Sophie Chats With... Quintyn "Q" Flemister

Quintyn "Q" Flemister, 21, is a rising senior guard on the Penn State Mont Alto men's basketball team, which won the 2020 PSUAC championship in March. He was the 2018-19 PSUAC West Defensive Player of the Year, the 2019-20 PSUAC West Player of the Year and a USCAA Second Team All-American this season.

He is a Harrisburg resident and graduate of Harrisburg High School. At Mont Alto he is majoring in human development and family studies.

Fun fact: Q's favorite super hero is The Flash (which happens to be Dwyane Wade's nickname)!

What have you done to practice basketball during the pandemic?

Q takes it to the hoop against Penn State Beaver

(Photo courtesy of PSUMA Sports Information)

Since many of the gyms and courts have been shut down it was hard to find any courts that were open. Once I found a location that was still available, I found a routine to go there every few days or so to get plenty shots up and work on in game moves. Going to the court so often has kept me and my skills in good shape.

What are you hoping to accomplish during your senior year of college?

Hopefully my main goal is accomplished, which would be getting my degree. As coach Jack says, it’s the most important thing you’ll ever get from Mont Alto. Along with that, another goal I have is to win another championship with my team, going back to back would really cap off a great journey here at Mont Alto. Along with all of that, I do have a personal goal of making it to 1,000 points this year which seems more than likely I can achieve if all goes well this season.

What do you plan to do after you graduate?

After I graduate I plan to take a short break to relax after the long years of school lol. After a short break, I’m going to try and look for a career job so I can work on building my future. I’m not sure at the moment on what is next, but it will come to me.

If you could play a one-on-one basketball game with one of the most famous basketball players, who would it be and why?

I’d love to play Dwyane Wade one-on-one, he’s my favorite player! Growing up, he was such an exciting player to watch. He did everything on the court that I wished I could do when I got older and that helped me change my game to what it is today. He also is a great man off the court as well, which makes me respect him even more than just a hall of fame hooper.

Q takes a foul shot as the Mont Alto cheerleaders cheer him on.

(Courtesy of PSUMA Sports Information)

Thanks Q! It was fun to interview my favorite basketball player! Readers, you can follow his senior season this year through the Penn State Mont Alto Athletics website.

Sophie Chats With... Casey Kauffman

Casey Kauffman, 17, is a professional photographer specializing in sports photos -- Casey K Sports Photography! She is a rising senior at Chambersburg Area Senior High School and lives in Chambersburg. She loves sports, hiking, photography, swimming and shopping.

Fun fact: her Pap is in the Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame!

Casey in action taking sports photos!

 

How did you become a professional photographer?

I became a professional sports photographer with the support of my mom who is a family photographer. I love sports and started taking the camera with me to take a pics at local sports events and the rest is history!

What are your interests besides photography?

My other interests are sports and sports media, shopping and doing activities outdoors!

Why are sports pictures your favorite?

Sports pictures are my favorite because I LOVE taking action shots! 

What is your dream sporting event to photograph?

My dream sporting event to photograph would probably be a Penn State HOME football game or a New York Yankees baseball game!

If you weren’t taking pictures of sports, what would you be taking pictures of?

If I wasn't taking pictures of sports I probably wouldn't be taking pics at all just because I like photographing sports so much. In the future though, I plan to focus more on sports media and social media marketing in sports rather than photographing it.

The Shippensburg HS cheerleaders stunting, taken by Casey. I picked this photo because I love cheerleading!

Thanks Casey for being my interview this week!! You can see her awesome photos at Casey K Sports Photography on Facebook and Instagram!

Sophie Chats With... Mary Miller

Mary Miller, 38, is the head coach of the Penn State Mont Alto women's basketball and soccer teams. She attended Corpus Christi Catholic School, which is my school! Coach Mary is a graduate of Chambersburg Area Senior High School and earned her bachelor's degree from Wilson College and master's degree from American Military University.

Fun facts: she "loves to tell corny jokes (that I think are funny but others may not)," as well as to laugh and have a good time, and hasn't been able to touch her toes since about 5th grade!

Why did you decide to be the soccer coach at Mont Alto?

I was already coaching basketball at Mont Alto and I had always wanted to get back at coaching soccer at the college level as well so, when the opportunity opened up I was excited about a new challenge and opportunity to teach at the next level. I was also excited about getting a program restarted and developing around good core values and helping players push themselves to be better not just at the sport but in the classroom as well.  

How do you balance coaching two different sports?

It can be a little tough sometimes but I have some great Assistant Coaches that help keep me balanced and are there to help keep everything running smoothly. They are the key to being able to do both, and having some ice cream when things get a little crazy. 

What has been your biggest coaching challenge during the pandemic?

The biggest challenge for sure is not being able to see our players on a daily basis and having to have video chats.  I am a face to face person so it feels a little impersonal.  The other thing is not being able to be out and see prospective players (recruits) play and keeping in contact with them. 

Who are your role models or the people you look up to as coaches?

Oh man there are so many but I think my favorite because of what they stand for and how they could pull the best out of their players not just on the field but in the classroom would be the late and great Pat Summitt (TN Women's Basketball Coach), Anson Dorrance (UNC Women's Soccer Coach) and Vince Lombardi.  

But my biggest role models are my parents, they taught me a lot about work ethic and if you really want something how hard you have to work because things aren't just given to you.  They also just supported me in whatever path I wanted to take and never said you should do this or that or it isn't going to pay much.  They just wanted me and my brothers to be happy in whatever we were passionate about. 

What are you doing for fun during the pandemic? 

Starting to get back into a little bit of shape, hiking, reading and cooking.  I have had more time to get some grilling in and to try some new recipes.  

Thank you Coach Mary for being a great first interview!