arthur ashe leadership award
During her two seasons on the Bevill State Women's Tennis Team, Zoe Smyth has served as a captain figure for both years for both the men's and women's teams. Smyth played at the No. 2 singles spot and No. 1 doubles spot during her freshman year. During her sophomore season, Smyth moved up to played at the No. 1 singles and doubles spot.
Smyth entered into the Bevill State Women's Tennis program with a focus on helping the future of the team and her teammates. When playing various opponents, Smyth continually approaches the competition with grace and has been a light on the court, focusing on lifting her teammates rather than solely focusing on her performance.
Smyth has maintained a 3.5 GPA while at Bevill State and has been awarded the dean's list on 3 separate occasions. She was also been inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. By excelling in the classroom, Smyth has maintained the highest GPA for both the men's and women's tennis teams during her freshman season. At the conclusion of this previous spring semester, Smyth held the highest GPA for the women's team as well.
A Quote from the Head Coach
"We, here at Bevill State, are so proud of Zoe for constantly being a leader on and off the court. Her leadership has had a tremendous impact on our program that will carry over for years to come. We are so grateful for her two years at Bevill.
Zoe has helped build a foundation for our program that we are confident will last for a long time. She constantly puts her teammates first, which has trickled down to create a caring and loving atmosphere throughout the entire team. For most, the easiest way to learn is by being shown the right technique or the right solution. Zoe continues to show everyone around her how to be a great teammate/leader/person by just being who she is. Her natural ability to lead and care has not only helped those in need on the team, but in the community as well. In her short two years with the team, she has made impacts throughout our community.
I am so proud of the captain she has become and cannot wait to see what other impacts she makes on her journey through life. She deserves this honor and we are so excited and proud of her consistent hard work and dedication to others that has led her to this award." - Head Coach Eli Matthews