes on to add, “They both get excited about their team and each other to do well, and it is a part of their relationship that is most constant as they can always talk about the things they do at practice and meets.” Amelia enjoyed having the opportunity to have Hailey on the team, saying, “It was nice to have that experience together, and it is easy because it has always been part of our relationship.”

The mat is not the only place Amelia shines. As a student at Oswego East, Amelia is currently enrolled in 3 advanced placement classes as a junior and maintains a 4.6 G.P.A. Although unsure of where she will attend college and may compete in gymnastics if it is available, Amelia's priority is choosing a school with a solid program in aerospace engineering.

Amy Whitlock, Amelia’s French teacher, believes Amelia will shine in whatever she chooses to study and will continue setting the example of what it means to be a student-athlete. “Amelia is the student that every teacher wants to have,” says Amy. She goes on to add, “Amelia is a diligent student who engages and asks questions about whatever we are doing. Amelia will be successful at anything she wants to do because she knows how to learn. She’s gifted with a quick mind, but she also possesses an incredible work ethic and is not put off by setbacks.”

With her senior year still in front of her, Amelia will continue to find ways to improve and excel in the classroom, on the mat, and in the water. Her advice to future Wolve’s is geared towards academics, saying, “Make sure you choose classes about subjects you enjoy so you will be motivated to do as well as possible, and get involved at Oswego East because there are a lot of programs, clubs, and sports for you to take advantage of.”