The Oregon Army National Guard partners with OSAA and OACA to provide Most Valuable Teammate awards to local high school students

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Amy Elker | Nomination for Riley Ahmuty: “Riley is a leader on and off the court. She leads by example of always being early to practice, is the first one to offer help to a coach, teammate or lower-level player. An example of her "giving self" is after our largest varsity match with our cross-town rivals and a packed gym, she took it upon herself to walk with our night custodian and clear the trash from the bleachers knowing we are short on staff. Instead of going and celebrating with her friends, she chose to give back to the ones that are hardly seen for their hard work. It showed what being a true leader does. She is a player that doesn't get all the sets, all the stats, nor the recognition for everything she gives to this team and this program. I could not be prouder of the teammate she is.” - By Kristin Cooper, Riley Ahmuty’s High School Volleyball coach  

BEND, OREGON, UNITED STATES

03.14.2023

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Amy Elker 

Oregon Military Department Joint Forces Headquarters

BEND, Ore. - One of the National Guard’s primary missions is to build positive relationships with members of the local communities. This past year Staff Sgt. Dimitri Fenrick, Marketing Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC), Recruiting and Retention Command, Oregon Army National Guard (ORARNG), had a vision to extend the Guard’s relationship with local schools by partnering with the Oregon Schools Activities Association (OSAA) and Oregon Athletic Coaches Association (OACA).

“The Oregon Army National Guard is made up of citizen Soldiers who live, work and serve in the Guard locally,” Fenrick said. “It is important for us, as an organization, to support our communities.”

Originally, Fenrick said his team was asked to sponsor the OSAA basketball championships by putting up banners and having recruiter’s present at a booth space. However, he wanted the recruiters to be able to provide additional value to the students at their schools by “engaging more formally with students and highlighting their accomplishments,” he said. “Awards through the OSAA seemed to fit the bill.”

Through this partnership, coaches from any Oregon high school may nominate a participant from each varsity team for the Most Valuable Teammate (MVT) award. OSAA team events are not limited to athletics but may also include choir, band, orchestra, speech, dance, and cheerleading.

A Recruiting and Retention Non-Commissioned Officer (RRNCO) from the ORARNG will present each MVT nominee with an award at their school. Nominees also receive the opportunity to apply for a $1000 college scholarship awarded by the OSAA. Of the total nominees, one will also be selected as the overall winner for each OSAA event.

Many of the qualities that exemplify a MVT, are the same as those required for an outstanding Soldier: leading by example, willing to play any role, working hard, displaying a positive and energetic attitude, and supporting others.

In addition to the MVT award, there is also a Most Valuable Classmate award. Nominees for this award are selected by each team and school and is awarded to someone who is not part of the team, but has displayed great loyalty by supporting their peers through school spirit, leadership and sportsmanship. These nominees may include the score or record keeper, team’s biggest fan or team manager.

Oregon Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Heater, Recruiting and Retention Non-Commissioned Officer, for Bend and Central Oregon, had the opportunity to present Riley Ahmuty, a senior at Bend Senior High School, with the "Most Valuable Teammate" award on Jan. 18, 2023. Heater said Ahmuty was nominated by her volleyball coach for being a leader on and off the court. Ahmuty would go above and beyond to help others, including forgoing a celebration with her friends after a game one night to instead help clear the bleachers with a custodian after the game, knowing they were short-staffed.

Heater said this partnership between OSAA and ORARNG has been very exciting. "It's a great opportunity," she said, "for us to become even more involved with the students in our schools and support their sporting events." Bend Senior High has been very kind, she added, inviting her to share in their dinner.

In addition to recognizing students in the local community, Fenrick said this also provides recruiters with “a school point of contact, a center of influence, and opens the door, specifically for recruiting, to provide further partnerships with the school and Oregon Army National Guard resources for school events.” Some of these resources include firing off cannons at games, doing flyovers at events and providing static displays. He added that the Oregon Army National Guard is working to develop and offer Leadership Workshops at these schools.

Fenrick would love to have your help in spreading the word to coaches and athletic directors to let them know these awards are available at OSAA sponsored schools. The 2023 MVT nomination form is still open through the summer and is available at this link: OSAA – Awards

In addition, if you work at a high school or college, or know someone who does, please contact Fenrick by cell at [phone] or by email at [e-mail] to see how Recruiting and Retention Command can support that community.

• Date Taken: 03.14.2023
• Date Posted: 03.14.2023 14:55
• Story ID: 440366
• Location: BEND, OREGON, US