sports Theresa Semann
sports Theresa Semann (left) poses with Channel 7 personalities (above) after being named Athlete of the Week. named to the All-State All-Academic Team. This wasn’t the first time Semann made waves in her first season in a running sport. She went out for the L’Anse Creuse girls track team last spring. Besides scoring the most points at meets, she was named the squad’s MVP. L’Anse Creuse girls track coach Joyce Christmann, Gary Christmann’s wife, says Semann has a shot at breaking the school records in the 1600- and 3200-meter runs this season. “Plus, Teresa is one of our captains,” Joyce Christmann said. “She’s always upbeat, a great teammate, and she sets a wonderful example for the other girls.” running on excellence Teresa Semann impresses on and off the track Teresa Semann loves to run. It’s not just a passion, but part of her lifestyle. So it wasn’t too surprising when the Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse High senior decided to join the school’s girls cross country team last fall after three successful years of playing tennis for the Lancers. What did open a lot of eyes were Semann’s accomplishments. She earned All-Macomb County honors for her performance at the county meet. She won the Macomb Area Conference Blue Division dual meet and league meet championships. She qualified for the Division 1 state meet by finishing 13th in the regionals, then placed 73rd of 238 runners at the state race. Her 19:18.9 clocking at Michigan International Speedway broke Kathy Shacklett’s 23-year-old school record of 19:20. BY STEVE STEIN “Teresa didn’t want to just go to the state meet. Because she’s so focused and goal-oriented, she wanted to have a goal there,” said L’Anse Creuse girls cross country coach Gary Christmann. “I told her that if she went after the school record, she’d place pretty high, too, so she set her sights on doing that.” Semann was determined to break the record. “Teresa finished strong. She wiped out runner after runner as she neared the finish line,” Christmann said. “I knew I was close to the record, so I gave it everything I had,” Semann said. Owning the L’Anse Creuse girls cross country record is quite an accomplishment because the team hasn’t had a losing season since it was formed in 1979. Thanks to her state meet finish and 4.119 grade point average — tops in her class — Semann was TOPS IN HER CLASS Semann also sets a good example for high school students across the metropolitan area. She was a recent Channel 7 McDonald’s Scholar Athlete of the Week, with the segment airing February 11. The 18-year-old Harrison Township resident has maintained her perfect GPA despite participating in five sports during her four years at L’Anse Creuse. She played soccer and volleyball as a freshman and sophomore, earning all-county honors in soccer as a sophomore. “I’ve always been able to manage my time well,” she said. “I get done what has to get done.” Semann’s mother Pam is a physical therapist. Her father George is a pharmaceutical sales representative. Her sister Angela, 20, a sophomore at U-M who also wants to be a nurse, ran track for L’Anse Creuse in her senior year. She also played tennis for the school. Semann was recently accepted to the University of Michigan, where she’ll study to be a nurse. “There will always be a job for me in nursing, and I like caring for people and talking to people,” she said. “I want to make a difference in people’s lives.” Morin Yousif contributed to this article. 44 CHALDEAN NEWS APRIL 2006
COMPLETE LANDSCAPE DESIGN... INSTALLATION... MAINTENANCE... • New Homes • Gas Stations • Shopping Centers • Hotels • Office Buildings • Oakland-Macomb-Wayne County FULL SERVICE COMPANY… • Lawn Maintenance • Sprinklers • Fertilizing • Flower Design • Waterfalls • Parking Lot Sweeping • Snow Plowing CALL – TONY KONJA – FOR A FREE ESTIMATE Village Park Offices • 31800 Northwestern Highway, Suite 140, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 Phone: 248-855-8575 • Fax: 248-855-6985 tonykonja@artisticoutdoor.com CHRYSALIS FASHIONS a new designer Indian & Indo/Western boutique by MIRA BEDI Invites you to our 1st Annual Fashion Show DATE: Sunday, May 7, 2006 PLACE: Embassy Suites 19525 Victor Parkway, Livonia, MI 48152 734-462-6000 TIME: 1:00-6:00pm 1:00-2:00pm Hors D’oeuvres 2:00-3:00pm Fashion Show 3:00-6:00pm Exhibition / Sale SEATS ARE LIMITED for Fashion Show segment To reserve your seat and confirmation number Email: chrysalisfashions@yahoo.com or call Mira at 248-396-2767 ADMISSION IS FREE Adults and children 10 and above requested The exclusive retailer in Michigan for: “HELINA – a Dream...Forever By Vira Enterprise; Bombay, India” & “SILK THREADS – the name says it all Dallas, TX” Featuring: Ethnic Wear Bridal Collections Menswear Jewelry (semi-precious, costume) Western Fashions Accepting: cash, check LOOKING FOR MODELS FOR THE FASHION SHOW Please contact Mira at 248-396-2767 APRIL 2006 CHALDEAN NEWS 45
