Best of Preps winners show value of athletics
Congratulations to all the individual, school and team award winners at the 47th annual Pepsi Best of the Preps, presented by The Commercial Appeal at the Germantown Performing Arts Center Friday night.
The awards are a tribute to the area’s prep athletes, who have not only found success in sports, but also in the classroom, where they have to meet certain academic standards to remain eligible to play.
It is a great honor for these young student athletes and one that we hope will be a springboard for greater accomplishments as adults.
Briarcrest soccer standout Alyssa Neuberger was Friday’s big winner, taking home three awards.
Neuberger, who will attend Dartmouth to play soccer, was named the girls soccer player of the year for the second consecutive year, female athlete of the year award and the female scholar-athlete for private schools.
St. George’s, Houston, Christian Brothers High School and Memphis University School also stood out Friday night, each with three individual sports award winners.
There were six Best of the Preps team awards, one to a team from each division. Houston won the female division and CBHS was the male champion. White Station was named the Shelby County Schools champion. In the Suburban division, Houston won. St. George’s was the small private schools division champion, and Briarcrest Christian School won the large private school division.
The benefits that students derive from prep sports are repeated so often that, in some circles, they almost border on triteness. However, we think that should never be the case.
The importance of teamwork and cooperation, for example, was on Neuberger’s mind when she acknowledged the support of her coaches and teammates. “I wasn’t alone through it all,” she said.
Neither were Friday night’s other winners, including those who excelled in individual sports.
Perhaps the biggest benefit is the acceptance of individual responsibility, ranging from improved academics to remain eligible to participate in sports and better time management to keep up with their studies while training and practicing for their sport or sports.
ThatpointwashighlightedbyMitchellHighSchool’s Dominique Chatman, who won the female athlete of the year award for Shelby County Schools, when she said, “It took working hard, being patient and doing my best.”
Sports also provide athletes with opportunities to develop leadership skills that will serve them well in adult life. Plus, teens who participate in prep sports are mostly surrounded by positive role models, whose mentorship and shared camaraderie can serve as a vehicle to keep them out of trouble.
Most important, though, is the hope that these benefits will carry the student athletes through successful college careers, whether in sports or purely academics, or both. And, that those benefits will continue through successful adult careers.