Matthew S. Greene Student Athlete Scholarship

Many believe they understand what being a good teammate entails, but may be missing the most important component. I always thought I possessed the attributes of a good teammate: supporting others, staying positive, working hard, pushing others, and communicating clearly/respectfully. In my eyes, these are things that contribute to being a good teammate. Good teammates are vital to the success of not just the team, but also to you individually. While these are extremely important parts of being a good teammate, one attribute is missing. That attribute is showing up for your team. Matt demonstrated what being a good teammate was, and I got to experience it first-hand. In middle school, Matt was my coach, and every single day he showed up for his team, not only that, but he also showed up with a smile on his face despite the battle he was facing. This opened my eyes to a whole new light and showed me what many are missing. We often let our own battles get us down and in turn, spread that to those around us. Matt showed me that no matter what I may be going through, it’s still my responsibility to show up for my teammates. I have been on many teams throughout my basketball journey, and the one that was most important to me was the Spring Valley Girls Basketball team. I was grateful to have played with amazing players for the past 4 years and to be a part of something so special. In my junior year, my teammates and I were able to do something never done in school history by winning the first girls' basketball state title for Spring Valley. I know if Matt were there that day, he would have been the best teammate once again. Being around people striving to achieve the same goal and pushing each other to be better was truly an experience I will forever be grateful for. I created countless memories, friendships, and personal growth that I wouldn’t have been able to get without this team. Another team I want to give credit to is my community and family. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve one ounce of what I was able to. On days I felt defeated or that I was not good enough, I always had someone lifting me up. God has always been my number one teammate and biggest supporter. I leaned on him more times than I can count throughout my basketball career. Knowing that after a bad game, he would still be there to support me, just the same as after I played well. A significant struggle I had was deciding if I wanted to play basketball in college. I did not truly start to think about this major decision until High School. When coaches started reaching out, the anxiety and uncertainty were scary. Everyone was asking me about college basketball, and I didn’t have an answer. I felt like I had to play college because it was what people expected. I was in a battle with myself about what to do, but I was able to come to a decision, not on my own, but with the help of God. After talking with Him, I realized I knew exactly what I wanted; the conflict came from what I thought was expected. God never cared whether I played in college or not. He cared about me doing what makes me happy. As Matt always said, “Play Hard, Don’t Suck”, which is now something I will be carrying with me off the court and onto my next journey.

At first, I thought I knew exactly which year of basketball and team I would talk about. The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized that the most important year for me and my character development has been this year. Yes, my team last year was definitely better with older players with high basketball IQ's, along with everyone knowing their roles and taking us to Spring Valley's first boys basketball tournament win at the West Virginia High School State Championships. That year was mentally easy; this year, I took the role of the only 4-year senior who had any varsity experience at the highest level of competition in WV. This year taught me what it means to be mentally tough and a true leader who knows how to overcome adversity. There are many ways to be a good teammate. Being a good teammate isn't just about how well you play or perform in your sport; it's about how you affect the teammates that surround you. A good teammate is reliable and unselfish, always there for his teammate, sharing both adversity and joy. I had that last year from the older guys always encouraging me, but this year was very different from last year for me. Last year, I was on a team with 5 other seniors who had 4 years of high school experience, along with some who had 3-4 years of varsity experience. Being the only junior starter took a lot of pressure and responsibility off my shoulders. This year, I was now the role model whom everyone else looked up to. All the pressure was on me, especially since this year's team starting consisted of 2 freshmen, 2 juniors who had just transferred, a senior who hadn't played since his freshman year, and me. I had no choice but to be the best teammate and leader I could be. I am personally not a loud or outgoing person, but I had to be good with communication and helping my teammates so that we as a team could succeed. My faith is a huge part of my life; I am a Christian, and that team is the most important I will ever be a part of. My faith this year has no question been tested on and off the court. I struggled mentally this year, and at some points was lost in myself. God was there for me whenever I needed him. This year in basketball, I struggled with how hard this year was consistently going to be on me. Nothing in the terms of basketball came easy or was handed to me at all. Outside of basketball, there are many temptations that a senior in high school has to face head-on. I held fast to my morals and beliefs, and this helped me get past all of the hard times and temptations.

