PHILADELPHIA- When you think of a great athlete, certain characteristics automatically come to mind…DRIVE, DETERMINATION, COMPETITIVENESS, DEDICATION, SKILL and in some cases …RECORD-BREAKING.
Meet Hannah Fox, her name you can safely say is synonymous with all of these qualities and then some.
A senior at William Penn Charter School, Fox has exemplified stellar performances in three sports playing at the starting varsity level in soccer and lacrosse since the 9th grade.
Her major contributions have been to the sport of basketball where she began playing varsity as a starting point guard in the 8th grade. In fact, she is the only girl in Penn Charter’s history that has played starting varsity for three different sports for the past five years.
Hannah Fox Philly Sports Digest "Standout Athlete Award" recipient pictured with PSD Sports Director Angelise Stuhl
Fox has achieved 12 varsity letters and is also one of the only girls who has made the Coaches’ All Inter-Ac League Team for three different sports. Fox along with teammates Abby Evans and Sarah Fleming were named 2015 Academic All Americans by US Lacrosse. Fox also made the final cut to the 2014 USA U19 National Lacrosse Team. Fox also received the Markward, one of the most prestigious honors for a Philadelphia high school athlete. She is also one of 15 girls in the state nominated to play for the 2016 McDonald’s All American Games
But perhaps her most memorable achievements in her high school athletic career is her record-breaking feats in the history of Penn Charter Basketball.
Hannah Fox Highlight Reel
On December 19, 2014, Fox joined five other PC girls, including senior teammate Ayanna Matthews, topping 1,000 career points.
On January 5th of this year, Fox raised her career scoring total to 1,575 points- a milestone previously held by Virginia McMunigal 06’.
On January 15, 2016, Fox once again surpassed that score and broke the record for total scoring for a basketball player in Penn Charter history with 1,651 points. According to Ted Silary (http://www.tedsilary.com/BB1000PtScorers.htm), the record for total points scored was set in 1971 by Billy Harris at 1,646 points.
Hannah honored after breaking Penn Charter's all-time leading scorer record
Fox ended her high school basketball career this past Saturday in the second round of the PAISAA Tournament against Abington Friends School with an astounding 1,813 total points to her name.
Penn Charter head basketball coach Joe Maguire describes Hannah’s presence on the court.
“She brought a consistent effort, drive, and determination every day in practice and games to be the best and get the most out of her abilities.”
Interview with Hannah Fox
Hannah Breaks Penn Charter's scoring record
It is Fox’s confidence that plays heavily in her scoring ability.
“In order to score as many points as she has you are going to miss shots along the way. She believed in herself and her hard work to not be afraid to take the next shot or the big shot in a game. She is a very unique athlete in that no matter how many times she gets knocked down she gets back up and continues to fight,” said Maguire.
“She's definitely one of the most competitive people I've ever been around, and she just wants to do well. She wants her teammates to do well, she wants the team to do well, and she's really kind of bought into our offense. She's a student of the game.”
According to Hannah’s father Craig Fox, it is this competitive nature that makes her the athlete that she is.
“It does not matter what she is doing. She has an unbelievable drive to succeed. She takes every loss personally, that is one reason she is so successful, on and off the athletic field and court,” said Hannah’s father.
Her father played tennis in high school and college but her mother did not play sports at all. Hannah’s innate abilities even sometimes amazes her own mother.
“Hannah has always loved sports since she was a toddler. On the one hand, I am surprised because I never really knew kids like Hannah when I was growing up. On the other hand, it does not surprise me because she has spent so much time trying to develop and improve her athletic skills,” said Hannah’s mother Mary Fox.
“Her idea of relaxing is playing a basketball game called “around the world” with me. I do not think she has ever played a video game,” said her father.
Fox’s love of the game is evident in her character on and off the court and playing fields.
“She is always going to other games. She emailed me and said she was at a grade school game and she talked to a girl afterwards about coming to Penn Charter; She's a great advocate to the school. She wants the school to succeed, even when she's gone, like, she wants it to get better,” said Maguire.
Hannah not only juggles a vigorous sports schedule but also maintains high honors at Penn Charter.
“She never stops. She keeps “to do” lists constantly and crosses things off her list when the task is completed. She has learned to be very efficient with her time,” said her mother.
Fox has crossed another milestone off her "to do" list.
Hannah will be attending Amherst College in the fall and plans to major in biology and Spanish and play basketball…of course.
“I think she's going to do great in college, and I think she's going to do great in life, because that's how she's driven,” said Maguire.
Congratulations to Hannah Fox, Philly Sports Digest’s “Standout Athlete” .
