An Athlete....AND a scholar!

This first full week of April has been packed with lots of events and three of those were for M.  She is amazing....just saying!

They finally held the basketball banquet for last season....it was held at the high school.  Last year it was at Fargo's Pizza and so we were bummed to find out that it was only going to be at the school until......they brought in the bags and bags of Olive Garden food.  SO YUM!.....breadsticks, salad with their wonderful dressing to boot, spaghetti, and chicken alfredo,  I haven't eaten there in forever so it tasted mighty fine.  And of course, cake for dessert before heading into the auditorium for awards.

We went through  the normal introductions, calling each girl up to the stage telling them how great they did this season and what their strong points are and so on.  And of course, M was fabulous in every way....ok, that is just me saying that, but the coach loves M and told everyone how excited she was to have her play again this year and how she has a soft spot in her heart for M.  M really likes her too and was happy to know that she going to be her coach again.  She said she was happy for the way M hustles out on the court and how hard she works at all times during practice and games.

So we listened to the rest of JV come up and get their certificates and then came the awards.  These awards are picked by the girls themselves, not the coach, so it really is a big honor when you get one since it was voted on by your team.  So they go through one award by telling us about this person and how great they were for this award and blah blah blah.......then comes the next award and the coach goes on to say why this person deserves this award.....how she was so glad that the team could see how hard she works on the court and that the coaches agreed with this choice.....how she sacrifices her body for the good of the team and the play.....how she is scrappy and gets in there to disrupt a play so that it can be slowed down and taken out of bounds....and on she goes.  My mind was wondering by the time she announces the name for Defensive Player of the Year.......so I was surprised when M's name was said.  And so was M.

She actually was talking to the girl next to her and wasn't sure she heard the coach right when her name was announced.  I wish I would have had the camera ready to get her reaction of pure surprise......she was so happy though and thrilled beyond belief.  It was nice to see that all her hard work pays off and when she thinks that no one appreciates her, she sees that they really do.  And to think she was not sure if she really wanted to play this year.  Way to go M!

And if that is not enough, the next night she was awarded her Academic Letter for the 3rd semester in a row.  Finally she gets that letter to go on her jacket and I know she will add many gold bars to that letter as her high school years progress.  She had straight A's.....again.  I fully expect her to go all the way to Level 7 and get that recognition for academics every semester possible. 

She works so hard to get those A's and really pushes herself.  It helps that all her best friends are good students too and are standing up there right along with her at each award ceremony.  Wouldn't that be something if she ends up being valedictorian her senior year.....keep it up my well rounded beautiful daughter!

And the third thing that she excelled in this week is at her track meet.....she threw her PR's in both events on Friday during the Sand Creek Invitational.  In fact, she placed 7th in discus with a throw of 91-2.

She keeps getting better and better....you go girl!.........what's next?  :)