Being a good teammate can be defined in many ways, yet the only way to understand it is through experience. The character, bond, and integrity you build being around the same brothers for the long 3+ hour practices early in the morning is undeniable. Playing a wide variety of sports, such as baseball, basketball, soccer, golf, and cross-country, has forced me to have countless teammates on different teams throughout my 14 years of athletics. Being a good one is not as common as most would think. It takes courage, leadership, trust, and, in my opinion, the most important accountability. You aren't just there for them whenever; you have their back always. Whenever someone messes up, it's your job to pick them up as well as it is hold them accountable for their mistake, depending on the situation. I have given my effort to be the leader on every team I've been a part of, and coming with that, I have learned that you have to walk the walk and talk the talk. In other words, someone a lot smarter than me said, "Play Hard, Don't Suck." Taking on this role, however, comes with leading by example, and that is something to carry throughout life. Throughout sports, the most important team I have been on is my senior season baseball team. This has been the same group of teammates for 10 years, growing up and playing baseball through my life. In particular, this team means so much to me as it is all my childhood friends. We are all playing together again at the highest stage we can in high school makes me miss little league and t-ball. I can see how much development all of us have gone through to be who we all are today. Being able to be the leader for the team, however, and to be the difference maker with the group I have been with since I started sports, gives a sense of confidence. The team chemistry and trust we have for each other is unmatched by anything I have been a part of before. Going through a major, unfortunate accident the week the season started, they showed unconditional support and love for me as well. Carrying faith on and off the field is something I will never take for granted again. As I recovered in the hospital on a vent from an electrical fire the week the season was supposed to start, I realized how much of an opportunity playing the sport I loved really was. Seeing how outside life goes on from inside the hospital bed showed me that every day is a blessing. The relationships and bonds I have made from playing sports are great, but overall, nothing would be possible if it didn't line up with God's plans. My situation of being on a vent for 4 days, getting taken off on the 5th, and leaving the hospital on the 6th day proves to me that faith and prayer do work. This thankfully carries onto the field as well, as I have made a recovery and am back to playing after only missing 3 games. Before every game, now, we conduct a prayer circle to give thanks for the opportunities we are given. Following God's path and a few encouraging words from Matt Green of "Play hard, don't suck," we are continuing our work to bring home the first state championship for our High School in baseball. Thank you.

A good teammate has several contributing factors. Being a good teammate can lead to the success of a team but can also contribute to the growth of a person in life. One key factor to being a good teammate is supporting one another. Without the support and trust of your teammates, you are bound to fail. Another key factor is providing a positive attitude everyday no matter the circumstance. Your teammates are like your family, and they should be able to rely and trust you. In addition, having leadership qualities and being a leader on the court/field is something everyone should strive to be as a teammate. As I try to be a leader on every team I’ve been on, I have come to learn that not every leader needs to be the loudest person on the field. Leadership can be shown in several ways including your actions. Leading by example is something that will carry over from sports into life as I’ve learned throughout my career. Being a good teammate does not depend on your personal skill set, although, someone once said to “Play Hard and Don’t Suck”. During my sports career I’ve been on numerous teams, almost too many to count. But my most important team is God, my family, and my community. One of the members of my team was Matt Greene. When I received my offer to play softball at Marshall University, I drove straight to the Spring Valley football game where the first person I encountered and told was Matt. Although he was struggling with his health that evening, he hopped up out of his chair and gave me a big hug and told me how proud he was of me. That night Matt exemplified every characteristic of a good teammate, and that is why he was a part of my team. Without the help of my family and community I would not be where I am today in my athletic career. My success as an athlete is a direct reflection of my family and community being amazing teammates to me. Although, I don’t have anywhere near the level of faith and service that Matt Greene possessed, I’m striving towards it. God is the ultimate teammate in life, and I understand that no matter how well I perform or don’t perform, He is still on my side. Even when I have a bad game, He tells me that I don’t suck.

