Editor’s Note: After 18 years, Lake Region High School has a winner of the Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association annual essay contest. Senior Susie Butler of Bridgton was presented the MIAA award and a $500 scholarship by Lake Region Athletic Director Paul True at last week’s Just Desserts Athletic Awards Night. The award is typically given at the association’s spring conference, but the early April snowstorm canceled the event. Below is Susie’s winning essay.

By Susie Butler

LRHS senior

Throughout my athletic career, I have come to realize that sports are what you make of them. You decide to work hard or not. You also make the decisions that control your mindset. Sports can be challenging, but they can also be extremely rewarding. 

Sports can be a way to escape troubles at home, have fun, form connections with others, and represent your school pride! With that being said, sports can mean something different to everyone. Regardless of the reason, we all play for the same team. For myself, being on a team with caring, friendly peers allowed me to become the mature and kind person I am today, all the while creating lifelong friendships. 

Throughout high school, I have played four different sports — soccer, track and field, cross country, and tennis — all of which have very different premises of how to “play a game.” However, the values in sports are largely the same. To name a few, I’ve learned about resilience, discipline, and teamwork. 

Upon learning these core values of sports and athletics, I was able to push myself hard enough to individually qualify for the state cross-country meet. This achievement was the first large one I ever experienced in sports. It greatly improved my self-esteem and helped me realize that I can do anything I put my mind to. The next year, I helped bring my team to the state meet, something that had not been accomplished in over twenty years. 

Last, but not least, sports have developed and strengthened several connections between myself and my community. I have coached soccer, quick ball, cross country, track and field, and a running club. All of these programs involved elementary school-aged children. My participation in sports has allowed me to not only watch these children grow into happy, healthy humans, but also have the chance to be a positive role model in their lives. It is a great honor both to teach and influence future generations. The youth are the world’s most powerful and important asset. Through sports, I, a member of today’s youth, have been taught how to be compassionate, persistent, and driven. It has also occurred to me how imperative it is that athletics continues to teach young people and children essential lessons that will carry on through their lives. 

I feel that I have created a name for myself not just with my scholastic and athletic accomplishments, but also through the activities I have been involved with since joining sports. I am grateful for all of the experiences brought to me through sports, both good and bad, as they have helped make me into the person I am today. Go Lakers!