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Character & Leadership Spotlight – Lynden High School

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CHARACTER & LEADERSHIP WITHIN SPORTS

The Northwest Conference loves celebrating our student-athletes in and outside of the classroom. Character Development and Leadership are a top priority in the conference, and we want to provide our communities with a simple and efficient way to see character, leadership and sportsmanship of our student-athletes through the traits that make them up.

The Northwest Conference is asking every school to select two of the 32 character traits to show recognition to two student-athletes within their programs for that trait.  This will be going on throughout the summer and will include the follow words:

PASSION APPRECIATION PREPARATION SELFLESSNESS GRIT ACCOUNTABILITY
SPORTSMANSHIP HUMILITY COMPETITIVENESS HONESTY CARING CONFIDENCE
COMPOSURE TOLERANCE COURAGE POSITIVE ATTITUDE SERVICE ENTHUSIASM
LEADERSHIP DETERMINATION CHARACTER EFFORT COMMITMENT TEAMWORK
DESIRE WORK ETHIC COACHABLE TRUST FOCUS GOOD JUDGEMENT
PERSEVERANCE     INTEGRITY    

Character and Leadership play an important role in the development and success of our schools, and athletics show them in one of the most polarizing ways possible. Today we are recognizing two stellar student-athletes from Lynden High School!

LYNDEN HIGH SCHOOL

COMPOSURE

Kiki York (Lynden)

A composed athlete possesses the mental fortitude to remain calm and focused under immense pressure, allowing them to make clear decisions and execute their skills effectively even when facing setbacks or challenging situations.  Kiki York exemplifies this in both basketball and track. 

Kiki’s ability to remain calm no matter how big the moment, is a testament to her composure.  She always competes with a level of control that allows her to rise to the occasion.

TOLERANCE

Spencer Adams (Lynden)

Spencer Adams personifies the word “tolerance” because he has a fair, objective, and welcoming approach about the people he comes across at school. Whether it is in the classroom or on the basketball court, Spencer respects and accepts others who are like him and those who are unlike him. He is the first to offer to give younger players rides to team events.

Spencer encourages and supports all his teammates and sets a good example in his behavior and attitude. In addition, he is all-in for younger students in our community whether it is serving lunches at elementary schools or teaching the game of basketball to seventh graders at one of Lynden’s youth basketball camps. Tolerance is a good virtue, but Spencer goes beyond that because he is also kind to students and staff.

Character & Leadership Spotlight – Lakewood High School

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CHARACTER & LEADERSHIP WITHIN SPORTS

The Northwest Conference loves celebrating our student-athletes in and outside of the classroom. Character Development and Leadership are a top priority in the conference, and we want to provide our communities with a simple and efficient way to see character, leadership and sportsmanship of our student-athletes through the traits that make them up.

The Northwest Conference is asking every school to select two of the 32 character traits to show recognition to two student-athletes within their programs for that trait.  This will be going on throughout the summer and will include the follow words:

PASSION APPRECIATION PREPARATION SELFLESSNESS GRIT ACCOUNTABILITY
SPORTSMANSHIP HUMILITY COMPETITIVENESS HONESTY CARING CONFIDENCE
COMPOSURE TOLERANCE COURAGE POSITIVE ATTITUDE SERVICE ENTHUSIASM
LEADERSHIP DETERMINATION CHARACTER EFFORT COMMITMENT TEAMWORK
DESIRE WORK ETHIC COACHABLE TRUST FOCUS GOOD JUDGEMENT
PERSEVERANCE     INTEGRITY    

Character and Leadership play an important role in the development and success of our schools, and athletics show them in one of the most polarizing ways possible. Today we are recognizing two stellar student-athletes from Lakewood High School!

LAKEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

CONFIDENCE

Bakary Sonko – (Lakewood)

Bakary was nominated by teacher, coach, and advisor Mr. Sam Watson. He writes, “Bakary is the perfect example of representing our school, community, and team with great character, confidence and leadership. Not only is he a talented athlete, but he is confident in his own ability but in those of his teammates as well. He is the kindest young man I have had the pleasure of coaching. In just one year of knowing him as an athlete there were countless examples of Bakary going out of his way to include and support any of the younger players.” Bakary is a member of our varsity football, basketball, and soccer teams.

