Accomplishments of local student-athletes truly impressive

I hate the dumb jock stereotype.

I despise it actually.

Sadly, there are some who perpetuate this stereotype, but there are many more who prove it to be completely wrong.

Four years ago, I created the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman Student-Athlete of the Year award to recognize local student-athletes who have excelled in academics and athletics.

The focus is almost always on athletic achievement. While that is warranted, more attention needs to be paid to the academic accomplishments of athletes and those who don’t even participate in sports. With this annual set of stories, I aim to take a step in that direction.

In four years, I’ve had the opportunity to profile eight local student-athletes who have done remarkable work at their respective schools. While there are many, many more who deserve recognition, I’ve been happy to share the stories of these eight students with our readers.

This year, we had the chance to choose from another outstanding group of nominees. The activities directors of the four major area high schools — Colony, Houston, Palmer and Wasilla — nominated a male and female senior student athlete. The nominees — Colony graduates Shellina Irwin and Greg Michaelson, Houston graduates Garrett Elder and Amber Acton, Palmer graduates Kendal Venzke and Tim Rockey and Wasilla graduates Paul Sliwa and Cori Schleich — were all excellent candidates who accomplished great things during their time in high school.

This year, we have a pair of winners who may not be seen as typical student-athletes.

Kendal Venzke could be one of the best overall female athletes Palmer High has produced in recent memory. She was named all-conference in three different sports, while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. But she’s also a humble person who is quick to embrace the team.

Tim Rockey has a list of extracurricular activities a mile long. He was a top baseball player at Palmer, but his work in his school and community made him a winning candidate.

This year, the Frontiersman partnered with the Mat-Su Sea Hawkers to recognize these students. The Sea Hawkers not only root for their beloved Seahawks, but members of the local nonprofit also strive to support Mat-Su youth sports and activities.

I hope this is an annual tradition that continues to grow. We’re proud to recognize the accomplishments of our local student-athletes and congratulate the winners and the nominees.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him at twitter.com/matsu_sports.