When asked to name their favorite part about high school sports, Lynn Classical’s Amanda Hughes and Danvers’ Will Conklin responded with the same word: “Community.”
They have more in common, too. Hughes, a volleyball star, and Conklin, a track and cross country standout, have been chosen as Moynihan Lumber Student-Athletes of the Month for November. The honor is given to one male and one female for their accomplishments in the classroom and in their respective athletic endeavors.
Hughes, a back-to-back Greater Boston League MVP on the hardwood, is “everything a coach asks for,” according to Classical’s Chris LeBlanc. The senior was named to the Massachusetts Volleyball Coaches Association Division 3 All-State team this year and, earlier this month, was named Daily Item Athlete of the Year in volleyball.
“Her leadership was invaluable to our success,” said LeBlanc, whose Lady Rams went 18-4 this fall. “In our game against Medfield in the round of 16, she was the player I will tell stories about to my future players. She had 22 kills and hit .426 to almost will us to victory.”
But those are just some of the numbers. This season, Hughes had 251 kills (562 career), a .261 hitting percentage, 43 aces (148), and 117 digs (286).
“I just really have enjoyed finding myself through athletics,” Hughes said. “I’m being given so many opportunities to just be myself. They’re (coaches and teammates) always there to help. They just care about you as people. I wouldn’t be anywhere without them.”
As for her academics, Hughes is ranked second in her class of more than 500 students, is a member of National Honor Society, and senior class president. She is also a part of Classical’s school newspaper.
“I take it seriously,” said Hughes, who enjoys classes that deal with real-world issues. “The approach that my parents (Kimberly and William) took is that my future is in my own hands, so with my academics, they’ve never put pressure on me that I have to get A’s, but they’ve always told me that my life is going to be what I do with it.”
Hughes said she hopes to land on a college by the end of the week, where she will continue to play volleyball. And no matter where she ends up, her memories in green and gold aren’t going anywhere.
“It’s about so much more than volleyball,” said Hughes, also a member of the swimming and diving team. “It’s about turning us into better people and making sure that even after we leave, we’re doing things that are helping the people around us.”
Conklin, who runs during all three seasons and sports a 3.6 GPA, admits to having a lot on his plate. He currently takes two AP courses, is part of his school’s Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) program, president of Student Council, and treasurer of National English Honor Society.
“Freshman year, honestly, my grades weren’t that good. It was just the unseriousness with school. They weren’t awful, but they weren’t great,” he said. “I realized that I wanted to compete at the highest level because I loved running so much. And along with that, I had to be good in school. With my work ethic, I raised it up and started to work harder. Then, I started enjoying school.”
Speaking of enjoyment, it only took a split second for Conklin to name his favorite class.
“The DECA program – that’s what I want to go into,” he said. “I also take macroeconomics, which I find very interesting.”
As for his secret to balancing academics and athletics, Conklin said it’s about “making sure I’m not lazy.
“And don’t stress about it,” he said. “When I’m not stressed, I get stuff done.”
Conklin excels in the mile (4:21), 2-mile (9:29), 3-mile (15:08), and 5K (15:51). In 2023, he was a member of Danvers’ first-ever cross country state championship.
“That was awesome,” Conklin said. “We had injuries early on that year… but we just persevered. On that line, that day, all we were talking about was how we had to do it for each other.”
But before he leaves for UMass Lowell, a few boxes remain unchecked for the track star.
“Hopefully, this year with track, I haven’t raced yet, but breaking the school record in the mile and 2-mile,” Conklin said. “That’s my big goal and I think it’s very doable.”
