The recognition the students and coaches receive at the Sportsmanship Champions Awards celebrates the characteristics they will call upon many times in their journey through life in overcoming challenges and graciously sharing their success.
During the celebration, students reflected on what sportsmanship meant to them. Respecting your teammates and others, perseverance, attitude & effort, and having fun while competing were common thoughts shared by students and coaches alike.
Karsten Kilgore, a CCA student-athlete, shared a story of how he encouraged his best friend to join the cross country team with him. One day, they were competing in a race, and he saw his friend lag behind a little bit. So Karsten did what good friends do and gave him a shout of encouragement from up ahead. Not long after, Karsten’s best friend strode past him, ultimately beating him in the race. Karsten shared how proud he was of his friend for not giving up and working hard, “No matter what, I want to see my teammates do well. I want to watch and learn from them. That makes me a better athlete and person. I want more kindness in the world. More supporting others. More inspiration. More “You Can Do It!”. More respecting of others.”
Congratulations to the following Coaches and Student-Athletes on being recognized for their exceptional sportsmanship, leadership, and character.
Casper Classical Academy: Lillian Hudson, Karsten Kilgore, Coach Krystal Jackson
Centennial Middle School: Olyvia Roscoe, Jace Lijewski, Coach Nick McGregor
CY Middle School: Camri David, Mason Haines, Coach Emily Robertson
Dean Morgan Middle School: Brooke Russell, Cooper Rogers, Coach Jen Alvar
Midwest School: Madison Cartier, Ezequiel Alvarado O’Brien, Coach Darla Lindsay
Student-athletes also shared their reflections on what good sportsmanship means to them during the banquet:
Cooper Rogers - “It means treating others the way you want to be treated and having respect for your teammates.”
Brooke Russell - “No matter if you win or lose, you still support your team and the other team too. I believe you should go out there and try to win, but also have fun. But it’s also ok to lose because after the game or match is over, you can learn from what you did wrong but also be grateful for what you do.”
Lillian Hudson - “It means more than just helping someone up when they are down. Sportsmanship is bigger than that. It means being respectful not only to your own team but to coaches, people in the stands, and your opponents. To me, it’s most important when you are losing.”
Madison Cartier - “Good sportsmanship means having a good attitude, congratulating the other team, shaking the refs' hands, and helping other players up.”
Ezequiel Alvarado O’Brien - (Shared his favorite sportsmanship quotes) “It is your response to winning and losing that makes you a winner or a loser” by Harry Sheehy. And “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying” by Michael Jordan.
Camri David - “Being a good teammate to your teammates and to the other team!”
Mason Haines - “Be Mature whether you win or lose. Respect yourself, your teammates, and others.”
Olyvia Roscoe - “Being reliable to your teammates and your coaches and being there for other people when they really need it.”
Jace Lijewski - “Even if they're not my team, if they're on the floor, you help them up. It doesn’t matter if I won or lost. It's just being a good person on and off.”
A special thank you to the Athletics & Activities Department for their dedicated commitment to ensuring the continued celebration of these students and coaches!
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