River Journal is saluting top high school student-athletes from its coverage area throughout the academic year. The series continues with student athletes from the Hackley School in Tarrytown.
Emma Curran, Senior
Curran learned to test her limits at an early age. She has been a triathlete since she was seven years old and will be participating in age-group nationals in Germany. She competes on behalf of Hackley in cross country, swimming and track and field.
She said of her three-sport involvement at the Tarrytown school, “They are team-oriented, but at the end of the day, it’s you pushing yourself. It teaches you that you can do hard things. Your mind might be saying you can’t, but you really can.”
Her willingness to pay the price for excellence was on display recently at the Manhattan University Cross Country Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park. She completed the rugged 2.5-mile course in 2:11.17 to earn a medal and smash her personal best by a whopping 18 seconds.
She serves as team captain with Caitlin Morrow. Coach Dawn Crainer praised Curran as a “top-notch leader” and said, “She is a real motivator for all runners, especially those who are just starting out in the sport. You can find her on the back hills of Van Cortlandt Park cheering on her teammates as they climb the hills, purchasing and hauling snacks for the meets, designing and organizing merchandise, carrying the water cooler and checking in with others as they begin strength training.”
Curran takes advanced math classes whenever possible and estimated her weighted grade-point average at 4.15. She said of committing to Cornell for track and field, “I’m very honored that I get to continue my athletic journey.”
Charlie Napach, Senior
Like Curran, Napach stands out in his desire to play three sports – soccer, squash, lacrosse – in an age of specialization.
“I love the feeling of winning and pushing myself to play all three sports,” he said. “I push myself in three different ways.”
He acknowledged being at a disadvantage when competing against those who focus on one sport throughout the year. At the same time, the change of seasons invigorates him.
“I’m playing new things with new people. The new people is a huge aspect,” he said. “In being on more and more teams, I’m going to connect with more and more people in the community.”
While Napach is driven to win, he understands the value of sports beyond the bottom line. “He is driven most in sports by the team connection and the camaraderie,” said Noah Knopf, his soccer coach.
When his teammates are faltering, they need only to look to full-speed Napach for motivation. “Charlie is an awesome teammate and leader. He always does his best,” Knopf said. “You never have to worry about his effort and commitment. He leads by example.”
Napach estimated that he has a 3.9 grade-point average. He is fascinated by history and is an avid reader. He intends to play club sports in college and is focused on the Northeast as he narrows his choices.
