RFH Soccer's DeBree a Scholar Athlete

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) senior Schuyler DeBree has earned a high honor as a scholar athlete.

The Shore Soccer Officials Association has announced that the midfield starter on the girls' varsity team is the recipient of the 2013 John Cobb Girls Senior Excellence Award, a distinction earned by one male and one female soccer player in Monmouth County, according to an RFH release. DeBree was awarded a plaque at a ceremony on Nov. 14 at Hemingway's Cafe, Seaside Heights.

John Cobb honorees are selected based on nominations from their coaches and are proven to embody the finest qualities of a scholar/athlete including demonstrated sportsmanship, playing ability, and scholastic achievement.

RFH Girls Soccer Coach and Physical Education Instructor Mary Beth Coleman, who nominated Schuyler for the award, lauded her leadership qualities and commitment to community service.

"Schuyler has been a role model from the minute she first stepped on to the soccer field for RFH," said Coleman. "She has been an integral part of our success over the past four seasons, and I could not be more thrilled about her receiving this noteworthy award."

In addition to her sports contributions since freshman year at RFH, DeBree is an assistant coach for Lil Dawgs U12 Girls Soccer Club in Rumson and a referee at soccer games played by local eighth grade teams.

She has also made significant contributions to the community off the soccer field.

DeBree volunteers at Special People United to Ride (SPUR), a non-profit organization that works in partnership with the Monmouth County Park System, helping people with disabilities experience the therapeutic effects associated with horseback riding.

She is also the first female member of Fair Haven's Future Firefighters program, attending practice drills, responding to calls, and volunteering at the annual fair, among other things.

A junior board member of the Ronald McDonald House in Long Branch, DeBree provides assistance to families with loved ones receiving treatment at nearby Monmouth Medical Center.

Schuyler is a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. She has also been named an AP Scholar for her outstanding college-level achievements through Advanced Placement (AP) courses and exams.

DeBree has also been chosen to participate in the first All-American Girls High School Soccer Game, slated for Dec. 7 and 8 in Cary, North Carolina.

Female players selected for this honor demonstrate good academic standing as well as the proven ability to make key contributions to the success of their high school teams.

In the spring of her sophomore year at RFH, DeBree verbally committed to play soccer at Duke University in Durhan, North Carolina. She will sign her letter of intent in February of 2014.

She is the daughter of Genevieve and Derek DeBree.