CARING

Megan Omlid (Lakewood)

Meg is known around Lakewood to be as caring as she is talented. She can always be counted on to help in any situation and serves our school in countless ways. Meg is a lead mentor in our Cougar Crew, plays Unified Basketball, and is a member of our Student Section Committee. She is our ASB Treasurer and also performs as part of our LHS choir. Meg was nominated by Coaches Alyssa Conn and Chris Walster. She is a member of our varsity volleyball and track and field programs and was also recognized this year as Lakewood’s representative to the Northwest Conference Leaders in Sportsmanship.

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Cougars Person of Distinction – Dawn Taylor

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NORTHWEST CONFERENCE – PERSON OF DISTINCTION AWARD

The Northwest Conference puts high value on celebrating our students, programs and communities throughout the school year.  From “Leaders in Sportsmanship,” to “Coaches vs. Cancer” and “Only 7 Seconds,” The Northwest Conference consistently goes above and beyond with outreach to every school and their corresponding communities.

Each school in the NWC will have the opportunity to highlight someone from their community as a “Person of Distinction.” This honor will celebrate someone associated with each athletic program and draw a spotlight on the amazing selfless people who help make this conference so special!

Lakewood Athletics

Person of Distinction – Dawn Taylor

Dawn volunteers her time as the Director of Operations for both our football and boys basketball programs. She spends countless hours at practices, on the sidelines and at the table supporting the players and coaches of Lakewood High School. In addition to her role of coach and supporter of our football and basketball teams, Dawn also serves on the Lakewood School District Board Director. Dawn is a Lakewood graduate and has raised her four children in the District, two of whom have continued on to play college football. Dawn Taylor represents the dedication and service that keep our community alive and vibrant. She is a true public servant who brings people together with ideas and has an uncanny ability to make things happen. 

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Golden Eagles Athletics Person of Distinction – Frank Finkbonner

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NORTHWEST CONFERENCE – PERSON OF DISTINCTION AWARD

The Northwest Conference puts high value on celebrating our students, programs and communities throughout the school year.  From “Leaders in Sportsmanship,” to “Coaches vs. Cancer” and “Only 7 Seconds,” The Northwest Conference consistently goes above and beyond with outreach to every school and their corresponding communities.

Each school in the NWC will have the opportunity to highlight someone from their community as a “Person of Distinction.” This honor will celebrate someone associated with each athletic program and draw a spotlight on the amazing selfless people who help make this conference so special!

Ferndale Athletics

Person of Distinction – Frank Finkbonner

Frank has been a part of the Ferndale football program for over 30 years.  He is a crucial member of our team, who on many days is the first to show up and the last to leave.  Frank wears many hats, equipment manager, uniform coordinator, field set up and take down, helmet maintenance, among other things. Frank is a staple in the Ferndale football program and I know we couldn’t do it without him. He is selfless and passionate about Ferndale football and shows it every day. There is no doubt if you asked someone about Ferndale Football in our community, Frank would be identified as the face of the program! 
 
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Character & Leadership Spotlight – Burlington-Edison High School

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CHARACTER & LEADERSHIP WITHIN SPORTS

The Northwest Conference loves celebrating our student-athletes in and outside of the classroom. Character Development and Leadership are a top priority in the conference, and we want to provide our communities with a simple and efficient way to see character, leadership and sportsmanship of our student-athletes through the traits that make them up.

The Northwest Conference is asking every school to select two of the 32 character traits to show recognition to two student-athletes within their programs for that trait.  This will be going on throughout the summer and will include the follow words:

PASSIONAPPRECIATIONPREPARATIONSELFLESSNESSGRITACCOUNTABILITY
SPORTSMANSHIPHUMILITYCOMPETITIVENESSHONESTYCARINGCONFIDENCE
COMPOSURETOLERANCECOURAGEPOSITIVE ATTITUDESERVICEENTHUSIASM
LEADERSHIPDETERMINATIONCHARACTEREFFORTCOMMITMENTTEAMWORK
DESIREWORK ETHICCOACHABLETRUSTFOCUSGOOD JUDGEMENT
PERSEVERANCE  INTEGRITY  

Character and Leadership play an important role in the development and success of our schools, and athletics show them in one of the most polarizing ways possible. Today we are recognizing two stellar student-athletes from Sedro-Woolley High School!

BURLINGTON-EDISON HIGH SCHOOL

HUMILITY

Spencer Betz (Burlington-Edison)

Spencer is a 3 sport athlete in Tennis, Basketball and Track.  He is consistently the hardest worker in any sport he is in.  He is one of the best athletes in our school, yet is very humble. He definitely lets his actions do the talking.  He is very coachable, always looking for ways to get better, but never questioning or making excuses when things do not go well.  A great teammate and a joy to coach and be around. 

