General | 4/7/2020 12:55:00 PM
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The Spring sports student-athletes had just seen their seasons begin before they were closed off for the remainder of the year.
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A native of Cambria Heights, N.Y.,
Monica Barclift joined the dance team in February of 2019. She is the daughter of Andria Eanes and Barry Barclift and has two sisters, Shad'e and Nyah. When she was not studying or practicing her skills, Monica volunteered her time assisting children through many community services that include supporting those without home support systems of their own.Â
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"Dancing during basketball games was one of my highlights on the team. I auditioned for the QC Dance Team in February 2019 and for the months that followed, I was faced with many challenges. Competition dance was something that I had never done, so traveling to Boston, Massachusetts for NDA camp in August was brand new to me. I was an alternate and wasn't able to compete with the team. Come January 2020, we were beginning to prepare for NDA Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida.
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Discussing her challenges Monica described starting out in the team was a challenge as she one of the few people not grasping the trick. She was in jeopardy of being placed as an alternate, but she continued to push herself Monica and her teammates spent the year preparing for nationals. At the first competition in August, Monica was not yet ready. Throughout the fall and winter, she made immense progress. "She overcame fears of injury and nearly mastered two tricks that were standing between her and being on the competition mat." Stated Cascio. "She made me realize that she is a hard worker and deserves to be put in with her team."
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Monica enjoyed laughing and dancing around her teammates on the sidelines, as well as performing different routines for the crowd. Receiving the news that Nationals was canceled due to the Coronavirus was a hard pill to swallow. "But I wouldn't change a thing leading up to that disappointment. I look back at my time on the team and can't help but be proud of all I've accomplished; how much I've grown and the relationships I've built with my team and my coach!!" She may not be able to dance with her teammates at nationals this year, but the lessons learned and experiences gained will be more valuable. Her career goals are to open an all-format dance studio in an underprivileged community.
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Head Coach Robyn Cascio: "I chose her for the team because I can see the focus and mental awareness that she can hone while dancing. She is consistently increasing this focus and awareness every day. Monica wants to be successful. You can tell. She never complains, never makes excuses, always communicates, and makes the decision to take accountability instead of cowering in the face of a challenge. Those qualities are why she has made such obvious athletic improvements in our sport".
