Caledon Citizen’s Student Athlete of the Week: Humberview’s five-sport athlete Sarah Maia is off to MLB Elite Development Camp this month

May 31, 2023 · 0 Comments

By Jim Stewart

In her sophomore year, Sarah Maia has competed for the Humberview Huskies on the basketball court, tennis court, volleyball court, and lacrosse field.

In addition to her significant three-season commitment to the Huskies, Maia has donned the uniform of two elite level baseball teams – the Royal York Cardinals and Team Ontario – as well as the Peel Selects Volleyball Club and the Caledon Coyotes Rep Hockey Club.

Of the seven high school and rep sports the versatile athlete has competed in during the last 12 months, Maia loves playing baseball most of all. In addition to her commitment to two baseball teams, the Honor Roll student is off to Vero Beach, FL, this month to an MLB Elite Development Camp—a sure sign of her baseball talent level and desire to play US College sports.

The Team Ontario and Royal York Cardinals catcher is currently competing at both the provincial and rep levels – another signal that she will transition successfully into life as a student-athlete at an NCAA or NAIA school in two years upon graduation from Humberview.

Currently, Maia is not only impressing College Baseball scouts with her talent on the diamond, but also her own hometown coaches at Humberview Secondary School.

Kendall Volpe, the Huskies’ Athletic Director, praised the Grade 10 student’s impact on five of her school’s sports teams.

“Sarah is an excellent junior athlete here at Humberview! She has played on the Girls Basketball, Tennis, Junior Girls Volleyball, Reverse 7’s Volleyball, and now Girls Lacrosse teams. She chose not to play Slo-Pitch this year to embark on a new sport– lacrosse.”

In addition to the sophomore student’s evident versatility, Department Head of Phys. Ed. Kent Campbell believes that Maia’s determination, competitive edge, and positive relationships make her an exceptional athlete.

“Sarah never quits on a play – she’s always willing to go 100% in pursuit of competing. She’s also willing to help others be successful.”

Campbell, who is also Maia’s Net Sports teacher, praised his student for “striving for excellence academically and also believing in inclusivity—she is willing to work with all members of the class and help all those around her achieve success.”

Aya Utahara, Maia’s Junior Girls Volleyball Coach and Reverse 7’s Volleyball Coach, augmented Campbell’s remarks: “Sarah has incredible athleticism that allows her to excel in many sports such as basketball, tennis, volleyball, lacrosse, and baseball. She is a fierce competitor and always works hard to achieve excellence. Sarah has a great attitude, is a great leader on the team, and is the athlete that every coach would want on their team.”

Coach Campbell has also “witnessed the growth of Sarah as a person and as an athlete over two years.

Sarah is willing to work hard and balance all of her academic and athletic responsibilities. She competes at a high level in the school on various teams and outside the school in club volleyball and as a member of Team Ontario Baseball.”

Coach Utahara offered a succinct assessment of what was most impressive about Maia’s athleticism: “Sarah is committed and dedicated to being the best athlete possible.”

When asked to highlight Maia’s key performance moment from 2022-23, Coach Campbell noted that the Huskies’ versatile star athlete has been a “very strong contributor to all her teams; a key cog in the teams’ successes. Sarah has been a member of ROPSSAA silver medal-winning volleyball team and on the Lacrosse team.”

Coach Utahara delineated Maia’s medal haul on the court as a kind of linear highlight reel.

“Junior Girls Volleyball: 2021-22 ROPSSAA Silver Medalist, 2022 D’Youville Invitational Gold Medalist, 2022-23 ROPSSAA Silver Medalist; Varsity Coed Volleyball: 2023 D’Youville Invitational Gold Medalist.”

Sarah Maia took a brief break from hauling in medals for Humberview to answer our interview questions:

Caledon Citizen: What qualities did you demonstrate in your sports seasons to earn Student Athlete of the Week honors?

Sarah Maia: “I think some of my strongest qualities would be that I’m a hardworking and dedicated athlete, but I also believe that my leadership skills play a big role in my athletic journey and growth as well. I give 100 and 10% in everything I do, every time. I am focused and, through my opportunities of being captain, I’ve been able to lead my team whether it’s on the field, on the ice, or on the court.”

Caledon Citizen: What were your key statistics and performance moments from the 2022-23 season that you are most proud of?

Sarah Maia: “For Humberview’s Junior Girls Volleyball, I led the team in serving percentage. I was proud to be a co-captain for this team and help lead them to a gold medal in the opening tournament and a silver medal for the second year in a row at ROPSSAA. As well, for the Varsity Girls Basketball, I led the team in blocks and in rebounds which I thought was pretty cool.”

Caledon Citizen: In addition to your high school sports team(s), what other community teams do you play for and at what level?

Sarah Maia: “Aside from my high school sports teams, other community sports I play for include: Royal York Cardinals Rep Baseball Team, Team Ontario Baseball, Peel Selects Volleyball Club, Caledon Coyotes Rep Hockey, and towards the end of June, I will be going to a MLB elite development invitational camp in Vero Beach.”

Caledon Citizen: How would you describe yourself as a student at Humberview SS? To which sports teams and clubs do you belong?

Sarah Maia: “As a high school student, I strongly believe that high school is what you make of it, so I’m very involved in my school community. I play for the tennis, basketball, volleyball, and lacrosse team and I’m a member of Humberview’s Athletic Council (HAC). I do the morning announcements and last year, I was on the Honor Roll and it is a goal of mine to remain on it throughout my high school career.”

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