Joining a rare club: Columbia’s Emily Gambler poised to earn 6 varsity letters this school year – LNP | LancasterOnline

It certainly isnt uncommon for a prep student-athlete to earn three varsity letters in a single school year.

Four isnt unheard of, with some athletes crossing over, like in soccer and football, for instance. Five? Thats pulling some serious double-duty. Six? Now thats some uncharted territory, and it takes a special kind of student-athlete to pull that one off.

Say hello to Columbia junior Emily Gambler. Shes on pace to earn wait for it six varsity letters this school year, as the Crimson Tides busy body crosses over in two events in the fall, winter and spring.

Gambler ran cross country and was a varsity cheerleader in the fall; she plays basketball and is the schools lone swimmer this winter; and shes set to play softball, as the teams shortstop, and run distance events for the track and field team later this spring.

Thats six varsity letters, and thats certainly something you dont see every day. By the way, Gambler isnt just along for the ride as a bench player; shes qualified for Lancaster-Lebanon League finals and the District 3 finals in her prep swimming and running careers.

It gets to be a lot, Gambler admitted, but Im glad Im doing it. Its fun, and I get to be with all of my friends and teammates and coaches. It gets hard, but everyone supports me, and Im thankful for that.

Gambler didnt set out on the first day of her freshman campaign to chase six varsity letters every year. This is her third season swimming for the Tide she competes in the 50 freestyle and the 100 butterfly in the outside lane at meets as an exhibition competitor to earn qualifying times for the L-L League finals and she recently came back out to play basketball for the first time since eighth grade, and she joined the softball team just last year.

Gambler earned a starting spot, and shes a defensive wizard, shot-blocker and rebounder for the Tides basketball team, which roared to a 15-0 start this season.

With so many sports and so many practices and so much on her plate to juggle, Gambler has mastered time management at an early age. Shes responsible to get to swim practice at Lititz Rec in the afternoon shes on her own for a practice routine with no high school coach and then must hightail it to basketball practice or a game in the evening.

Figuring out softball and track routines in the spring are next up on her agenda.

It all just kind of came to me and now its happening, Gambler said. A lot of my coaches and my friends are always asking me how I do it. Some of my friends said Im the only athlete at Columbia since I play so many sports.

Gambler is a regular on the blacktop courts at Taylor Middle School in Columbia. If youre a kid growing up in Tide Country, odds are youre at a park Glatfelters, Rotary Club, Jansens honing your skills against your peers.

We all grew up here running through backyards and stuff, Gambler said, laughing. Hey, its Columbia. Sports are a big deal here. Its always crazy to see all the people that support you and want to come out and watch us play. We all grew up playing sports together; Ive been playing with all of these girls growing up, and its fun to get to do it in high school.

In Gamblers case, on six different teams.

Its safe to say athletics are in Gamblers genes. Her dad, Joe, played football and baseball for Columbia. Her mom, Brandi, played basketball for the Tide. Her older brother, Matthew, played football for Columbia, and hes a student at Millersville University.

Ive grown up in a very competitive family, and that makes it fun, Gambler said. Were always outside and were always active. I grew up outside, playing kick-ball, baseball, wiffle-ball, swimming, T-ball. It was hard for me to pick one sport, and thats probably why I ended up doing them all.

Heres another fun factoid: Gambler owns a 4.0 GPA and shes currently ranked No. 2 in Columbias junior class. She has another school year to contemplate her college plans, and shes considering attending a smaller local school to continue her swimming career or going big-time and heading to the University of Alabama a family favorite where shed compete in club sports.

For now, shell keep chipping away at those six varsity letters this school year. And if all goes according to plan, Gambler will take another stab at participating on all six teams in her senior year.

I think Ill stick it out, she said, because to me, this is fun.

TWITTER: @JeffReinhart77

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Joining a rare club: Columbia's Emily Gambler poised to earn 6 varsity letters this school year - LNP | LancasterOnline