Throughout my entire life I have been involved in sports. I have been on a countless number of teams, and I have played alongside even more teammates. However, I have only had one teammate that has not failed me in even the slightest way, God. To me, a good teammate means to reflect the actions of the one who is faithful to everyone. To be a good teammate does not always mean you have to be the best player. I grew up playing basketball, volleyball, and softball. In all three sports I can admit that I was not the best out there. I can remember when I was eight years old playing travel softball, and I sat on the bench more than anyone else on our team. Most games I would not get in until the third or fourth inning. I’m not saying that I was a better teammate than all the other girls, they were great, but I always tried my best to be the loudest in the dugout when my teammates did anything good, I wasn’t mean to another girl because I wanted her spot, and I never complained to a coach about what I didn’t get. A good teammate can work hard on their sport while also picking up the people around them and reflecting a positive attitude. A few of the best teammates I have had come from a travel team called the Ohio Hawks. This was a travel team I played on during the summer of 2022. This team was especially important to me because I gained three girls that are still important to me to this day. Their names are Paige, Khamil, and Kaliah. If I had never been on this team then I would not have gained three girls who still text me to check up on me even though we live thirty minutes from each other, girls who support me, and three amazing girls who help me see the positives in life. However, what I adore most about them is that whenever I come to them about a genuine problem, they always tell me they are praying for me. I often forgot that I have people who are willing to tell me that my life is in Gods hand, but that is why this team became the most important to me over my eleven years playing sports. One of my biggest battles throughout my time playing sports was my recruiting process. My hardest decision was having to pick a school, but all the pieces started coming together when I realized I was not the one in charge. When I thought I had made my decision about where I wanted to go, God presented me with information I did not have before. I went on a visit to this school and experienced what the player to coach interaction was. After seeing what I had seen that day, I was crushed. This was the school I was dead set on, and I was devastated. On the way home after talking to my mom I decided to commit to my second option at the time. I did not know it then, but it was the best decision I had ever made. I kept reminding myself this is what God has planned for me, and that is what got me through the overthinking and sleepless nights. Ever since then I have received signs of why it all worked out this way. The only other thing that can get me through a tough game are the words, “Play Hard, Don’t Suck.” In the end, God will provide.

A good teammate is so much more than someone with whom you play a sport. As my high school football career ended, I walked back into that locker room defeated, I felt beyond repair. All the hard work that I put in through the season felt like it was for nothing. However, amidst the storm of my despair, a beam of light shone. Many of my fellow teammates came up to me, telling me I had done a good job, and that I did all I could do. These teammates were the iron that sharpened my iron. They showed that being a good teammate means being reliable not only on the field but in the real world as well. If I needed advice for anything, they were there; their exemplary attitudes and desire to put others first are just a few of the qualities that made them good teammates. The most important sports team I have been a part of is, undoubtedly, the Spring Valley Football team. Playing and training with those coaches and that group of men gave me more than just the ability to play football. I met lifelong friends, learned discipline and responsibility, and experienced a brotherhood that goes beyond blood. Through hardships and victories, we learned to rely on each other and developed trustworthy relationships. As you become friends with someone, you build a foundation that will last, but if you do not maintain that foundation, the relationship falls apart. The best example of this is our relationship with God. I have had a relationship with God since before I could remember; my mom made sure I made it to every Sunday service until I could drive. This gave me a strong, powerful foundation for faith, and kept me from straying too far from my beliefs. That foundation has helped make me who I am today. It is that foundation and my faith in God that gets me through difficult times. When my papaw passed away, I was beyond depressed. I spent most days sitting in my room, playing video games, asking why it had to be him. The continual pondering of this question led me to Philippians 4:11-13. These verses tell us to be content with what we have as there is always something worse that could happen and reassures us that we can do all things through the power of Christ. Reading these verses led me to research about the apostle Paul who wrote them. Paul was a minister who was greatly persecuted: through beating, starving, and freezing, he continued to teach God's word. This inspired me to change my perspective on life. I did not want to view things negatively as I had been. Since then, I have chosen to look for the good in all things, to find the beauty in God's creation, and to search out the positive even in the worst circumstances. Changing my perspective has brought me so much closer to God. I now understand that, even in losing my Papaw, I can choose to focus on the blessing of having had such an amazing man in my life, rather than dwelling on my loss. This mindset has helped me to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles on and off the field. Knowing God helps me grow as an athlete and an as an individual. Studying God’s word gives me peace, comfort, and the guidance I need to navigate through all of life’s ups and downs; while being part of a team has taught me to always give my best effort, to play and work hard, and hopefully: “not suck.”

