Kirtland High School Senior Named Lake Health’s Athlete of the Year 

Kirtland High School Senior Named Lake Health’s Athlete of the Year 

 

 Kirtland High School Senior Joseph Bates was named Lake Health’s 2015-2016 Athlete of the Year and was awarded a $3,000 scholarship to the college of his choice. He was chosen from among senior athletes who were named Student Athletes of the Month as part of the Lake Health Sports Medicine High School Senior Student Athlete of the Month program and who applied for the scholarship. Only high school seniors who were named Student Athletes of the Month were eligible to apply for the “Athlete of the Year” scholarship.

The Lake Health Sports Medicine High School Senior Student Athlete of the Month program recognizes high school senior athletes at Lake County schools who have made a considerable effort to maintain a higher grade point average and perform community service, all while reaching high levels of athletic accomplishment. The program is sponsored by the Lake Health Sports Medicine Program and the Lake Health Foundation.

On the field, Joseph Bates was the team captain of the Kirtland High School football team that appeared in four state championship games, two of which they won. In 2015, he was named the state and district Division VI Offensive Player of the Year. Mr. Bates is also captain of his high school’s baseball team. Off the field, Mr. Bates participated in “Give a Hand, Take a Hand,” a suicide prevention program, his junior and senior year. The program helps high school freshman develop coping strategies to deal with stress, anger, anxiety and depression. Mr. Bates was also a member of the Key club and Foreign Language club and also assisted with Kirtland youth football and basketball camps. This fall, he plans on attending and playing football for John Carroll University.

“Each of our Student Athletes of the Month and the nominees deserve recognition as they went above and beyond in the classroom as well as on the playing field,” says John Smith, director of Sports Medicine at Lake Health. “As our partnerships with the Lake County schools continue to grow, we hope our awards program plays a valuable role in nurturing athletic success and recognizing our students’ growing talents.”

 

 

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