Oliva Aha ‘14 is starting as a freshman on the University of Richmond’s Division 1 Women’s Soccer team. Recently she was Atlantic 10 Conference Rookie of the Week. Aha scored the first goal of the season for the Richmond Spiders in late August. She also scored the game’s winning goal, 62 minutes into the game against Old Dominion University, giving UR a 3-2 win. I had the chance to talk to recent Montrose graduate Olivia Aha ‘14 about her college experience and her reflections on how well Montrose prepared for her current challenges.
When asked how Montrose prepared her for college, she spoke very highly of the resources that helped her succeed stating, “… there were so many resources at Montrose and teachers and advisors that helped me along the way that I developed much better skills.” Olivia emphasized that Montrose prepares girls not only for a rigorous academic schedule, but also for competitive athletics.
Olivia highlighted the struggle with time management that prepared her for before she got to college. She said, “I think the hardest part about being a student-athlete in high school and in college is time management, and that was something I had practice struggling with at times in high school…” Now that she attends Richmond and participates in Division 1 athletics, time management is crucial.
Former Montrose soccer coach and mother of Olivia, Amy Aha (2011-2013) said that Olivia ‘14 is taking four college courses and trains and/or plays games six days a week. Olivia added: “If you are thinking about becoming a student-athlete in college, think about if the choice is what you want. But, if you know that you love your sport, it will be the most amazing experience to get to that next level in college.”
Our reasons for coming to Montrose might vary, but we all leave Montrose with the same readiness for whatever comes next. Montrose prepares girls not only for college, but for life beyond the classroom. Every student that goes to Montrose knows how rigorous the academics are. Montrose establishes an environment very similar to college life with high academic standards and time-consuming athletic programs. The support from advisors, teachers and coaches at Montrose is well-suited for success beyond high school as exemplified by the achievements of Olivia Aha. All Montrose students can find comfort in knowing that the experiences they have while they are here will pay off for whatever challenge comes next.