Friday, September 18, 1998

Local athletes recognized for their classroom heroics

By JEFF WALKER

Staff Writer

Local athletes received state-wide recognition for their work in the classroom and in the community Thursday.

Abilene High's Sara Laster received a $1,000 scholarship from Sonic after being named the state's Scholar-Athlete of the Week.

The Cooper football team received a check for $1,000 after being presented with the state-wide Lowe's Team Award.

The Cougars donated leftover food from their Pigskin Preview last month to the Love and Care Ministries, 234 Fannin Road.

"This was a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate unselfishness," Cooper head coach Randy Allen said. "Usually we're so busy during the week preparing for a game we don't have time to do things in the community. This was one opportunity we had, and I'm proud of our guys and our community."

The Cougars will not keep the money, however. After holding a team meeting, the team decided to give the money back to Love & Care, a local ministry for the homeless.

"It was something that laid in my heart," said Mark Hewitt, director and pastor of Love & Care. "The way they helped people, I wanted them to know what kind of impact they made on us."

Hewitt sent a letter to Allen thanking him and the team for their efforts. Allen forwarded the letter, along with information on the community service the team has performed, to Texas Football magazine.

"Mark wanted to thank the football team for their work and for the 30-hour fast some of the players had done," Allen said. "There were several players that did the fast, I'm not sure all of them. But I faxed the form and Tuesday got the call that we won the award."

Laster and the Cooper football team will both appear on a future episode of High School Sports Extra, which airs on Sunday on Fox Sports Southwest (channel 27 on TCA Cable in Abilene).

Producer of the show, Keith Fletcher, explained how Laster was chosen.

"People submit academic reports, grade point averages, class rank and sports activities," he said. "The Sonic people choose the winner and we recognize them on our show. We try to balance everything out regionally, so we get a couple in El Paso, a couple in Amarillo, a couple in Dallas."

Laster said she isn't sure where the money will be used.

"Right now I'm looking at (Texas) A&M and some other places," she said. "I plan to major in some kind of engineering field."

The senior, who plays volleyball, basketball and competes in the high jump, didn't expect to win the prize.

"It's very exciting," she said. "I didn't even know I was nominated. I was surprised and a bit overwhelmed."

Lowe's and Sonic each donate $40,000 per year ($1,000 for 40 weeks) towards their respective causes. Lowe's also awards a grand prize at the end of the year for $10,000.

Jeff Walker can be reached at 676-6711 or sports@abinews.com.