The Jewish Link of New Jersey would like to recognize fourteen year old Eliav Baron as this week’s sportstar. Baron, a member of the Yavneh Academy class of 2017, was also the star goalie for the Yavneh Redhawk team that took home the the YMSSA soccer championship two months ago.
Yavneh Head of School Rabbi Jonathan Knapp spoke very highly of Baron. “In addition to his impressive athletic skills, Eliav is a real mensch on and off the court. He greets everyone with a warm smile and speaks in kind and gentle terms. He offers encouraging words to his teammates and classmates, a trait that has endeared him to all of us at Yavneh.” These attributes were not only noticed by Rabbi Knapp; in his end of the year bio his classmates described Eliav as “one of the most positive people we know. You compliment others whenever you have the chance and make them feel good. You make new students feel welcome.”
Eliav, congrats on being a sportstar on and off the court. Who are your role models?
My older brothers Avi (24) Gabi (21). They both taught me all the sports –baseball, basketball and, of course, soccer – and I always wanted to be better than them.
What is your greatest sports accomplishment?
Beating Kushner in the playoffs and winning the championships against Moriah all with a broken finger – please don’t let the doctor know.
Who is your favorite professional athlete and why?
Russell Wilson and Cam Newton because they make the game exciting when they scramble.
How do you psych yourself up for the games on game day?
I slide my feet between the goalposts two or three times and then I go to the center line and walk a few steps forward.
What is your earliest sport memory?
When I was on one of my first rec teams and my dad was the coach.
What is the craziest thing that happened to you while playing soccer?
During a game I let a ball roll through my legs and I thought it would go out of bounds and instead it went right into the goal…oops.
What is your favorite thing to do when you are not playing sports?
Board games on Shabbat and video games during the week.
What is the best thing about being a Sportstar?
Being able to be a role model for my little brother Kobe.
Please send nominees for next week’s Jewish Link Sportstar of the Week to [email protected].
