Sportsmanship

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Autumn Gray

Glasford Illini Bluffs

Principal: Mrs. Karen Peterson

For her commitment to her responsibilities in academics and interscholastic activities, Autumn Gray has been selected for the Scholar Attitude Award for Board of Directors Division F.

Thus far Autumn has earned an A+ in every junior high class. She set this goal in sixth grade and she believes the goal has caused her to work harder at school. She’s also president of Student Council, president of National Junior Honor Society, and co-captain of the girls’ basketball team.

This year’s basketball season was a particularly challenging one for Autumn and her teammates. Most of her peers from previous seasons elected to go out for other sports which conflicted with the basketball season, leaving Autumn and one other player the only eighth graders on the team. “Every game was an uphill battle,” she admits. Despite this setback, she says she still played at 100 percent during every minute of every game and practice, no matter the score. In contrast, the seventh grade team had a tremendous season, winning most games by large margins, and it was hard not to be jealous of their success, she says. “The experience taught me to not shape my identity around just one thing or expectation,” she says. “I know the experience of having gone through it is what matters most.”

This type of healthy attitude is a critical part of good sportsmanship, Autumn says. “It does not always come naturally, so it is important to continually develop it because it reflects and affects much more than just the athlete," she says.

After high school, Autumn plans to attend college. She’s interested in a career as a middle school or high school educator, and she’d also like to coach and inspire athletes.

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