North Oaks Sports Medicine Student-Athletes of the Month for October Announced

North Oaks Sports Medicine and North Oaks Physician Group’s orthopaedic surgeons have selected Valerie Nguyen of Hammond High Magnet School, Logan Thompson of St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Catholic High School, Hannah Vicknair of Albany High School and Evan Bergeron of Walker High School as “Student-Athletes of the Month” for October 2015.

Valerie Nguyen, 17, is a senior student, 3-year volleyball letterman and 4-year piano letterman at Hammond High Magnet School. The daughter of Vanmai and Hung Nguyen, she has achieved the A-B honor roll all 4 years of high school and currently has a 3.9 GPA. So far this year, she has netted 180 digs and 10 service aces with a serve/receive percentage of 87 for the Lady Tors as a libero (defensive specialist).

Volleyball Coach Amber Babin notes that Nguyen has participated in every team practice, game and fundraising event all 4 years of high school. “Valerie gives 100 percent in everything that she does on and off the court,” Babin continues. “She has the drive and determination that every coach wants and needs in a player.”

Nguyen was chosen as captain of the junior varsity volleyball team in 2014 and is captain of the varsity team this year. Off the court, she earned first in state at the Louisiana Musical Teachers Association piano competition.

From left are: North Oaks Sports Medicine Supervisor Jeff Schmitt, Hammond High Magnet School Head Volleyball Coach Amber Babin, Valerie Nguyen and North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Kerrin Sitman.

Hailing from St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Catholic High School (STA), 17-year-old senior Logan Thompson has a 3.95 GPA and has been a defensive lineman for the Falcons football team for 4 years. In his junior year, he was selected to the All-District Team.

“Logan gets us going every day,” affirms Health Football Coach John White. “His leadership is off the charts, and his teammates respect him on and off the field. He has always led by example, and this year, he has focused on setting this standard among our younger players.”

The son of Chad Thompson and Renee Morgan, Logan co-authored the nationally published book, Magikos: The Lost Princes of Atlantis, with his father. He serves as an STA Ambassador and president of the Robotics Club. He also belongs to the National Honor Society, Student Council, Key Club, Beta Club and the ACT 30+ Club with a score of 33.

“She is a natural leader as evidenced by her 4.0 GPA, the leadership role she takes in clubs on campus and her work ethic during practice on a daily basis,” Darouse adds.

Vicknair, a junior, has played basketball for the Lady Hornets for 2 years and is the sole returning starter this season. She is the daughter of Scott and Jennifer Vicknair and is an active member of Bethlehem Baptist Church. When not on the basketball court, she can be found supporting the football team as a student trainer/manager and playing softball for the Hornets. Vicknair also is the Student Government Representative for the junior class and president of the Fellowship of Christian Students.

From left are: Albany High School Principal Jill Prokop, Hannah Vicknair, North Oaks Sports Medicine Supervisor Jeff Schmitt and Albany High School Head Girls Basketball Coach Stacy Darouse.

Evan Bergeron, Walker High School’s lead cross country runner and team captain, has a 4.0 GPA. On Oct. 17, he led the Wildcats with a 3-mile time of 17:32 at the Walker High School Shootout.

“Evan is an outstanding role model for our team, as well as the junior high and elementary students coming up in cross country,” asserts Head Cross Country Coach Will Silk, while noting that Bergeron’s leadership skills are evident in the classroom and the Judson Baptist Church congregation.

The 16-year-old son of Phillip and Angie Bergeron, he has belonged to both the Wildcats’ cross country team and band for 3 years. This year, he was named to Walker High School’s honor band.

From left are: North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Nate Borget, Evan Bergeron, Walker High School Assistant Principal Lisette Manuel and North Oaks Sports Medicine Supervisor Jeff Schmitt.

From September 2015 to April 2016, North Oaks Sports Medicine staff and North Oaks Physician Group orthopaedic surgeons will choose male and female Student-Athletes of the Month from both Tangipahoa and Livingston Parishes who have a 3.0 grade point average or higher, excel in athletic competition, participate in school and community organizations and have earned the respect of coaches, teammates, officials, teachers and their peers. In May 2016, male and female “Student-Athletes of the Year” will be selected from all the monthly honorees for both parishes.

Nominations are accepted from coaches, athletic directors, principals and North Oaks Sports Medicine athletic trainers.

Nomination forms are available online here or can be requested by calling North Oaks Sports Medicine at (985) 230-5248.