Phillip a steady, successful competitor for Lady Bloodhounds

Coach Meme Garza sees April Phillipp as one of the most vital athletes on the St. Joseph Academy track team.

Phillipp, a 5-foot-8 senior, competes in the shot put and discus, events that take place early in track meets, and usually in the morning.

Her success gives the whole team a lift, Garza said.

"April always kicks off our day on a positive note," he said.

Phillipp, a top student and also a basketball standout at SJA, has qualified a fourth straight year for the TAPPS state meet Friday and Saturday in Waco. She won the discus and shot put at the TAPPS District 4-6A meet earlier this month in Laredo to earn a return to state.

At the state meet a year ago, Phillipp helped the Lady Bloodhounds capture the TAPPS Class 6A state title by winning the discus and taking second in the shot put. Her personal best of 114 feet, 0 inches in the discus came at state last year. Her personal best in the shot put is 37-5.

"Getting first in both events (at state) this year would be nice," Phillipp said. "I'd also like to break the school record in the shot, which is 37-8 ½."

Phillipp is very aware of just what her contribution to the team can mean so early in the day at meets.

"It feels good that I'm able to help my teammates, give them some motivation and earn some points for the team," she said. "I want to do my part, too."

She credits her parents, Donald and Janice Phillipp, along with her coaches, for helping her do well at SJA.

"My parents have always been behind me when it comes to both academics and sports-related activities," Phillipp said. "My coaches also have been a great help because they've always pushed me to do my best, and I think I've learned a lot from that to help me for the rest of my life."

Along with Garza as SJA's head track coach, Rey Cortinas is Phillipp's shot put and discus coach, while Cynthia Martinez coached her in basketball.

"April is a very intense competitor, a very quiet leader and an incredible student," Garza said. "She is the epitome of what I would consider a student-athlete. She exemplifies all those attributes that go into the term student-athlete.

"I'm really proud of what she has been able to do in and out of the classroom," he added. "She's a very sincere, genuine person, and she's admired by her teammates, classmates, teachers and coaches. I see her becoming a successful adult, and I'll be looking forward to seeing just what she accomplishes in the next 10, 15 and 20 years."

Competing in organized sports more than likely will be over for Phillipp once she graduates from SJA. She plans to attend Texas A&M University next school year and major in bio-medical science. She'd eventually like to become a physical therapist.

Garza said the admirable qualities that make Phillipp displays can readily be traced to her upbringing on her family's farm.

"April's a farm girl from La Feria and her mother was a very good athlete at Lyford, so the genes are definitely there from the very, very beginning for her to be a strong individual and a very down-to-earth person," he said. "She does her chores on the farm when she gets home from school and on the weekends. She's not out there just picking flowers."

Garza said he thought Phillipp's senior season of track might have ended early after she was run over by a cow while doing chores earlier this month.

"We were afraid that she might not be able to compete anymore," the SJA coach said.

However, Phillipp has recovered from her close encounter with the cow and is now focused on doing well this weekend in Waco.

"Because we won state last year, I really hope that we can all work together to achieve it again," she said. "I think it's possible."