North Oaks Sports Medicine certified athletic trainers have joined North Oaks Physician Group
orthopaedic surgeons to select John Ross Donnes, Mia Kugler, Meghan Landry and Waylon Mabry
as the 2018 “Student-Athletes of the Fall Season” in Tangipahoa
and Livingston parishes.
Female and male students were chosen from both parishes, representing the
months of August-October 2018.
Mia Kugler is a junior honor student with a 3.9 GPA at Ponchatoula High
School. She is pictured above, second from left, with North Oaks Sports
Medicine Head Athletic Trainer/Supervisor Matt Rabalais, Ponchatoula High
School Head Volleyball Coach Lauren Long and North Oaks Sports Medicine
Athletic Trainer Nicholas Owens.
Kugler has played volleyball for the Lady Wave for three years. Excelling
as an outside hitter and defensive specialist, she earned a spot on the
Newman All-Tournament Team and earned Second Team All-District honors
this season.
Recent stats include: nine aces, 11 kills and 20 digs versus Salmen High
School; 10 kills and 12 digs versus Lakeshore High School; 10 kills and
22 digs versus Hammond High Magnet School; and 11 kills and 20 digs against
Northshore High School.
“Mia is an exceptional young lady and leader both on and off the
court,” affirms Ponchatoula High School Head Volleyball Coach Lauren
Long. “Through her words and actions, she encourages her teammates
and has helped organize community service activities for our team to benefit
breast cancer awareness, multiple sclerosis and Special Olympics Louisiana.
She is an asset to our team, school and community.”
Kugler is actively involved in the following organizations: Family, Career
and Community Leaders of America; Key Club; National Honor Society; and
Holy Ghost Church Peer Ministry. She is a past member of the CARE Club
and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Catholic High School senior honor student John
Ross Donnes maintains a 4.0 GPA. He is pictured above, second from left,
with St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Catholic High School Head Cross Country/Track
and Field Coach Miguel Becerra, North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer
Jeremy Kulbeth and Head Athletic Trainer/Supervisor Matt Rabalais.
As an Academic All-State runner on the Falcons cross-country team all four
years of high school, he has gained a reputation as a top finisher. Some
recent achievements include: 97th of 402 runners at the Brooks Memphis Twilight in Memphis, Tennessee; first
of 32 runners at the BSN Sports Invitational in Hammond; second of 47
runners at the Forster Commagere Classic in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; 34th of 360 runners at the Gulf Coast Stampede in Pensacola, Florida; 22nd of 283 runners at the St. Joseph Invitational in Baton Rouge; and second
of 202 runners at the MC Watson Ford Invitational in Clinton, Mississippi.
“John Ross is one of our senior team captains and shows great respect
for his peers, coaches and competitors. He is very well-liked by his teammates
and a great mentor for our younger athletes,” notes Falcons Head
Cross Country/Track and Field Coach Miguel Becerra. “He also is
a great asset to our coaching staff. We host many cross-country meets
on our campus. John Ross can be counted upon to lead the team in helping
out at these meets, including set-up and clean-up.”
A school ambassador and Light Team member, Donnes also belongs to the National
Honor Society and Student Council.
Meghan Landry is a senior honor student at Albany High School. She is pictured
above, second from left, with North Oaks Sports Medicine Head Athletic
Trainer/Supervisor Matt Rabalais, Albany High School Principal Kimberly
Freeman and North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Mandy Serpas.
As a senior leader on the Hornets cheerleading squad, she devotes many
hours to cheer with stellar attendance and is always willing to mentor
younger cheerleaders, according to Albany High School Head Cheerleading
Coach Ashley Whiddon.
Landry currently has a 3.7 GPA and belongs to the Beta Club and Fellowship
of Christian Athletes for which she is president.
“Meghan is always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who may
need it,” Whiddon shares. “She puts her teammates and classmates
first and approaches every situation with a positive attitude.”
Landry is participating in Southeastern Louisiana University’s Dual
Enrollment Program to earn high school and college credit simultaneously.
Waylon Mabry is a senior honor student with a 4.3 GPA at Springfield High
School, who belongs to the Beta Club, STEM Club and Spanish Club, for
which he serves as vice president. He is pictured above, third from left,
with Springfield High School Head Football Coach Ryan Serpas, North Oaks
Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Mandy Serpas and North Oaks Sports Medicine
Head Athletic Trainer/Supervisor Matt Rabalais.
As a cornerback and outside linebacker for Springfield High School’s
Bulldogs football team, Head Football Coach Ryan Serpas shares that Mabry
racked up 40 tackles, five pass breakups, two sacks and three tackles
for a loss this season.
This past summer, Mabry attended the American Legion’s Louisiana
Boys State leadership program at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches.
Principals, coaches and athletic directors from high schools in Tangipahoa
and Livingston parishes nominate student-athletes. Candidates must: have
a 3.0 GPA 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, the North Oaks Sports Medicine
team will choose a “Student-Athlete of the Year” from all
season honorees.
Nomination forms are available
here or can be requested by calling North Oaks Sports Medicine at (985) 230-5248.