Lauren Rain Williams - My choice for Sports Illustrated 2011 SportsKid of the Year
Lauren Rain Williams is one of ten finalists for Sports Illustrated's 2011 SportsKid of the Year award. All of the nominees are worthy of the award. Just being named as one of the ten finalists out of the thousands of kids nominated for the award is an honor in and of itself. Voting starts today and ends at 12:00PM EST on October 17. Vote early and often for the athlete that you feel is most deserving of this award. My choice is Lauren Williams.
Why Lauren? If you want the long version, read the blog I wrote on Lauren in June, "Do No Harm - The weekend story of a child track prodigy - Lauren Rain Williams." The short version. I first saw Lauren run in 2009 at a USATF youth track and field meet. My son started participating in track and field meets in 2009 and I happened upon an excellent web site that was dedicated to youth track and field, trackmom.com. Lauren's mom, Lorraine is the architect of the site and you couldn't help but notice the pictures she featured of her daughter. Soon, I would see Lauren run in person. What a sight to behold. I've been around athletics a long time and I know a special athlete when I see one. So does everybody else in the stands. When Lauren runs, all eyes are on her. Kids, parents and officials know who she is and there is a buzz in the stadium when she steps to the start line.
Here's an excerpt from "Do No Harm:"
This is the second blog post I've written on a young prodigy that I've had the pleasure of seeing in person. "CG's view of KG (Kevin Garnett) when he was in High School" was the first. For 11 years of my life I was a scout and front office executive with the Chicago Bulls. My main responsibility was to evaluate talent. I've seen some great athletes and players when they were very young. Besides Garnett, I also saw LeBron James play in high school and Michael Jordan when he was a freshman at UNC. Lauren Williams has the same type of eye-popping talent.
Lauren's mom, Lorraine recently wrote about her 2011 season, "Lauren Rain Williams 'Mission So Very Possible' Season 2011." Here are a few excerpts:
What many people may not know about this “special to me” track athlete is that she is very special to a lot of people, that have never seen her run. Full of life, she is generous and caring. She donates her time to Veteran’s and small children alike. Lauren is funny, a little shy and never lingers in disappointment or anger. She loves just having fun. Lauren’s quiet confidence is never missed once you get to know her.
We are continually humbled and awe inspired by her talent and eagerness to be the absolute best. Coach Henry {her dad} says she is a joy to coach because she does everything asked of her. She shows a fierce determination, commitment, and work ethic that few athletes, youth or elite have, no matter how good they are.
She, nor we, take for granted her talents and gifts, and every year it gets better and more refined. Her maturity is far beyond 12 years of age and she inspires other athletes to do their best as well.
Coach Henry and Lauren decided last year that their collective goal was to earn 9 National Championships {She accomplished her goal}. We knew this was a very big undertaking and not to be taken lightly. We also believed that she could possibly break one, if not both of Angela Williams' National Records and Aaliyah Browns' AAU and World International records as well.
In May at the L.A.Jets meet, Coach Henry said he knew Lauren could run sub 56.0 {She did, 55.31 - fastest time in nation - age 11}. Just the week before at the Pasadena Running Roses meet she shocked even coach Henry by running an anchor leg that was akin to Jessica Beard's relay leg at the NCAA’s. It was nothing short of THRILLING. Lauren closed an incredibly large gap of almost 50 plus meters. Coming within a 1 foot step of passing for the gold {only race Lauren participated in the entire track season where she didn't come in first}. That was an all time great race. I couldn’t believe it, I looked up and she was making a serious run for the lead and almost did it. That is what makes Lauren special, that level of tenaciousness and relentlessness that has no bounds. There was no reason to “kill herself” over second place; she had such a large gap to close. She could have taken it in stride and said, “I didn’t get the baton early enough,” but she said "sorry" to her teammates because she didn't make up the gap fast enough. Her split was low 56 that day.
{In June} as we walked out the house to go to Cerritos College for the SCAUSATF Junior Olympic Association meet, Lauren and Coach Henry had their heads together and he said to her this weekend is the weekend, “It’s Show Time.” She said smiling, “Daddy I feel good.” The rest is true history, 11.94 and 24.04 on finals day. No wind gauge to seal the National Record, but anyone that knows track, KNOWS that was the most spectacular {performances} by a 11 year old Midget girl EVER. {My blog "Do No Harm" was written because of this day.} The icing on the cake was a 4x100 relay win of 49.59 by the Quiet Fire {Midget Girls Relay Team}.
