Athletically, ‘star’ is overused in HS sports

There is a noticeable pattern in high school sports, especially in the last 10 years, that is confusing: ‘Star.’

In the debut of his weekly high school sports column for this school year, Chris Lillstrung contends the word star — athletically — has become severely overused in the high school sports landscape.

Not everyone can be the star of the show, and that’s perfectly fine.

There is absolutely value in all contributions.

But there is a noticeable pattern in high school sports, especially in the last 10 years, that has become rather confusing.

The use of the word “star.”

Before the adults who help drive the high school sports dynamic and the people who rightfully adore that landscape come knocking on my door, let me be perfectly clear.

You can be a star in the classroom.

You can be a star in the community.

You can be a star in the content of your character.

You can be a star in your role as a teammate, whether as a captain, starter or reserve.

But we have reached a point at which — athletically — the word star is severely overused.

The word should apply to the very best, the true cream of the crop. We should leave star for the state, regional and national caliber, for the big-time college recruits hearing from every recognizable school.

We should not be calling a basketball player who scored 10 points and pulled down four rebounds a star.

We should not be referring to a track and field athlete who was sixth at the state meet a star.

We should not be characterizing a defensive back with four interceptions on the season a star.

There should be a reasonable point at which the line on performance should be drawn.

And that is what this is purely about — athletic performance.

We can look at how an athlete performs in their sport, and it doesn’t have to be based squarely on statistics at the end of the day.

We can watch an athlete display their talent, compared to their counterparts, and know for sure the select company that is markedly better at their craft than everyone else.

It is nails on a chalkboard for me when I hear or read high school athletes termed as stars in their sport when it’s not athletically justified.

In nearly 21 years at The News-Herald, I have been fortunate to cover high school athletes who were stars.

For example, Jessica Beard was a star. She is the greatest female athlete I have ever covered from our area, let alone female track and field athlete, as a four-time Division I 400 state champion at Euclid and worldclass runner to this very day. You’ve heard me say in this space ad nauseum, but once more: Her 51.63 in 400 as a senior in 2007 for the Panthers is a record that will probably never be broken in Ohio.

The list goes well beyond that, with a cavalcade of state champions, area record-breakers, program transformers and D-I college recruits to Power 5 conferences.

But as a writer, I will never refer to an athlete as a star — athletically. Even in the rare instances in which it’s deserved.

The phrase is so drastically overused, it’s more challenging to make the differentiation anymore and have it mean anything. Standout? Absolutely. Program staple? No doubt.

Stalwart? Yes, although admittedly members of the News-Herald high school soccer community noticed years back I was using that phrase just a little too often during the fall and correctly called me on it. They were right, and use of the phrase has been lessened since.

And for those who wonder about all-star teams in this argument, to me that’s a separate issue altogether. That’s OK, because you’re recognizing standout athletic talent in a general sense.

It’s the individual use of star — athletically — on which I beg to differ.

In the high school sports ranks, we have numerous student-athletes who are star ambassadors for their community, first-class people whom their own role models, neighbors, family and friends can trust as examples of what their locality is all about.

They can achieve that as a distinguished honorroll student, headed to a prominent academic institution in the Ivy League or elsewhere.

They can achieve that by volunteering their time at a children’s hospital or a charity.

They can achieve that by sounding or acting like more like an adult than even their coaches and fans may on occasion. That makes them stars. But in sports — again, for emphasis, athletically — it is irresponsible to throw that term around loosely.

Perhaps this is a byproduct of the laudable drive to make all athletes feel included in sports.

We should appreciate the task of all athletes, in whatever capacity at which they’re best served.

No state championship soccer side can get there without a right outside defender with no true statistical measure for their achievement at this level beyond shutouts.

No hockey team can succeed without that gritty third forward line that doesn’t get the goals or assists their first line does, but puts in physical work every shift and contributes in their own way.

No unbeaten softball team can aspire without the middle infielder who may not hit for a high average but is a defensive wizard.

No cross country team on their way through the postseason scores the way it needs to without pack runners who gut out a few more places.

But let’s be sensible about this.

It’s not about being a part of the “let’s give everyone a participation trophy” movement on which I’ve railed over the years.

There are athletes who are better in their sport than others. It’s a way of life.

Part of the lesson of high school sports is competing against athletes who are better than you, and taking those lessons into how you face adversity when you’re older. There are levels.

You can be a contributor. You can be a standout.

And you can — in rare instances athletically — be a star. Being called a star should be a true honor, though.

The phrase doesn’t mean nearly as much if it’s thrown out haphazard through the lens of athletic performance and without considerable thought.

Not everyone can be the star of the show, and that’s perfectly fine.

Because — athletically — they’re not, nor should they be characterized as such.

It’s a disservice to who truly is.

Lillstrung can be reached at CLillstrung @News-Herald.com; @CLillstrungNH on Twitter.