In the top of the 13th inning of the sectional championship, the visiting team went up one run which ended the Spring Valley Baseball Team’s season. In that moment, I was crushed. This was the season our team was supposed to win the AAA state title, but we fell short. I won’t forget the feeling of unshakeable loneliness during this moment. Even though I was surrounded by the best teammates a player could ask for, it seemed we couldn’t find hope or encouragement in each other. This feeling sparked a need for change in me, but I questioned how I was going to create it. Then came my senior year, and it was my time to make a difference in my team. As a senior, I was able to lead the team to the best of my ability through words of encouragement, and maybe some tough love. My favorite phrase being, “Play hard and don't suck” courtesy of Matt Greene. Being in this leadership role allowed me to stress the importance of treating each teammate as a brother, so that we could work together rather than apart. I encouraged our team to think positively during this season. Though not every game was going to go our way, it was important to maintain a positive attitude so that we could continue to show up with a want to win attitude every day. This team’s bond has shown how successful a team can be when it is created with positive, good teammates. I feel that a positive teammate can make the environment enjoyable for all involved. Good teammates can also change the demeanor of a team for the better. Every single athlete on my team deserves respect and a person to lift them up during the highest highs and the lowest lows. I have tried my hardest this year to become that teammate for the most important team I have played on. Though I have played on many teams growing up, the 2024 Spring Valley Baseball Team has been the most important because we have something to prove. We want to prove that we work just as hard as every other team and deserve to win the state title. Our goal this year is to win sectionals, regionals, and state, one step at a time. Not only did we set big goals, but our teammates all worked every day towards the same goal with relentless drive and effort. This season started off a little rocky for me, and I felt I was letting my team down. I could not spare a base hit to save my life, and it seemed like all my training and my mind was failing me. Midway through the season, anxiety had taken over my whole life. My attitude, my decisions, and my performance on and off the field suffered. One Sunday, I decided to make a change. I went to a service at Christ Temple, and I truly feel like it has changed my performance in baseball and life for the better. The sermon felt like it was meant specifically for me and my recent struggles. Since that one Sunday, I have consistently been going to church allowing my anxiety to decrease, started re-building my relationship with God, as well as living life through him. Baseball has become enjoyable now and I’ve been able to turn my performance around. Though baseball can be difficult, I know that God will lead me to preform to the best of my ability and be the best teammate but most importantly person to all my brothers. Thank you!

What does it mean to be a good teammate? I get this question quite a lot. Being a good teammate means you will do anything that your team needs no matter how hard it might be. A good teammate will never turn their back on their team: their family. I have seen teammates go against their team and you can see how it really affects everyone. A good teammate will stand up for their team and will be there when you really need them. You will make sacrifices and never leave your teammates side when their in need. When you have this type of team that you are willing to do any of these things for you have an important team in your life. I have been on many different teams in my life such as softball, basketball, soccer, and volleyball. Yet, the most important team I have been on has been the Spring Valley High School Swim team. This swim team is my second family. We have spent countless hours in the pool and have swam thousands of yards together. Many things have happened in our lives during this season and we are all there for each other. I have had the same coaches on this team for the past four years. They have seen my skills improve yet still continue to push me daily to get better. Not only has my team taught me valuable lessons, but so has the sport. When you are in the pool you realize how hard you have to push yourself to succeed and beat your previous time. It is a constant mental battle every time. When I had my first meet as a freshman competing against more experienced seniors I was absolutely terrified. I was so scared the first thing I did and the only thing I could do was to pray. So now before entering the water on any event I pray. It helps me to realize that I am not alone. It helps to center me and to make my legs quit shaking. During my first event at regionals, this year, my relay team suggested we pray before we dove in to try and beat our previous time and hopefully have a spot at going to the state tournament. So, in front of over three hundred people we circled around eat other and put our hands on top of each others swim caps and prayed. Not only did we pray but we prayed out loud, which was great because I knew I not only had my family around me but other children of God by my side no matter the outcome. We had teams finish strong enough to head to Morgantown to the state tournament. I was asked by my coaches to be the alternate on the 400 yard freestyle relay and the 200 yard freestyle relay at the state tournament. It was an easy yes for me. I had swam those relays all season and I was really bothered when I got pulled off of them for the potential that the coaches saw in another swimmer. I wouldn't be a good teammate if I chose to be bitter about not being about to swim at the state tournament or thought I got cheated out of a spot. So instead I choose to be their biggest fan and cheerleader but also their insurance policy as an alternate. I feel like my job as their teammate now is to encourage them and pray for them.