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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --February 9, 2000
Contact: John Johnson or Andy Frushour-- 517.332.5046
Fall Scholar-Athlete Award Scholarship
Recipients Announced
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Feb. 9 - The Michigan
High School Athletic Association's Scholar-Athlete Award program
has selected its eight scholarship recipients for the 1999 fall
sports season.
Farm Bureau Insurance, in its 11th year of
sponsoring the award, will give a $1,000 college scholarship
to each of the eight fall sports winners, the first of 24 total
scholarships to be presented, one for each sport in which the
MHSAA sponsors a postseason tournament.
Each of the scholarship recipients will be
honored at halftime ceremonies of the Class C Boys Basketball
final game at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing
on March 25. Commemorative plaques will be given to other finalists
in recognition of their accomplishments.
The eight Scholar-Athlete Award honorees for
the 1999 fall sports season are: Lauren M. Bramos, Grosse Pointe
North, girls basketball; Charles Stamboulian, North Farmington,
boys cross country; Erin Maureen Randall, Clio, girls cross country;
Rick Bolhuis, Jenison, football; Jeffrey Craig Melville, Jenison,
boys golf; Brian Horr, North Farmington, boys soccer; Michelle
C. Miller, Trenton, girls swimming & diving; Kathryn Berger,
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, girls tennis.
Overviews of the eight scholarship recipients
of the fall Scholar-Athlete Award follow. A quote from each recipient's
essay is also included:
Girls
Basketball -- Lauren M. Bramos, Grosse Pointe North. Earned three varsity
letters in girls basketball and volleyball ... co-captain of
basketball team as a senior … all-conference in both basketball
and volleyball … served on Athletic Advisory Board as a
junior and senior … four-year member of Fellowship of Christian
Athletes … participated three years in Valkyries and Varsity
Club … active with Adopt-A-Family for four years and Nautical
Coast Clean-Up as a junior … also was a basketball clinic
volunteer … plans on studying elementary education in college.
Essay Quote
- "Sportsmanship is a tool in life, yet it is the athletes
who determine what lessons are learned through the use of this
tool. An athlete develops a sense of unity while at the same
time developing respect, a competitive striving spirit, and a
willingness to gracefully accept defeat regardless of their effort."
Boys Cross Country -- Charles Stamboulian,
North Farmington. Awarded four varsity
letters in both cross country and track and field … captained
both teams for two years … voted to all-conference and all-county
teams … academic All-State honoree … sat on school
board student round table all four years … was on class
board as a freshman and sophomore and a student advisory committee
as a junior and senior … participated in symphony band,
concert band, orchestra and jazz band all four years and school
musicals as freshman and sophomore … member of National
Honor Society … also involved with freshman transition group,
Goodfellows Food Drive and Sunday School youth project for four
years … plans on studying computer engineering at the University
of Michigan.
Essay Quote
-"One must learn to play fairly, try diligently, and accept
defeat to become a proper sportsman. Athletes need to take personal
responsibility and refrain from crossing boundaries of violence,
gloating, and cheating. If people take this knowledge into consideration,
the wave of sportsmanship will successfully turn around."
Girls
Cross Country -- Erin Maureen Randall, Clio. Named academic all-conference in three sports …
awarded four varsity letters in cross country, three in soccer,
and one in volleyball … selected to all-district soccer
team … elected class President all four years … also
served on student council all four years … member of National
Honor Society and Science Olympiad team as sophomore, junior
and senior … tutored and led a Methodist youth fellowship
group all four years … will study chemical engineering and
secondary education at Michigan Technological University next
year.
Essay Quote
- "Many people believe sportsmanship is wishing the other
team good luck or shaking hands at the end of a game. In reality,
it's more than that. Good sportsmanship occurs on the playing
field. A player gives up a rebound to help another player up
on the basketball court. The runner stops his race to help a
fallen comrade. Each one possibly sacrifices winning to help
the other team."
Football
-- Rick Bolhuis, Jenison. Captained
both the football and wrestling teams … earned four varsity
letters in wrestling and two in football … selected first
team all-conference in football … two-time MHSAA Individual
Finals qualifier in wrestling while winning district and conference
championships … named Jenison Outstanding Wrestler in 1998
and 1999 … elected to student council all four years, including
Executive Board Vice-President position as a senior and Treasurer
as a junior … member of National Honor Society as a junior
and senior and elected to the House of Representatives at the
American Legion's Boy's State as a senior … participated
as a Peer Educator and Lunch Coach and is involved with Friendship
Club … also officiated freestyle wrestling, officiated and
announced junior football, and volunteered as junior high wrestling
coach … will attend Elmhurst College and study mathematics.
Essay Quote
- "The opportunity to compete and use my God-given ability
is enough to enjoy the game. By respecting the other participants,
I make it much more enjoyable for all involved. Winning on the
scoreboard is a bonus, not the only enjoyable outcome. Good sports
are indeed winners."
Boys
Golf -- Jeffrey Craig Melville, Jenison.
Earned four varsity letters in golf … awarded four other
letters, two in both basketball and baseball … captain of
the golf team as a senior … all-conference selection in
golf as a sophomore, junior and senior … class Vice-President
as a junior and senior … participated as a Peer Adolescent
Listener all four years and Peer Educator his junior and senior
years … Peer Educator State Conference Representative as
a senior … sang in Male Chorus, Chorale and Chambersingers
throughout high school … member of National Honor Society
as a junior and senior … involved with church youth group
for four years as well as volunteering for Community Education
… would like to study pre-med at Wake Forest University,
the University of Michigan or the University of Virginia next
fall.
