 - The Lander School Board recognized volleyball player Ava Gerlach this week for earning the Wyoming High School Activities Association Good Sportsmanship Award.){kind=link}
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(Lander, WY) – The Lander School Board recognized volleyball player Ava Gerlach this week for earning the Wyoming High School Activities Association Good Sportsmanship Award.
Gerlach earned the award for her actions during an Oct. 23 contest against Mountain View – a “tough match” in which the Lander team “got swept,” Superintendent Mike Harris told the School Board during a regular meeting Tuesday.
“Even after that tough loss, (she) went out of her way to come over to the scoring table and personally thank all of the volleyball officials,” Harris said. “That was just a great display of sportsmanship and character by Ms. Gerlach, so congratulations. … Way to go on exemplifying the best of Tiger athletics there.”
Dustin Rees of Mountain View nominated Gerlach for the award, explaining that, “At the conclusion of the contest after the players shook hands and the teams met with their coaches, Ava made a point to come over to the score table to personally thank our volleyball officials.”
“This was a great show of sportsmanship, as Ava could have easily walked to the locker room after Lander had lost the match,” Rees wrote.
WHSAA Association Commissioner Chad Whitworth also congratulated Gerlach in a Nov. 13 letter to LVHS Principal Brad Neuendorf, commending the athlete “for her exemplary conduct and good sportsmanship.”
“Sportsmanship is a goal that all our coaches and athletes should have as they participate in activities,” Whitworth said. “I am pleased to hear that your students and coaches understand the true meaning of participation.”