Mt. Lebanon’s Wilhelm work ethic earns scholarship
Jess Wilhelm will play her college soccer at Elon University.
Jess Wilhelm led Lebo’s soccer team in scoring with 10 goals and nine assists last fall.
Jessie Wilhelm of Mt. Lebanon shies away from some four-letter words. Work and fail are not two of them.
“She is a natural athlete and her work ethic is second to none,” said Lebo high school girls’ soccer coach Cara Senger.
“Nobody outworks her,” emphasized Wilhelm’s basketball coach Dori Oldaker. “She leads by example with her tremendous work ethic.
”She’s super competitive in everything she does,” added Oldaker. “She hates to lose even in drills at practice or running sprints/suicides, she’s always first.”
Her reasons for being the head of the class, after all she does also maintain a 4.3 GPA, are not self-centered. Wilhelm wants to win for her teammates, whether they are her comrades on the Blue Devils’ soccer squad or her buddies on the basketball team.
“I’m working not just for myself but I’m working for the team,” said the 17-year-old daughter Amy Wilhelm.
This fall, she’s hoping to help the Blue Devils improve upon last year’s 10-9-2 record and fourth-place finish in the WPIAL. Lebo lost, 2-1, in sudden-death overtime to Canon-McMillan in the semifinals and 1-0 to Fox Chapel in the district consolation contest.
In the winter, likewise, she anticipates leading Lebo to another section banner and to a deep run in the district and state playoffs. The Blue Devils finished 19-7 overall, reached the WPIAL semifinals and advanced two rounds in the PIAA tournament.
“I’ve committed to improving with each practice and game,” Wilhelm said of her objectives for both athletic seasons.
To focus upon those goals, Wilhelm rid herself of one distraction that occupies the minds of seniors, even those who are not standout athletes. She made her college choice. Wilhelm committed to Elon University in North Carolina. The Division I women’s program competes in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Phoenix sported a 7-9-3 record last season.
“I really liked the campus and the coaching staff,” said Wilhelm of her decision. “And,” she added, “I’ve always wanted to go South. My goal is to make an immediate impact on the team.”
Wilhelm has certainly impacted the Mt. Lebanon soccer program. A four-year starter, she plays central midfielder. She scored a team-high 10 goals and dished up nine assists last season. Plus, she garnered All-WPIAL honors.
“Jess is one of those players that you could put in any position on the field and she would do her job to help the team succeed,” Senger said. “You always know what you are going to get from Jess when she steps on the field to compete.”
When Wilhelm steps on the court, Oldaker gets one of the best defenders because of her soccer prowess. Wilhelm always guarded the opponent’s best player.
“She’s an outstanding defensive specialist for our team,” Oldaker agreed. “I believe her amazing foot speed comes from her soccer talents. She’s an extremely talented soccer player.”
That comes from years of experience. Wilhelm started playing soccer in third grade, following in the footsteps of her sister, Katelyn, whom she said she “looked up to.” She started playing basketball in fourth grade. Wilhelm also plays soccer for Century. Her select teams have placed second in the National League and won state cups.
Playing two sports in high school has helped hone Wilhelm’s abilities.
“It keeps me in shape all year round,” she said. “There are aspects of soccer I bring onto the basketball court and there are things from basketball that I use during soccer,” she added. “It’s been gratifying and fun to play two different sports and represent my school for two seasons.”
Wilhelm has represented her self well, say her coaches, who predicts long-term success for their protege.
“Jess is the type of kid/winner you always want on your team,” Oldaker said. “She is an amazing player, teammate and young lady. Jess is one of the most unselfish players that I’ve ever coached. No doubt, she will be successful. I’m excited to see what she will accomplish at Elon.”
Senger concurred.
Jess will be successful at the next level because she has a genuine love for the game of soccer,” said the Lebo soccer skipper. “She doesn’t train hard because she has been asked to do so. She works and trains hard because she loves to compete and enjoys helping her team and teammates succeed. A lot of work goes into honing your skills and becoming a better athlete and the work that she puts in behind the scenes when no one is watching is another aspect that will make her successful at the Division 1 level.”