Athletic Leadership Award Winners Recognized

During Senior Recognition night on Thursday, May 19, the Athletic Leadership Awards were presented to two members of the Class of 2022 who exemplified leadership qualities and dedication to the St. Stephen’s Athletic Program during their four years on The Hill.

The athletic leadership award is presented each year to two Upper School student-athletes who have demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities within the St. Stephen’s Athletic program.  These qualities include, but are not limited to, hard work and dedication, commitment to both their peers and the program, and being a positive representative of St. Stephen’s. The recipients excel to the best of their abilities in competition, exhibiting determination and perseverance in the face of individual and team challenges.

The first Athletic Leadership Award winner went to Kendall Dowd. She is undoubtedly a person who finds joy in competing and supporting her fellow Spartans. Each season, she took on a different role on her teams. Through fall, winter and spring, her dedication to her peers, coaches and the school never wavered. “She taught her teammates to play with courage every time they wore the Spartan jersey, and I know that our program has benefited tremendously from her contributions,” one of her coaches remarked. ” Another of her coaches commented, “Without her, our team would not have had the fire it needed to battle our fiercest competition.” Truly, Dowd showed her teammates how to play to a high standard while also allowing grace when something did not go as planned. Her teammates from field hockey, soccer and lacrosse are better because of the examples she set.

The second Athletic Leadership Award winner was presented to Ben Center. He stands out specifically for his commitment to his teammates and the three programs he competed with during his time in the Upper School. Although his skill level in competitions was vital to the successes of each of the varsity teams he played for, his ability to lead and inspire his team to continue to be better proved to be his greatest talent. Center could always be counted on to give his full energy and effort every time he put on a Spartan uniform. His drive and attitude were infectious to those around him, and he displayed genuine care for those he played with on the volleyball, basketball and tennis teams. 

Congratulations to Dowd and Center on receiving the 2021–22  Athletic Leadership Awards.