Athlete Spotlight:
Marisa & Amanda Kravitz: Sisters Close at Heart and on the Field

Wednesday, November 24, 1999

By Joanne Costantino
SJSports Staff Writer

Marisa and Amanda Kravitz share much as sisters and talented athletes. They are charming and attractive, but are all business on the soccer field.

At Cherry Hill East, Marisa is the sports editor for the school paper "Eastside," plays soccer (senior captain, forward and mid field) and lacrosse (attack). She loves the intensity and competition. Marisa has been active in sports, especially soccer, for what seems like most of her life: the Cherry Hill Rockets since 1988, South Jersey Olympic Development Committee, Canadian National Cup and most recently the Maccabbi Games this past summer as an assistant coach and as captain for the previous four years. She is a senior at Cherry Hill East, and after graduation in June of 2000 hopes to go on to American University, hopefully on an athletic scholarship, and major in Communication and Journalism. There are other interests for Marisa besides sports; she is active as a volunteer for the American Red Cross Blood drives, belongs to SADD, the Jewish Culture Club, Spanish Club, and the Homecoming Committee.

Amanda is a sophomore at Cherry Hill East and also plays soccer (midfield, sweeper) as well as lacrosse (defense wing). She has played soccer for about 9 years and started with lacrosse when she started high school. She has recently made the Olympic Development Team and the first round of the South Jersey team where she will begin a six-week training before moving on the State Pool. Outside of sports, Amanda really likes writing and hopes to study Journalism or Business Management when she continues on to college. She likes the music of the Dave Matthews Band and her favorite movie star is Gwyneth Paltrow.

The sisters consider being on the same soccer team an advantage. They help each other out on the field and feel they are closer as sisters and fellow athletes. Because they play soccer so closely together - their Mom and Dad like it too. While Marisa is often in the leadership role as team captain and Amanda's older sister, they each speak very fondly of each other and of the support they offer to one another, whether one of them is injured or just needs a little boost of motivation. Both girls with equal fondness and enthusiasm credit their late Grandpa for teaching them to go with their heart and live each day to the fullest with no hesitation or regrets. When next school year rolls around, Amanda will surely miss Marisa but she feels this year is giving them both good memories of good games and fun times together.

Photos by Forrest Robleto