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Summer project means double the fun in Manchester
Greetings loyal followers in Manchester and across the region. I'm back from my vacation up north and the stretch run for spring sports is upon us. As the month of June approaches, Manchester is gearing up for the state playoffs in baseball and softball, with MHS hosting the district tournament (June 1-5). There's also the state championship track meet (best of luck to Manchester's Brooke Fuller and Taylor Heldt), and the varsity boys golf team is ready to make another run at the state tournament.
But June brings much more than playoff excitement and graduation parties. One of my favorite projects will begin in June...the scholar-athlete features. For the third straight year, The Manchester Enterprise will honor the top scholar-athletes from the senior class. The features will begin in the middle of June and run until mid-August, just in time for fall sports training camp.
Once again, the athletes that will be featured were recipients of the Cascades Conference Scholar-Athlete Award, in which a minimum 3.4 GPA is required. In each of the first two years, Manchester has had 10 athletes receive the honor, which works out perfect since this is a 10-week project. This year is a bit different, however, as the Class of 2010 had 21 student-athletes honored. Fear not, however, as no one is being cut from the features. To remedy this situation (a good one to have, by the way), two athletes will be featured each week. The lone exception will be one week where there will be three. I won't name the honored athletes just yet, as they'll be announced in my annual column when the first features run.
The best thing about the scholar-athlete features is that we all get to learn about the kids outside of athletics. Sure, we know them from watching Friday night football or Thursday night basketball. We know their stats and their breakout performances. But this projects gives readers a chance to learn about other things, like what they do in school, what they're interested in studying, their involvement in the community, their future plans and much more. Fans get to see a different side to the kids they see on the field throughout the year.
As I've said in previous years, the summer is a celebration of the Manchester student-athlete. The Class of 2010 is certainly no exception.
But June brings much more than playoff excitement and graduation parties. One of my favorite projects will begin in June...the scholar-athlete features. For the third straight year, The Manchester Enterprise will honor the top scholar-athletes from the senior class. The features will begin in the middle of June and run until mid-August, just in time for fall sports training camp.
Once again, the athletes that will be featured were recipients of the Cascades Conference Scholar-Athlete Award, in which a minimum 3.4 GPA is required. In each of the first two years, Manchester has had 10 athletes receive the honor, which works out perfect since this is a 10-week project. This year is a bit different, however, as the Class of 2010 had 21 student-athletes honored. Fear not, however, as no one is being cut from the features. To remedy this situation (a good one to have, by the way), two athletes will be featured each week. The lone exception will be one week where there will be three. I won't name the honored athletes just yet, as they'll be announced in my annual column when the first features run.
The best thing about the scholar-athlete features is that we all get to learn about the kids outside of athletics. Sure, we know them from watching Friday night football or Thursday night basketball. We know their stats and their breakout performances. But this projects gives readers a chance to learn about other things, like what they do in school, what they're interested in studying, their involvement in the community, their future plans and much more. Fans get to see a different side to the kids they see on the field throughout the year.
As I've said in previous years, the summer is a celebration of the Manchester student-athlete. The Class of 2010 is certainly no exception.
posted by Ed Patino at
1:36 PM
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