The word blocking has two meanings for senior P.J. Monsour. With being on the offensive line in football he blocks players to save the quarterback, but Monsour is also involved in theatre and switches his perspective of blocking to his movements around the stage.

Monsour, along with senior Crispin vonWinklepleck who both participate in football defy the jock stereotype by also being thespians.
“I like knowing I am breaking a stereotype because I hope [doing both football and theatre] becomes a trend,” Monsour said. “I think it is pretty cool that I am doing both and [proving] a lot of people [wrong who] say, ‘theatre is not manly you are in football,’ but I am over here [thinking] I don’t care I can do what I want, I think it is fun.”

Monsour started playing football in seventh grade and has played ever since. He decided to give theatre a try his freshman year.

“Theatre seemed like a lot of fun,” Monsour said. “The program here is amazing, and I honestly love performing, singing and dancing in front of people.”

vonWinklepleck also began football in seventh grade and continues to play fullback. The thought of joining theatre came up last year during his junior year after vonWinklepleck talked to his classmates about the opportunity.

“A lot of my friends told me I might be good at it,” vonWinklepleck said. “I was already in a music class so I decided why not try joining theatre and see if I like it, and I ended up liking it.”

When vonWinklepleck found out he enjoyed performing, he was not surprised, mainly since he clicked with the people around him.

“I like my theatre people because I can be myself,” vonWinklepleck said. “I am one of those people who will go home and watch all of the ‘High School Musical’ movies. I just love stuff like that.”

Even though vonWinklepleck enjoys spending time with other theatre kids, he also finds time to sit down and talk football with fellow players.

Theatre and sports have differences, but they also share similar aspects. Sophomore Addy Campbell, who participates in softball and theatre, relates the two time after time.

“Theatre is mental because there is a lot of memorization involved. It is similar in softball because there is muscle memory,” Campbell said. “[Theatre and softball] are both a team. You have to put in effort all of the time for both. ”

All three students have never been mocked for partaking in both, they have only received shocked expressions due to the time commitment of both activities.

“People think I am insane to do both,” Monsour said. “They cannot imagine doing theatre and football at the same time because football is so much and theatre is so much.”

During softball season and a theatre production, Campbell can spend her time at the school from 6:30 in the morning to 6:30 at night.

Though the time commitment consists of long days, Campbell could not imagine not being able to take part in two hobbies, and is thankful she can pursue both.

“I did not want to have to pick one over the other,” Campbell said. “I love both of them.”

Monsour, vonWinklepleck and Campbell all encourage more athletes to branch out of their comfort zones to break the stereotype.

“Being in theatre and sports teaches good discipline,” vonWinklepleck said. “I think it is good [that I do both]. Especially since I am a senior it will hopefully open the horizons to the younger kids, and will give them a wider perspective on high school.”

The word blocking has two meanings for senior P.J. Monsour. With being on the offensive line in football he blocks players to save the quarterback, but Monsour is also involved in theatre and switches his perspective of blocking to his movements around the stage.

Monsour, along with senior Crispin vonWinklepleck who both participate in football defy the jock stereotype by also being thespians.
“I like knowing I am breaking a stereotype because I hope [doing both football and theatre] becomes a trend,” Monsour said. “I think it is pretty cool that I am doing both and [proving] a lot of people [wrong who] say, ‘theatre is not manly you are in football,’ but I am over here [thinking] I don’t care I can do what I want, I think it is fun.”

Monsour started playing football in seventh grade and has played ever since. He decided to give theatre a try his freshman year.

“Theatre seemed like a lot of fun,” Monsour said. “The program here is amazing, and I honestly love performing, singing and dancing in front of people.”

vonWinklepleck also began football in seventh grade and continues to play fullback. The thought of joining theatre came up last year during his junior year after vonWinklepleck talked to his classmates about the opportunity.

“A lot of my friends told me I might be good at it,” vonWinklepleck said. “I was already in a music class so I decided why not try joining theatre and see if I like it, and I ended up liking it.”

When vonWinklepleck found out he enjoyed performing, he was not surprised, mainly since he clicked with the people around him.

“I like my theatre people because I can be myself,” vonWinklepleck said. “I am one of those people who will go home and watch all of the ‘High School Musical’ movies. I just love stuff like that.”

Even though vonWinklepleck enjoys spending time with other theatre kids, he also finds time to sit down and talk football with fellow players.

Theatre and sports have differences, but they also share similar aspects. Sophomore Addy Campbell, who participates in softball and theatre, relates the two time after time.

“Theatre is mental because there is a lot of memorization involved. It is similar in softball because there is muscle memory,” Campbell said. “[Theatre and softball] are both a team. You have to put in effort all of the time for both. ”

All three students have never been mocked for partaking in both, they have only received shocked expressions due to the time commitment of both activities.

“People think I am insane to do both,” Monsour said. “They cannot imagine doing theatre and football at the same time because football is so much and theatre is so much.”

During softball season and a theatre production, Campbell can spend her time at the school from 6:30 in the morning to 6:30 at night.

Though the time commitment consists of long days, Campbell could not imagine not being able to take part in two hobbies, and is thankful she can pursue both.

“I did not want to have to pick one over the other,” Campbell said. “I love both of them.”

Monsour, vonWinklepleck and Campbell all encourage more athletes to branch out of their comfort zones to break the stereotype.

“Being in theatre and sports teaches good discipline,” vonWinklepleck said. “I think it is good [that I do both]. Especially since I am a senior it will hopefully open the horizons to the younger kids, and will give them a wider perspective on high school.”