By Kim J. Harmon

One of the first things Newtown High School athletic director Gregg Simon tells student-athletes at the mandatory meetings prior to the start of the fall, winter and spring seasons is that they are students first and athletes second.

Commitment to academics and commitment to athletics is a daunting enough task for most high school kids. Finding a balance between the two – while somehow succeeding at both – is a unique challenge in itself.

Senior Darcy Fiscella, 18, has experienced that challenge for herself and, as it turns out, has been quite successful at it since she learned last week that she – as the No. 2 student at the school – will be the salutatorian for the class of 2007.

“My parents have always instilled in me the importance of academics,” said Fiscella, a three-sport athlete for the last three years, “and that I need to work my hardest and do my best in school. This is a nice surprise.”

Fiscella spends her falls on the soccer pitch, her winters on the basketball floor, and her springs – the last two years – on the track and with practices and competitions could spend a dozen hours or more each week in the pursuit of athletics alone. But somewhere in there is the need to study for tests, do homework, or finish special projects.

“It can get to be really crazy with games, projects and homework,” said Fiscella. “Balance is very important to me. At times, it can be stressful. But I’ve been doing this for four years and have been able to develop my organization and manage my time.”

A starter and integral member of the soccer and basketball teams, Fiscella has found, too, that competing helps her quite a bit in focussing on her academics.

“I do better when I am playing sports,” she admitted. “When I’m in between seasons and I don’t have games or practices, I tend to put things off. It’s actually easier to focus and get my work done when I realize I don’t have a lot of time to do it.”

Fiscella – the younger sister to John, Tara and Andrew – has not yet settled on where she will be attending college and is weighing the prospects of majoring in engineering or bio-med.

NOTE: Brian Pennarola, a track and field athlete, is the No. 1 student at Newtown High School.