LHS’ Bartoli loves to lend a helping hand

LaMoille senior Mary Bartoli focuses on a layup during a Lady Lions practice drill. She is one of four seniors returning for the second season of the LaMoille/Ohio co-op. (BCR photo/Chris Yucus)

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ARLINGTON — For LaMoille High School senior Mary Bartoli, working as a volunteer has opened the door toward what she hopes will be her future profession.

“I volunteered at the physical therapy department in Spring Valley, and I worked with a couple of kids who have physical disabilities,” Bartoli said.

“One kid had to walk with a walker because his leg muscles weren’t fully developed,” Bartoli said. “When I and the other physical therapist worked with him, we got him to walk with crutches almost normally, so he didn’t have to be dependent on the walker any more.

“It was really rewarding,” Bartoli said. “It makes you feel really good about yourself.”

Seeing the difference that physical therapy can make in the life of a child has convinced Bartoli to seek a career in pediatric physical therapy. She plans on attending IVCC after graduation and hopes to transfer to St. Ambrose to finish her schooling.

“I just like helping people and helping people return to their normal lives,” Bartoli said.

When she’s not volunteering, normal life for Bartoli includes playing a lot of sports for the LaMoille/Ohio Lady Lion co-op.

A three-sport athlete, Bartoli is currently gearing up for the basketball season, which came right on the heels of the fall volleyball campaign.

“We ended volleyball, had one day off, and then basketball season started,” Bartoli said.

Bartoli said she thinks this year has the potential for success for the basketball team.

“I think the season should go pretty good this year; we have a good team coming up,” Bartoli said. “I think we mesh more as a team this year than we did last year.

“Now with us being seniors, we feel more comfortable playing, so I think we’ll do pretty well,” Bartoli said.

Bartoli, who considers herself more of a defensive player,

is excited about working on a new defensive system, as LaMoille coach Bill Stouffer is looking to implement some full-court, man-to-man defense.

“It’s so tiring,” chuckled Bartoli. “But I like playing man (defense) because it’s a lot harder for their offense to work.”

Along with basketball, Bartoli is also looking forward to the spring for softball, her favorite sport.

“It’s a lot of fun, and I’ve been playing it forever,” Bartoli said.

Bartoli said she has developed a comfort level playing the infield for the Lady Lions.

“I’ve seriously been playing second base since Little League,” Bartoli said. “So I’m just comfortable there.”

Bartoli listed her most unforgettable sports moment as watching the boys’ basketball team capture a regional title her sophomore year. She said she hopes either the girls’ basketball or softball teams will be able to duplicate that success this year.

“It would be nice to leave as senior doing that,” Bartoli said.

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