Girls POTM: Dora Huang

Dora Huang ‘27 has earned Player-of-the-Month for February based on her commitment to the squash program and her hard work. This is Huang’s second year playing squash at LFA, where she made history as the first female athlete on varsity since the team expanded into a varsity and JV program. Huang ended the season with a 3-1 win over Latin School of Chicago, helping the Caxys win the state championship for the second year in a row. She also won the conditioning award, showing her dedication to improving as an athlete.

“This has been my favorite sports season at LFA,” Huang said. Huang is also involved in many other sports teams, but enjoys LFA’s new squash courts.

As a hard worker and an athlete who is devoted to getting better, Huang spent many hours practicing on the courts in her own time. “I stayed, on average, more than two and a half hours per day on the court, either practicing with the team or doing solo work. After that, I did 30 minutes of cardio and strength training,” Huang said. Her work on and off the courts allowed her to beat many athletes across the Chicagoland area, winning the majority of her matches. “She has beaten every girl she played during the season,” Islam Adel, Head Coach of Squash at LFA, shared.

On average, Huang would play the 9th racket, a huge step up from her non-varsity spot last year. This significant promotion brought excitement and new challenges. Huang said she knew what she needed to do to win, which gave her immense success. “It turned out that I had made significant progress being able to hit shots that I couldn’t imagine before,” Huang explained. Huang is also a great teammate : Rooting for her fellow Caxys during their matches and refereeing when asked was a large part of her season. She was always supportive, and would wish her teammates good luck before matches.

“I have to admit that it was a complex and tiring season, but things always seemed impossible until we made them come true,” Huang said, reflecting on another successful season. “She has a ton of potential as an athlete and we are looking forward to seeing her improve over the next few years,” Kedar Puvar, Assistant Coach of LFA Squash, noted.

Boys POTM: Levente Tallos

Male Player-of-the-Month for February and March is Levente Tallos ‘26, guard on the Lake Forest Academy varsity basketball team. From his high-scoring games to effective assisting, he has been an integral part of the boys varsity basketball team’s success this year. They finished the season with a 25-6 overall record and 11-0 at home.

Joining LFA this year from Hungary, basketball has always been an important part of Tallos’ life, an escape from the stresses of school and studying, as well something he’s enjoyed. However, up until this past year, his basketball career had taken place overseas in Hungary and across Europe. When discussing the differences in the game, Tallos explained that it “took time to adapt to the whole thing.”

Despite facing adversity in converting his skills to the American game, Tallos credited his team and his experience as a boarding student for his success. “Being a boarder, with a lot of my teammates, I think it helps a lot. It was easier to [be] on the same page with everybody else,” Tallos said. The bond formed between players both on and off the court helped contribute to Tallos’s growth as a player and as a part of the group.

With the boys varsity basketball team’s promising future in upcoming years, the junior guard stressed the importance of team play. “We’re playing for each other,” he said. “We don’t only have one good player; everybody can step up.” This confidence in one another has been a driving force throughout the season, helping the team win an impressive number of games.

Individually, Tallos emphasized the work he puts in during practices, as well as his shoot-arounds and his work duringfree time from school. Looking ahead, he said his focus next year will be playing at the same level as his team while continuing to push himself and take steps toward becoming a next-level player, whether in college or beyond.
Tallos also attributes a piece of his achievements this season to a lucky charm, a basketball bracelet given to him by his mother. He explained that he always wears it on gameday, a symbol of strength and support amid the chaos of the game. Another person he acknoeledged was his former coach from Hungary, Zoltan Palla. “Every time, he went really hard on me, and sometimes I felt like being dumbed down by him,” Tallos explained, “but now I realize it was only for me to get better.” This tough-love coaching has helped Tallos become an efficient guard.

At the end of the boys varsity basketball season, Tallos had a stat line of 11.5 PPG, 7RBS, and 5 AST, a figured embodiment of his well-rounded playing style and focus on team success.