Raisner ready for the next step

MARBLEHEAD ?The well-rehearsed saying that “school comes before sports” is one that most high school kids roll their eyes at. However, there are some exceptions.Some students recognize and appreciate what a solid education on top of excellent athletic ability can lead to. Olivia Raisner, fresh off of graduation at Marblehead High School, is one of these exceptions and a perfect example of the term “student-athlete”.Raisner took the aforementioned term to a new level, as she was able to balance academics along with starring in two sports, lacrosse and basketball, on her way to winning the Angelopulos/Oppenheim Scholarship, presented as part of the Agganis Scholarship Foundation. “I tried to remember that being a student-athlete meant that “student” always comes first,” said Raisner of her four years at Marblehead.Raisner reminisced about some of the sacrifices she had to make in order to keep an even balance. “Sometimes I’d have to leave early from a team dinner to go home and study. It’s tough because you want to be with your team before a game, but you know that school trumps athletics.”Academically, Raisner made the high honor roll every quarter of her high school career. In addition, she was a member of the National Honor Society, she was an AP Scholar with Honors, and she won the AP English and U.S. Legal Studies awards.Raisner was quick to give out credit where credit is due. “I’ve been lucky enough to have some truly intelligent and passionate teachers in my time at Marblehead High.”Outside the classroom and on the athletic field (and court), Raisner kept up her level of excellence. She was named co-captain in both lacrosse and basketball in her senior year and made four all-star appearances (two in each sport). She was also named league MVP her senior season in lacrosse. None of these individual accomplishments came to mind when asked about the highlights of her athletic career.”Beating Swampscott during this year’s basketball season was definitely the highlight of my senior year. We’ve lost badly to them every year prior, so it was exciting to go out with a win,” said Raisner. One other highlight stood out.”Our lacrosse team made it the furthest in the tournament in a long time, which I think is a testament to the amount of work we’ve put in the entire season and also to our new, phenomenal coach, Annie Pugh,” Raisner said. “Being able to advance so far in the tournament with my team was a great way to end high school athletics.”The “end” is just the start of a new beginning for Raisner, who will take her skills and wit to Bowdoin College in the fall. The idea of college can be overwhelming to some, but Raisner already has a feel for what she plans on dedicating her studies to.”I’m thinking about majoring in international relations, political science or education. Bowdoin offers Arabic as a minor, which I think would be really cool to take.”As for athletics ? “I’m hoping to play lacrosse as a walk-on in the spring.”Winning this scholarship was just the cap on top of an amazing high school career for Raisner.”I am incredibly grateful and honored to win this scholarship. To be given a scholarship in honor of such a versatile athlete and great man is humbling and it means a lot to me and my family,” she said.This is the fifth in a series of articles on North Shore recipients of the Agganis Foundation scholarships. Since its inception in 1955, the Agganis Foundation has awarded $1,436,525 in scholarships to 845 student-athletes.