Nebo School District holds Spring Captains Academy

r During the last week of March, Nebo School District held its Captains Academy Spring Session on leadership and sportsmanship. The Captains Academy is held three times a year for students who hold various leadership positions in their schools.

Held in the boardroom at the Nebo School District offices, the academy included captains from each spring sport: baseball, softball, boys and girls track and field, boys soccer, girls golf and boys tennis. All of Nebo district’s junior high and high schools were represented including Springville High School, Maple Mountain High School, Spanish Fork High School, Salem Hills High School, Payson High School, Springville Junior High School, Mapleton Junior High School, Diamond Fork Junior High School, Spanish Fork Junior High School, Salem Junior High School, Mt. Nebo Junior High School, and Payson Junior High School.

Nebo School District Athletic Director Troy Bohling welcomed the team captains. All of the student team captains sat at the table for their sport with their peers from the other schools. The captains listened to each presenter and then visited with each other at the table and present their ideas to the entire group.

Dr. Ryan Slater with Revere Health, who specializes in non-surgical treatment of orthopedic and sports-related injuries, gave a presentation on physical training to prevent injuries and how to have a successful high school sports career. Dr. Slater was a three-sport athlete in high school and attended Brigham Young University on a football scholarship where he played wide receiver for the Cougars.

Nachelle Stewart Mackie and her twin sister, Natalie Stewart Christenot, both former athletes that excelled in track at Spanish Fork High School and BYU, gave a presentation on sportsmanship and what it means to be part of a team. They gave personal examples of running for BYU as well as examples from the recent NCAA March Madness. Nachelle is the 2012 NCAA National Champion in the 800 meter, a four-time All-American and BYU’s 2012 Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Natalie holds five track records for the state of Utah and is a U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Track and Field All-Academic and All-American Honorable Mention.

Springville High School Athletic Trainer Mark Binks discussed the importance of sportsmanship and then had the captains discuss their thoughts and impressions of good sportsmanship.

One student captain said, “Captains Academy taught me how to be a good leader and how to motivate my team to become the best they can be and help them become leaders when I leave.”

Diane Stewart, an older sister to the twins and another stellar track athlete from Spanish Fork High and BYU, presented on leadership and how a leader isn’t necessarily the boss but is a person that can lead and inspire through kindness and generosity. Diane was named to the All-Mountain West Indoor Track and Field Team and was a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation All-Academic Scholar-Athlete.

Another student-captain said, “I feel like this academy was informative and a good reminder of what type of captain I should try to be.”

Bohling said, “I was quite impressed with the thoughtful consideration students paid to the questions they were asked. These young people are often thrust into leadership because others see something good in them that their peers will follow. As these student leaders shared their insights with the group, I saw many nodding their head in agreement or writing down something that inspired them. When their peers voice the same thoughts they have, it helps them to have confidence in what they believe for themselves. Hearing the captains talking with one another about how they can make a difference with their teammates and how they can impact their team culture in positive ways is empowering and gratifying.”

A big thanks goes to Laura Salazar, communications director at Intermountain Healthcare, for the delicious breakfast and snacks as well as lunch provided for the Captains.