The remainder of Lorraine's blog details Lauren's journey in winning nine national championships.
You expect a parent to be a child's biggest booster, but I want to share an e-mail that I received from a parent whose daughter has competed against Lauren Williams. Chris Daughters and I are both assistant coaches for the Brotherhood Crusade track team. His 12 year old daughter Eleni, whom I've coached in basketball as well as track and field is the best female athlete {I've coached hundreds} I've ever coached. Chris wrote this note to me about Lauren after reading my "Do No Harm" blog:
Perfection is often easier to see than to read about in a book, and my stills and videos of Lauren over the years (in races with Eleni) have helped guide me as a coach. So as a child she certainly has been an example that guided me through the novice ranks of coaching.
Over the years I have seen a few non-race examples of Lauren's character that have again made it easy to follow her and root for her:
A sincere (not back-handed) compliment given to Eleni during their last SCMAF face-off as eight or nine year-olds - Lauren finished her 100m, turned, and was surprised to see Eleni next to her. She said laughing "Hey, I like to turn and watch everybody finish, how come you're here?"
When she {Lauren} was a ten-year old, at an early season all-comer's meet, I saw her come to a teammates aid. A younger teammate was in the worst of per-race jitters, full of tears and ready to give up. Lauren traded heats (certainly OK with the an all-comers scramble format) and lanes to support her young teammate. She spent the next ten minutes saying all the right things, because the young competitor was dry-eyed and smiling as they approached the start line. Of course, when the gun went off, there was roadrunner cartoon-like puff of smoke next to the young girl, but Lauren had done her job as a teammate and surrogate coach.
I will be rooting hard for her today, as I will years into the future.
After reading what Chris Daughters wrote about Lauren Rain Williams, now you know why I'm voting for her. John Wooden's quote on character is often quoted, "The true test of a man's character is what he does when no one is watching," and it's nice to see it lived out by a young athlete.
Lauren Williams Resume - Championships, Records And Biography - Just Click!
Lauren Williams Resume - Championships, Records And Biography - Just Click!
Please join me in voting for Lauren Williams for Sports Illustrated 2011 SportsKid of the Year. Her mother would also want me to tell you to vote early and often and to hit the back button to vote again, and again, and again. http://www.sikids.com/contests/sportskid-of-the-year-2011-vote
Lauren's 200M - 24.04 - 6/12/11
Lauren's 100M - 11.94 - 6/12/11
RESULTS:
Lauren didn't obtain enough votes from the public to become one of the three finalists for the award. Click on link if you're interested to see the three kids who are the finalist for SI's 2011 SportsKid of the Year Award.
Noah F. is 14 and a wakeborder. Bio: "With his amazing acrobatic tricks, including landing a 900-degree spin, Noah is the chairman of the board. This year, he won the 14-and-under division at the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation World Wakeboard Championships. He also won both the World Wakeboard Association’s World and National Championships last summer (14- to 18-year-old junior men’s group) and took home third place in the pro men's skim division at the World Wake Surfing Championships. An eighth-grader, Noah gives back to his community by organizing and cooking meals for the homeless."
Andre M. is 9 and is involved in martial arts. Bio: "Andre is taking the kung fu world by storm. In January, he was named the grand champion in the six- to eight-year-old division at the International Chinese Martial Arts Championships. Andre has placed first in 55 of 74 worldwide championship competitions and represented the United States at the World Traditional Wushu Championships last year. The nine-year-old is so committed to his sport that he moved to China to attend the Beijing ShiChaiHai Sports School. Andre is fluent in Mandarin and raises money for the American Cancer Society."
Cal M. plays water polo. Bio: "Cal is a brick wall in the pool. Playing goalie for the United Water Polo Club team, he was named the 10-and-under division’s MVP at the Junior Olympics for leading his team to gold. He also led his team to a championship and won MVP at the United States Club Water Polo Championships in the 4th Grade-and-Under division. For his efforts, Cal was named the MVP of the 10-and-under All-America team. When he’s out of the pool, Cal is in the Gifted and Talented program at his elementary school, where he earns straight-A’s."
Now that the public has voted, the winner will be chosen by SI's SportKids Staff. Best of luck to all. All ten kids nominated were worthy of the honor.
Comments
Post a Comment