‘Legendairy’ Team Inspires a Farming Community

‘Legendairy’ Team Inspires a Farming CommunityThe Newark Valley Varsity Girls Basketball Team is promoting dairy! Pictured, from left, are Elizabeth Ferguson, Sarah Mertson, Allie Wandell, Bri Beebe, Mackenna Nechwedowich, Chelsie Fuller, Gracie Gardner, Tressa Nechwedowich, Marissa Berghorn, Hannah Ferguson, and Kendra Morris.

What does it mean to be legendairy? Ask the Newark Valley girls varsity basketball team, and they will tell you that a legendairy team is one that sets a standard for others to follow.  

Muhammad Ali said it best, “Champions come and go, but to be legendary you got to have heart, more heart than the next person, more than anyone in the world.”  

Their Coach, Greg Schweiger, exclaimed, “This group of girls really wants to serve as an example for all the younger kids in the program,” adding, “They have made it their goal to work to be more than teammates, but also friends and supporters of one another, and I truly believe they have done that.”  

‘Legendairy’ Team Inspires a Farming Community
The Newark Valley Varsity Girls Basketball Team is promoting dairy! Pictured, from left, are Elizabeth Ferguson, Sarah Mertson, Allie Wandell, Bri Beebe, Mackenna Nechwedowich, Chelsie Fuller, Gracie Gardner, Tressa Nechwedowich, Marissa Berghorn, Hannah Ferguson, and Kendra Morris.

These girls have put aside their drama and ego and have shared success. This year the team has a 14-3 record. This is the second time in four years of Schweiger being the coach that the team has qualified for sectionals; prior to that it had been over ten years. 

Newark Valley is a small town located in the heart of Tioga County, New York where you will find dairy farms scattered across the countryside. It’s also the hometown of the Tioga County Dairy Princess Chelsie Fuller, who is a junior at the Newark Valley High School and a member of the girls’ varsity basketball team. Chelsie is the daughter of Tim and Debbie Lawton, who are the 4th generation operators of Lawton’s Jersey Farm in the town of Newark Valley.

The farm is an 80 cow registered Jersey operation, where the herd ranks number one in the nation for Jersey operations of similar size for protein, milk production, and fat. When Chelsie is not at school or other extracurricular activities, you will find her assisting daily with milking, calf care, and barn cleaning.

Apart from being a front-runner in the legendairy campaign, Chelsie is the vice president of her Future Farmers of America Chapter. Newark Valley is a new FFA Chapter, coming on board in July of 2017. The school has a growing agriculture program, which is led by Greg Schweiger (yes, the basketball coach!). Chelsie is also very involved in the 4H program where she shows her dairy cattle on both a county and state level, and is a junior dairy leader through Cornell Agriculture Life Sciences Program. 

What’s her favorite part of being a dairy princess? 

She replied, “I have really enjoyed working with younger children and talking to them about milk’s nutritional value. I also think that it is important to educate the public about dairy farmers’ commitment to environmental stewardship, and ensuring our animals are healthy and comfortable. It’s a priority.” 

“Every time we walk into the school gym, we are reminded that we are “legendairy,” exclaimed the dairy princess, as she pointed to the team’s banner showcased above the entrance to the gymnasium. 

Fuller has been a strong advocate for refueling with chocolate milk since beginning her campaign as Tioga County dairy princess in May of 2018. Fuller explained, “Milk’s powerful nutrient package of calcium plus other essential nutrients helps nourish your body, not just your bones. Drinking chocolate milk has the perfect combination of carbohydrates and protein to help you refuel after a strenuous workout. Train like an athlete – recover like a champion!”

To follow the Newark Valley girls’ basketball team on their journey to playoffs you can visit http://tiogacountysportsreport.com/. 

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