Kevin Gudgel, Head Track and Cross Country Coach

SPORTSMANSHIP

Damian Fernandez (Burlington-Edison)

Damian placed 8th in state in only his second year of wrestling. This is an accomplishment that very few in the wrestling world have done. He did so with grace, hard work, and dedication to the team. He has continued this approach throughout the summer by leading workouts for younger classmen. He encourages others to join the sport and inspires other athletes all while keeping his own successes to himself. 

Kip Jones, Head Boys Wrestling Coach

 

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NWC Hosts Leaders In Sportsmanship Annual Photoshoot/Luncheon

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The NWC has a sportsmanship program where each school in the conference selects one senior male athlete and one senior female athlete to represent them in a Sportsmanship poster.  Recognizing sportsmanship is crucial for fostering a positive environment within the Northwest Conference and beyond. Our encouragement to play fair, build character and promote the social/emotional well-being of our student-athletes is critical in helping progress personal growth as they enter adulthood!

NWC “Just Play Fair’ Selection Criteria

  • Above all-represents your school with the highest level of sportsmanship and integrity in competition, at practices, and in the community
  • Must be a senior
  • Possesses leadership qualities
  • Strong student
  • Positive citizen in school
  • Multi-sport athletes preferred but not required

2024-2025 NWC School Representatives:

  • Anacortes – Mikiah Dunham/Brady Beaner
  • Bellingham – Malia Hanks/Caleb Imbach
  • Blaine – Brie Smith/Blake Koreski
  • Burlington-Edison – Lily Atkins/Spencer Betz
  • Ferndale – Amelie McKeon/Wyatt Strait
  • Lakewood – Negan Omlid/JJ Hoekendorf
  • Lynden – Kiki York/Brant Heppner
  • Lynden Christian – Ellie VanLoo/Trey Bosman
  • Meridian – Jovi Jensen/Landen Downey
  • Mount Baker – Gracelyn Zender/Brady Bruland
  • Mount Vernon – Addison Shand Perkins/Carlos Zendejas-Barajas
  • Nooksack Valley – Kate Shintaffer/Corey Olney
  • Oak Harbor – Lilly Grubbs/Connor Cash
  • Sehome – Rebekah Peterson/Coleby Chambers
  • Sedro-Woolley – Olivia Stroud/Sherman Griffin
  • Squalicum – Hannah Bates/Marcus Nixon

Tiger Athletics Person of Distinction – Jen McKay

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NORTHWEST CONFERENCE – PERSON OF DISTINCTION AWARD

The Northwest Conference puts high value on celebrating our students, programs and communities throughout the school year.  From “Leaders in Sportsmanship,” to “Coaches vs. Cancer” and “Only 7 Seconds,” The Northwest Conference consistently goes above and beyond with outreach to every school and their corresponding communities.

Each school in the NWC will have the opportunity to highlight someone from their community as a “Person of Distinction.” This honor will celebrate someone associated with each athletic program and draw a spotlight on the amazing selfless people who help make this conference so special!

Burlington-Edison Athletics

Person of Distinction – Jen McKay

Jen MacKay was born a Tiger and has supported B-EHS athletics her entire life.  Not only was Jen an outstanding athlete in soccer and track at B-EHS and, later, at the collegiate level, she has raised an entire family of Tigers that have played soccer, tennis, and track for Burlington-Edison as well.  She even converted her husband into a diehard Tiger who has been a successful boys and girls soccer coach at the high school for the past 10 years. 

Jen is the consummate supporter of Tiger athletics.  She has chauffeured her children (and their teammates) to innumerable practices and has cheered them on in countless games no matter the heat, rain, and cold they were played in.  Although she seeks no attention or praise, others readily recognize her steadfast presence and selfless support.  For roughly the last decade Jen has been in charge of the booster club for the B-EHS girls soccer team.  In that capacity, she has overseen fundraisers, helped support parents and players that were new to the sport and the high school program, organized “senior night” recognitions, helped with end-of-season banquets, and just generally been a consistent source of positive help for anyone that needs it. 

