While the All-Sportsmanship Team is a fairly recent recognition from the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, it stands for everything that is right with Division III. The SCAC is filled with student-athletes that strive to succeed in the classroom and in the sport of their choice. Our last post was a great example of how dedicated our student-athletes are to "getting it done" in the classroom. The All-Sportsmanship Team provides recognition to those who COMPETE in athletics "the right way". SCAC student-athletes are competitive. The drive to win for their school is just as strong as any other level and they have dedicated their lives to bettering themselves as athletes to be able to enjoy success in a sport they love. They compete hard, but they respect the game and each other. It is always amazing to see how well our student-athletes interact with one another. Sure, they want to do everything they can to earn the victory - it is a battle on the court, but once the game is over, win or lose, the level of respect and sportsmanship displayed is inspiring.
John Boxberger was the perfect selection for the All-Sportsmanship Team. Few showed as much emotion for their team than Box. Whether he was in the game or on the bench, Box's energy was always felt. Gifted with a powerful voice (which we all experienced first-hand in Italy), it was hard not to hear him from anywhere in the gym. His vocal encouragement helped carry us through many strenuous situations this past season. It is hard to say anyone wanted to win more than Box. Even with that drive and competitive spirit, there was never an instance where Box represented Trinity University in a poor manner. We were fortunate to have such an example of what it means to be a student-athlete.
