Meet the Students Carrying on the Legacy of Multi-Sport Athletics

On February 4th, the country celebrated National Women and Girls in Sports Day. Bethel Park celebrated its own female athletes at the Ladyhawks Basketball Game on Tuesday with special guests from WPXI, Duquesne University Athletics, and Bethel Park’s own Hall of Famers.

Among the guests was Laurel Heilman. Heilman was inducted into the Bethel Park Hall of Fame for not one, not two, but three sports. During her time at BPHS, she played basketball, volleyball, and tennis. She went on to have a successful college basketball career at Slippery Rock, and she further contributed to the athletic community through coaching. Heilman is among a minority of women; of the 87 multi-sport athletes listed in the Bethel Park Hall of Fame, 12 are female athletes.  

Diversification of sports is proven to be highly beneficial to young athletes. Just as men have been afforded the opportunity to succeed in multiple ways, women like Heilman prove that female athletes can find this same success. As our Bethel Park community lifts up more of its own female athletes through support and events such as the most recent National Women and Girls in Sports Celebration, more and more young athletes are following in Heilman’s footsteps.  

In honor of National Women and Girls in Sports Day and to emphasize the greatness that young athletes can achieve with the support of their communities, coaches, and schools, I’ve highlighted some of the current multi-sport athletes who have found success in (or on) multiple fields.  

Meet some of the current female athletes of Bethel Park who are breaking the mold.

Riley Johnson - Junior

Johnson represents her school in flag football and soccer. This upcoming season will mark the first year that flag football is officially recognized by the PIAA. Not only is Johnson a part of the historical flag football team, but she is a standout soccer player. This past season, she was named All-Section for her performance on the soccer field, and she has lettered in Varsity for three years. Johnson says that it is important to participate in multiple sports because it “keeps yourself active [and] healthy and trains yourself to have goals and deal with mental and physical struggles.” Studies would agree with her; there is a proven positive correlation between student participation in sports and resiliency.

Kassie Elkins - Freshman

Elkins represents Bethel Park in soccer, indoor track, and outdoor track. In her first high school soccer season, Elkins has started and played varsity. Some sports are more clearly complementary to one another than others; for instance the training Elkins uses in track used to maximize speed, agility, and strength can easily be applied on the field during a soccer match. What she loves most about her involvement in multiple sports is “meeting all kinds of new people as well as trying out different work outs.”  

Molly McGrath - Freshman

McGrath represents Bethel Park in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. McGrath is having a successful first year in high school athletics, and this past season she overcame injury to run in her cross country championship. What she feels is most important to why she is a multi-sport athlete is that “it helps you experience different teams and forms of exercise.” Diversification of training and sports is associated with lessened burnout because it provides athletes with variety. What she says she loves most about her sports is “making memories with my teammates.”  

Adrienne Hofbauer - Freshman

Hofbauer represents Bethel Park in softball and golf. This past golf season, Hofbauer earned her status as a First-Year Letter. A common misconception about multi-sport athletes is that they won’t be able to manage their increased workload. Hofbauer says, “I have faced the obstacles of confidence and time management…Playing [two] sports has provided me with a challenging daily schedule. The fire and determination I have to succeed in sports keeps me motivated to keep working harder and get my required tasks done.” Students like Hofbauer are proof that female athletes overcome their workload with adaptation, hardwork, and dedication.

Morgan Fauth - Freshman

Fauth represents Bethel Park in softball and golf. She has earned two showcase titles in softball. When asked why it is important that she participated in multiple sports, Fauth says, “Playing two sports helps maintain a healthy relationship with mental health. Keeping your mind focused on more than one thing helps distract you from overthinking about one specific sport.” Her favorite part about her involvement in multiple sports is “the relationships built with teammates.”

Lyla Miller - Junior

Miller represents Bethel Park in cheerleading and baton twirling. With Bethel Park’s competitive cheer team, she earned the title of UCA Regional Winner in ‘23 and ‘25. This year, the competitive cheer team had a successful UCA Nationals, coming 7th in the Nation for UCA DII Small Varsity Gameday. In baton twirling, she earned the title of 13-15 Beginner Miss Majorette of Pennsylvania, qualifying her to represent Pennsylvania for her division at the National Baton Twirling Association. During her first season with the Bethel Park Marching Band, she made history as one of the first freshmen earning a full time position with the majorettes. With two open positions and being one of two incoming seniors, keep an eye out for her this upcoming football season. Miller is expected to make history again, as Bethel Park has yet to have awarded the head majorette position to an athlete participating in both cheerleading and baton twirling. Miller says that, “Multiple sports makes me a better built athlete. I’m very social so I enjoy having many friends in different programs..”

Eva Billingsley - Sophomore

Billingsley represents Bethel Park in cheerleading and volleyball. Recently, she and her club volleyball team won first place in the silver bracket of their tournament. In both cheer and volleyball, she is an adaptive athlete who takes on the roles that her coaches and teammates need her to take on. She says that it is important for her to participate in multiple sports because “both sports offer so many different moments and benefits…it is important to me that I get to be there for my team through all of it.” What she loves most about being a multi-sport athlete is “representing multiple teams and experiencing all of the memories with each team!”

Reese Curry - Freshman

Curry represents Bethel Park in softball, cheerleading, and diving. This year, Bethel Park High School recognized her as a Hawk of the Week for her dedication to the competitive cheer team. As previously mentioned, this year she and the Bethel Park competitive cheer team earned the title of UCA Regional winner and placed 7th in the Nation for UCA DII Small Varsity Gameday. As with any athlete, Curry has had to overcome obstacles along the way. She says that “talking to my coaches has really helped with them being so understanding.” Having the support of coaches, mentors, and teachers helps ensure the success of student athletes.

Cami Fisher - Junior

Fisher represents Bethel Park in lacrosse and tennis. In lacrosse, she has lettered for three years. She serves her team as a Captain, and she has been named First-Team All Section. In tennis, she has also lettered for three years and is 1st singles. She holds five section titles, two 1st place WPIAL titles, two 2nd place WPIAL titles, and two 3rd place WPIAL titles. So far, Fisher has made six PIAA appearances. She is an exemplary athlete in both of her prospective sports. What Fisher appreciates most about competing in both lacrosse and tennis is “the opportunity to compete by myself and as a team, which I think makes me a better rounded person and athlete.” A common obstacle that multi-sport athletes face is time. Fisher says, “Playing two different sports on top of school can sometimes be hard to balance, but I have been able to get very good at time management and utilize my free time for productivity.” With an undeniable work ethic, athletes like her are able to overcome the challenge and adapt.

These young student athletes are making their mark on the Bethel Park community. Like Heilman, they lead by example and are changing what is possible for future female athletes who previously may not have realized what great leadership and success was possible. Female athletes have always and famously surpassed limitations and fought to redefine what achievements can be theirs. In Bethel Park, our young student athletes are proving to be no different. It is only through their own athleticism, grit, and resilience as well as the support of their community, teachers, and coaches, that they are able to defy the norm and break the mold.

This content has been submitted by authors outside of this publisher and is not its editorial product. It could contain opinions, facts, and points of view that have not been reviewed or accepted by the publisher.