Essay Quote
- "The important role that sportsmanship plays in educational
athletics is usually never questioned in discussions about sports.
The difficulty lies in the ability of both participants and spectators
to promote these ideals in the heat of battle."
Boys
Soccer -- Brian Horr, North Farmington.
Three-year varsity letter winner in boys soccer … team MVP
all three years … selected to all-conference team and WLAA
League Scholar as a senior and all-region and all district as
a junior and senior … participated in American Legion Boy's
State and Western Lakes Activities Association leadership conference
as a junior … active in Student Diversity Round Table and
Multi-Cultural Club as a sophomore, junior and senior …
participated in many school vocal and instrumental music activities
including Men's Chorus, Northern Lites, Mixed Chorus, Orchestra
and Percussion Ensemble throughout high school … acted in
three North Farmington musicals … also volunteered for the
Salvation Army Bed and Breakfast Truck, Raider-Rake and Habitat
for Humanity … has also been an active participant in church's
Welsley Choir, Adult Choir and Holiday Musicals ... will study
biology/pre-med at the University of Michigan.
Essay Quote
-"The importance of sportsmanship in athletics cannot be
denied. I always think of sportsmanship as being contagious.
If you display a positive attitude, you will more times than
not receive the same in return."
Girls Swimming & Diving -- Michelle
C. Miller, Trenton. Captain of both
swimming and track and field teams as a senior … earned
eight varsity letters, four in swimming and four in track and
field … conference scholar athlete in two sports …
member of the National Honor Society … active in Homecoming
Steering Committee for three years, including two years as Chairman
… representative to the National Young Leaders Conference
as a junior … four-year participant in Marching Band, Students
Against Drunk Driving, Teens Against Destructive Decisions and
Interact Club … also active for four years in PRCUA Polish
Dancing (honoree of the Michigan PRCUA Ball and two-year runner-up
in competitive pom-pons), Leadership Team in church youth ministry,
and as section leader and secretary in Michigan Lions All State
Band … will study marine/environmental biology at St. Mary's
College at Notre Dame or U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
Essay Quote
- "The thrill of competition, the victories, and celebrations
would all be hollow without sportsmanship. Too often the casual
observer focuses on the number of victories, the number one athlete
or team. However important these are, I believe more important
are the lessons learned while participating in high school athletics."
Girls
Tennis -- Kathryn Berger, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central.
All-conference tennis selection as
a sophomore, junior and senior … tennis team captain as
a junior and senior … awarded four varsity letters in tennis
and golf … elected class Treasurer as a freshman and senior,
class Representative as a sophomore and junior … co-chair
for Adopt-A-Family as a junior and senior … participated
in Jazz Band, Wind Ensemble and Marching Band for four years
… served as Drum Major of Marching Band for final three
years … involved with Forensics her sophomore year …
member of the National Honor Society … also active in Bell
Choir and youth group at church throughout all four years …
will attend Indiana University and study business.
Essay Quote
- "Many virtues of life can be taught better through a positive
learning experience. High school athletics is a perfect setting
where many of these life skills and experiences should be taught.
A good work ethic, respect for others, and compassion for others
are all virtues that help us become successful people in life."
Other fall finalists by sport for the Scholar-Athlete
Award were: Girls Basketball -- Jamie Semeyn, Suttons Bay; Emily
K. Damuth, Saginaw Heritage; Ahleah Tagai, Madison Heights Lamphere;
Robyn Flewelling, Okemos; Molly Kamp, Stevensville Lakeshore;
Bethany Fredline, Lowell. Boys Cross Country -- Seann Duffin,
Carney-Nadeau; Brent Wrisley, St. Louis; Bradley Carroll, Livonia
Stevenson; Kevin Drake, Three Rivers; Brent L. Densham, Grandville.
Girls Cross Country -- Maggie Rose Schmittling, Suttons Bay;
Stacey Nyland, Oxford; Julie Diepenhorst, Taylor Kennedy; Sarah
Anne Ziegler, Litchfield; Lindsay Steinberg, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer.
Football -- Ryan Slezak, Gaylord St. Mary; Jeffrey Ustishen,
New Lothrop; Grant J. Weber, Farmington; Jonathon Zurawski, Dearborn;
Joshua D. Reeves, Milan; Curtis Daniel VandenBerg, Byron Center.
Boys Golf -- David Winkle, Manistique; Patrick W. Schultz, Bay
City Central; Christopher L. Scribner, Pontiac Central; Daniel
J. Cousino, Erie-Mason; Edward James Hunt, Tecumseh. Boys Soccer
-- Matt Mason, Spring Lake; Daniel McNamara, Allen Park Inter-City
Baptist; Nick Kuhl, East Grand Rapids. Girls Swimming & Diving
-- Rachel Riemer, Ludington; Emily D. Gladney, Pinckney. Girls
Tennis -- Jacqueline McClellan, Pontiac Notre Dame; Jeanette
Fershtman, Livonia Stevenson; Meghan Hope LeClair, Spring Lake.
Students applying for the Scholar-Athlete
Award must be carrying at least a 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point
average, and have previously won a letter in a varsity sport
in which the Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors
a postseason tournament. Other requirements for the applicants
were to show active participation in other school and community
activities and produce an essay on the importance of sportsmanship
in educational athletics.
Winter sport scholarship recipients will be
announced on Feb. 16, and spring sports honorees will be announced
on Feb. 23.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary
membership by over 1,300 public and private senior high schools
and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common
rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government
funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such
association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament
entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules
are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments conducted in
12 sports for girls and 12 sports for boys which attract approximately
1.3 million spectators each year.
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