Signing Day for Five de Toledo High School Student-Athletes

On Thursday, May 18, five de Toledo student-athletes signed college letters of intent: Molly Neinstein for gymnastics at University of North Carolina, Willow Gretsch for tennis at University of Colorado-Boulder and Zach Smollin for gymnastics at University of Minnesota. Zachary Grundfest and Ryan Schenck will both be playing baseball for Lasell University in Newton, Massachusetts. 

“As a former coach and proud Head of School, I am always impressed by the determination and grit of our student-athletes,” Mark Shpall, de Toledo’s head of school, told the Journal. De Toledo is a college-preparatory Jewish High School located in the West Hills.

“Having five seniors sign college letters of intent this year – including three Division 1 offers – is an exciting validation of how de Toledo students embrace our school values in their pursuit of both academic excellence and cocurricular passions,” Shpall said.

Molly Neinstein fell in love with gymnastics when she was 7 years old. “I just took a recreational class for fun, and when the coaches challenged me to try a press handstand, I was hooked,” Neinstein told the Journal. “That love has never left me for an instant ever since.”

After a potentially career ending injury, Neinstein worked her way back to the sport after spinal fusion surgery in 2021. 

“Gymnastics has taught me the power of perseverance,” she said. “I’ve had my share of challenges, suffering serious injuries and needing back surgery; but those setbacks have taught me just how strong I truly am. I’ve learned that the secret to success is never giving up.” 

A USAG Women’s Developmental Program Level 10 Gymnast, Neinstein represented the United States at the Pan American Maccabi Games in Mexico City and won gold in All-Around, vault and floor and silver on uneven bars. She fell in love with the UNC campus the first time she visited the school. 

“The sense of team spirit at UNC is incredible,” she said. “Everyone pulls for each other, and the coaches are so committed to each athlete’s success.”

Willow Gretsch is excited to attend Colorado; her mother is an alum. “My two favorite things in the world are connecting with my teammates and playing tennis, so I couldn’t be happier,” Gretsch told the Journal.

 When Gretsch was 9 years old, her dad took her out to play golf, but she couldn’t stop looking at the tennis court and asked if she could take a lesson. By the end of that first lesson, she fell in love with the sport.

During her four years at de Toledo, Gretsch has not once dropped a set in the more than 100 matches she has played. In 2023, she was the Independence League Singles Champion, becoming the first league-championship in de Toledo Tennis program history. 

“Tennis has taught me discipline; it’s taught me how to focus on one goal at a time,” Gretsch told the Journal. “Looking back on things, I think tennis actually helped me learn how to be smarter about scheduling my time and finding room for everything that’s important to me.” 

Zach Smollin was just a baby when he started tumbling, trying to imitate his older sister who was involved in gymnastics. 

“I think I must have been two when I started jumping on a trampoline, and my first official competition took place on my fifth birthday,” Smollin told the Journal.

Over the course of his 14-year career, Smollin has won multiple state titles on floor exercise, high  bar, parallel bars and vault. 

Gymnastics, Smollin said, has taught him about personal sacrifice.

“Three years ago, I suffered my first serious knee injury, but battled through that to end up winning gold medals at the 2022 Maccabi Games,” he said. 

When Smollin had another bad injury earlier this year, he considered giving up the sport. He said his family, as well as everyone at de Toledo and the University of Minnesota, has pulled me through, supporting his rehab process.

“A big part of the focus of Jewish education at de Toledo is on what it means to be a truly good person, and there’s no doubt that athletics has helped make me more dedicated and patient in everything I do.” 
– Zach Smollin

“A big part of the focus of Jewish education at de Toledo is on what it means to be a truly good person, and there’s no doubt that athletics has helped make me more dedicated and patient in everything I do,” he said. 

Zach Grundfest started going to Dodgers’ games when he was 3 years old and was playing in a league by the time he turned five. “I would say baseball has been the love of my life,” Grundfest told the Journal.

He added that being on the baseball team at de Toledo is like being part of a family. “My teammates aren’t just my teammates,” he said. “They’re not just my friends. They’re my brothers now, and I know they’ll be part of my life forever.”

Grundfest, who loves the Boston area, says he chose Lasell because it offers the perfect combination of “small class sizes, a great sports management program and a fantastic baseball opportunity.”

Ryan Schenck also started baseball early. 

“I was just 3 years old when I first saw my older brother playing Wiffle Ball in the backyard,” Schenck told the Journal. “I made sure my parents signed me up for t-ball by the time I was four.”

For Schenck baseball is more than a sport. It’s a classroom. 

“At de Toledo, there’s a huge focus on the happiness of every student,” he said. “We’re given a lot of opportunities to explore classes, electives and sports teams that we love.”  

He continues, “Every time I step on the field, I learn something new about how to push myself both mentally and physically.”

Schenk says baseball has helped rejuvenate and motivate him to be the best in everything he does.

“Baseball has shown me there’s no better feeling than setting goals and then achieving them,” he said.