Senior Leah Baron's grace on the ice rink can be contributed to her years growing up figure skating, and continued practice teaching figure skating, but that isn't the only thing that led up to her successful career as a forward on the Falcon hockey team.  

Her agility and quickness that has brought her hockey team years of success also spilled over into her tennis career. Since her freshman year she's been speeding up and down the rink as well as smacking balls in tennis eventually earning her way to playing No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles during the 2005 season.      

Besides being a phenomenal athlete, Baron has great leadership ability that earned her the position of team co-captain of both the hockey and tennis teams.  "Leah is a team player and never puts herself above the success of the team," said Falcon Coach Joe Cranston.

From when her tennis practice begins in August till when the hockey season wraps up sometime in March she is running on all cylinders. On top of her sports she also puts together a winter show in December for the young figure skaters she helps teach. But don't think that she's slowing down anytime soon. "My Dad asked me to join his inline skating marathon team. I didn't do it before because it was tough to train and be in sports, but this summer I plan to join to start training with them. I don't think I'll ever not have sports in my life."

Baron also has another job teaching people how to skate in Stillwater Minn., which she plans to continue to do when she graduates next semester with a degree in health and human performance.  

Baron has had an amazing career playing for the Falcons. Starting in her freshman year she started had an immediate impact when she scored five goals and had 10 assists. She improved into her sophomore year nine goals and 16 points. She was also named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. Last year was her best year with eight goals and 17 points and was again named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll.  

This year she is starting out another strong season when she scored her first goal Nov.19 against Eau Claire and helping her team defeat the Blugolds 5-3. She scored her next goal in the team's 8-1 win against St. Catherine. She also had her first assist that game. Her next assist came Dec. 10 at Finlandia. The next game she picked up another assist.   "Leah is the best skater on our team, and that gives her the ability to be create offense. She is also a very good defensive player," said Cranston.

Baron will miss playing for the Falcons and one memory that will certainly stay with her was during her freshman year when she was first doing conditioning for the Falcons. "In high school we never really had to condition that hard, and I remember catching my breath after the first day of conditioning and thinking to myself what have I gotten myself into."  

Leah Baron