![Held up by a group of cheerleaders, flyer sophomore Leyu Yonas poses as part of a stunt, also supported by flyer junior Shayne Mitchell behind her. (Left) Prior to the pink out football game on Oct. 13, the athletes practiced in the aux gym from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Right) On Oct. 19, the cheerleaders competed in their District Championships at Woodgrove High School. “We definitely put all our effort on the mat [at Districts], and it showed,” Mitchell said. Left: Photo by Nadia Shirr. Right: Photo by Steve Prakope via Victor O’Neill Studios.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/feature-image-1200x823.png)
![Sophomore Xavier Smith (6), the Phoenix quarterback, runs the ball as his teammates help hold up the defense. “My [offensive] line collapses, so I just [have to run], and its a good way to get first downs because [Tuscarora’s] defense was really good,” Smith said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_5383-1200x897.jpg)
![As the referee throws the ball up for the tip-off, freshman Simone Diby leaps towards the ball to get it in Phoenix possession. Diby is a new member of the Phoenix girls basketball team, and despite it being a change, she finds it enjoyable. “It’s definitely a different experience if you’ve never played on a team, [but] I think it’s still fun.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DSC_0057-1200x662.jpg)
On Saturday, March 16, the Virginia High School League Regional Debate Tournament was held at Rock Ridge. It was held on a smaller scale than...
![Standing center stage, senior Ananya Akula conducts the Phoenix Chorale. “[Conducting and teaching] is really fun,” Akula said. “Music education is what I want to do.” On the day of the choir assessment, Akula found out that she received the President’s Music Scholarship – a full ride to the University of Miami Frost School of Music.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ananya-1200x800.jpg)
![Senior Fatima Qaderi grew into the person she wanted to become when she was younger and continues to work towards growing more confident in using her voice when it matters. “I didnt get treated the way I wanted to be treated, and I realized that it wasnt just them treating me the wrong way, it was me treating me the wrong way,” Qaderi said. “I forced them to like to look at me in a way where Im someone who needs to be respected; they cant just disregard me, they cant just look over me because I have a different opinion, because Im a woman, because Im Afghan, because Im Muslim, or whatever. It just took going through different experiences to figure out how [I wanted to] be heard.” Photo courtesy of Fatima Qaderi.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_3870.jpeg)
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![With the energy and effort the Bolts were bringing to the game, the Phoenix had to step up and match them to make it through their first game of the season. Many of the girls on the team, including freshman Nazly Rostom, have been playing soccer since their childhood and have grown a love for the sport as a result. “It was fun to see how we actually played in a [real] game,” Rostom said. “Even though the outcome was not what we were hoping for, I’m still happy we got to play together.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_0154-1200x800.jpg)
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![Junior Lola Aguilar’s volleyball journey has been nothing short of a spike in success — from her early days in Charlestown to her dedicated years with her volleyball club, Loudoun Elite. After a flurry of emails and showcases on the court, she landed a spot at Randolph-Macon College. Her leap to college volleyball is a testament to her hard work and passion for the sport.
Q: When did you start playing volleyball?
A: I started playing around fifth grade to start getting in shape. I wanted to get into a sport, and volleyball just happened to be the one that I picked, and I stuck with it. [Before volleyball, I played] softball, but I didn’t like it too much. I [played] volleyball in my middle school in Charlestown, [where] I grew up. I went to Charlestown Middle. I played on Junior Varsity in sixth grade, and then we moved here, but they didn’t have sports at Stone Hill Middle School. [During that time,] I played in private and then got with my volleyball club, Loudoun Elite. I’ve been with Loudon Elite for around five years. I moved to a different club one year but came right back.
Q: How did you balance playing on the school’s volleyball team and Loudoun Elite’s volleyball team?
A: High school season starts a little bit before club season. Depending on how far we would go during the high school season, it would [sometimes mix] with each other, but not too often. During the high school season, we had practice every single day, except for Saturdays. And then during club season, we have practice every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, with conditioning on Tuesdays and Thursdays. As soon as high school season ended, I went right into the club and it didn’t feel like that big of a job.
Click the link in our bio to see more answers from junior Lola Aguilar!
✏️ by Aarohi Motwani and Ananya Karthik
📷 courtesy of Lola Aguilar](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
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