You will see Jen in the stands and on the sidelines of every game.  What you won’t see is all the time and effort she puts in behind the scenes to help coaches, players, and parents have successful seasons and positive experiences.  Jen juggles a lot of obligations in life: her family, her church, her volunteer work.  But even with a very full plate she always finds time to champion Burlington-Edison athletics.  It has been my pleasure to know Jen and her family over the past decade and she is more than deserving of being recognized as a Person of Distinction for the Northwest Conference.     

Ryan Kuttel

Burlington-Edison Head Girls Soccer Coach

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Northwest Conference Hosts Sportsmanship Forum

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Northwest Conference Sportsmanship Forum

Friday, September 20th at 9:30am @ Lakewood High School

The Northwest Conference hosts a sportsmanship forum every year at a rotating location, where all 16 schools participate in the process of developing an understanding of, and model for, sportsmanship. 8 Student leaders are selected from each high school. Coaches, teachers and administrators are also picked to help facilitate the forum and progress the message of sportsmanship throughout the conference. This year, the event was hosted by Lakewood High School on September 20th.

Groups are formed so that all schools mix with one-another and participate together in establishing the high standards for sportsmanship within the conference for each year. Lunch is also catered, and a sportsmanship definition is created each school year by the collective group. This event is annually overseen by Squalicum AD Patrick Brown and his leadership students.

Northwest Conference “Thank an Official” Campaign

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Northwest Conference
“Thank an Official” Campaign

During the school year, the 16 member schools of the Northwest Conference are recognizing the importance of the umpires, referees and officials who manage our athletic contests. During each of our athletic seasons, the Northwest Conference has designated a week to show our appreciation for officials through the “Thank an Official” Campaign. Throughout the NWC, we are recognizing and celebrating our officials.

More than 5,000 officials serve Washington State high schools by doing their best to ensure all contests are fair, safe and fun.

Officials are required to register with the state officials’ association, complete annual rules meetings, and attend yearly training clinics. In addition, they spend countless hours in preparation for and traveling to contests.

High school officiating is an avocation, not a vocation. It is something done in addition to full-time employment. Officials work for the enjoyment of staying involved with the sports they love and for the opportunity to give back to kids, coaches and schools.

Officials are crucial in providing our student participants an opportunity to learn life lessons through education-based athletics. Enforcing the rules of the game fairly and consistently, and holding students and coaches to behavior expectations, are vitally important to successful high school events.

We ask all spectators, athletes, and coaches to be especially appreciative of the officials and the great job they do in serving our kids and programs. Without them there are no games!

More officials are needed in all sports and at all levels. For more information on how you can get involved, go to woa-officials.com for more information on becoming an official.

 

Character & Leadership Spotlight – Nooksack Valley

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CHARACTER & LEADERSHIP WITHIN SPORTS

The Northwest Conference loves celebrating our student-athletes in and outside of the classroom. Character Development and Leadership are a top priority in the conference, and we want to provide our communities with a simple and efficient way to see character, leadership and sportsmanship of our student-athletes through the traits that make them up.

The Northwest Conference is asking every school to select two of the 32 character traits to show recognition to two student-athletes within their programs for that trait.  This will be going on throughout the summer and will include the follow words:

PASSIONAPPRECIATIONPREPARATIONSELFLESSNESSGRITACCOUNTABILITY
SPORTSMANSHIPHUMILITYCOMPETITIVENESSHONESTYCARINGCONFIDENCE
COMPOSURETOLERANCECOURAGEPOSITIVE ATTITUDESERVICEENTHUSIASM
LEADERSHIPDETERMINATIONCHARACTEREFFORTCOMMITMENTTEAMWORK
DESIREWORK ETHICCOACHABLETRUSTFOCUSGOOD JUDGEMENT
PERSEVERANCE  INTEGRITY  

Character and Leadership play an important role in the development and success of our schools, and athletics show them in one of the most polarizing ways possible. Today we are recognizing another stellar student-athlete from Nooksack Valley High School!

NOOKSACK VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

TEAMWORK

Sarah Isenhart (Nooksack Valley)

“

Sarah Isenhart is an incredible team player. She will do whatever it takes to better the team. No matter what role I ask her to play, she is willing and eager to step into that role. She shows up each day, ready to work with her teammates. She strives to be the best person and player she can be while also pushing those around her. Her teammates and coaches know they can count on her in any situation. Sarah’s caring and friendly demeanor make her a teammate anyone would like to have. Keep up the great teamwork Sarah!”

Tom Harmon

NV Athletic Director

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