Golf Great Fiala Tabbed Lions Club Athlete of the Month

Julia Fiala, the Rye senior responsible for the formation of the Rye High School girls’ golf team, was recently named the Lions Club Athlete of the Month. It’s her second such honor.

“Winning this award means a lot to me,” said Fiala. “Being nominated again this year for my golf achievements after having won last year is an honor. I am sharing this award with a lot of great athletes.”

A fixture among the elite golfers at both the Section and State level, Fiala has qualified for the State championships each of the last three seasons. While she is no doubt proud of these accomplishments, Fiala lists her direct involvement in the 2008 creation of the first girls’ golf team in RHS history at the top of her resume. In a sport where individual performance is highlighted, it is refreshing to see her commitment to the team and program.

Fiala, who lived in Vienna for the first 10 years of her life and is fluent in German, is also a standout on the tennis courts. She’s even better in the classroom, boasting a weighted 95.64 grade point average. Fiala has been a mainstay on the High Honor Roll since 2005, and has taken Advanced Placement courses in economics, environmental science, psychology, biology, German, and European history.

Outside of the classroom, Fiala is involved with the Athletic Student Council and Zephyr International, the student-organized magazine for which she translates and writes poems. She is treasurer of Junior Statesman of America and was elected Vice-President of Varsity Athletes Against Substance Abuse. Over the summers, she has worked as a lifeguard at Shenorock Shore Club and a camp counselor at Rye Nature Center.