The VYPE Media team traveled out to Lutheran South Academy earlier this year for the LSA 2021 Spring Media Day. We had the pleasure of sitting down with the talented athletes and coaches at Lutheran South to take you inside the program.
Get ready for the season as VYPE goes Inside the Program with the Lutheran South Academy Boys Track & Field Team!
Yu Ching "Tiger" Cheung of LSA
Once he settled onto the court again at LSA, Tiger fit in just fine and his confidence grew. According to tennisrecruiting.net, Tiger is a 3-star prospect, and has signed to play college tennis at Loyola. "I'm just a confident person," Cheung said. "My coach always told me to be confident at everything, especially on the court."
Being confident on the court this spring helped guide him to a TAPPS 5A Men's Doubles State Championship with partner Chase Turley as they defeated Cade Webb and Kyle Pipkin of Fort Worth Christian for the crown.
"Winning state is a big thing," Cheung said. "I think people know me as a pretty good tennis player."
Cheung, whose favorite player is Rafael Nadal, has big dreams for his future after college, which include owning his own tennis academy.
Ayana Smith, LSA Track & Field
Six years later, Smith is now a track star at Lutheran South Academy and just brought home gold in the 4X100-meter relay, 100-meter dash and long jump at the TAPPS 5A State Championships in May.
Smith has been running track since the sixth grade and arrived at LSA for her freshman year.
"I liked how it was small," Smith said. "My god sister went here before I got here and she told me some good things about it. I just felt like I would do really well here." The junior has big aspirations beyond winning gold in high school.
Smith dreams of running track collegiately, potentially at Southern University, Prairie View A&M or LSU, and then one day reaching the Olympics like her icon Allyson Felix.
"I love her style and how long she's been running and how strong she is as a person," Smith said. "I really love that about her."
Outside of track, Smith is involved in multiple organizations including Top Teens of America, serving as her chapter's president, and the World Youth Foundation. But everything she does in or out of school and on the oval is for her grandpa.
"I do everything for him even though he's not here with me anymore," Smith said. "If he was here right now, he'd be really proud of me."
Episcopal Volleyball
Other key returners include juniors Ava Harrington (OH/MB) and Farah Farooq (MB). Also watch out for sophomore Allyson Frailey (OH) and junior Emma Poirot (RS).
This team "will be young" according to Watts but their returners "will help lead us". The motto for Episcopal in 2021 is "Kia Kaha", which translates to Forever Strong.
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