A long-time supporter of youth athletics in the southeast region has been selected to receive an award for her commitment.
Shelley Sargent, who is the superintendent of schools for the South East Cornerstone Public School Division, has been selected to receive the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association’s (SHSAA) service award for the South East region.
“There are definitely a lot of people in the South East District Athletics Association who would have (been worthy),” said Sargent. “We all do a lot for the student athletes, so to be recognized for my years of service and what I’ve done and brought forward to student athletes was an honour.”
Each year, the SHSAA presents awards at its annual general meeting, and each district selects an award winner to be honoured.
Sargent describes herself as someone who values education through sport, and views sport as an important component of what happens in the school.
“When I think back to when I was a high school athlete, high school sport was very important to me, and I think had an influence and had an impact on my life, and helped me become the individual that I am today,” said Sargent.
She appreciates all her coaches did for her when she was younger.
“I view coaching as a way to work with students outside the classroom. It’s definitely an opportunity to build positive relationships with students that then transfer back to the classroom environment.”
As a teacher, she believes she should be involved in the extra activities happening in the school.
She started teaching at Broadview School and coached several sports. She also became involved in athletics at the district level. In 1994, she transferred to Stoughton Central, where she was a vice-principal and athletic director, and in 1998 she moved to Carlyle to become the principal of the Carlyle Elementary School, where she remained involved with sport at the elementary level.
In the spring of 2012, she started coaching at the high school level at Gordon F. Kells High School.
“My children were at the high school at that time, and so I started coaching track and field at the high school, as well as volleyball. It just continued. I see such value in working with athletes and students outside of the classroom environment,” she said.
And she was a lead representative with the SHSAA from 2016-2019.
Student athletes represent a “breath of fresh air and energy,” she said, and now that she is in the role of a superintendent, she has continued to stay involved in coaching in Carlyle.
“When I’m out there working with them, coaching them and helping them become better … in a day, it’s the only time I don’t think work,” she said.
In the community, she has coached baseball in Carlyle and has been part of a Legion track and field club. During the 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games in Estevan, she was the Team South East track and field coach, and will have the same role for the 2021 Games in Lloydminster.
Sargent believes there are a lot of people in the southeast who would be deserving of this award.
“All of the schools in the area have a lot of great people who put a lot of time and effort into valuing education through sport, doing those extras for student athletes in the division,” said Sargent.
Nathan Johnson, who is the president of the South East District, said Sargent was a deserving recipient.
