By Marc Thaler
Staff Writer

Neighborhood News/Bruce Preston John Stark’s Leigh Warner (left), one of 162 female student-athletes representing 15 local high schools, spoke briefly with Gov. John Lynch at the 19th annual Women’s Athletic/Academic Awards on Feb. 6.

Their arrival at the Capitol Center for the Arts wasn't without a lot of hard work.

Honorees at the 19th annual New Hampshire High School Women's Athletic/Academic Awards on Monday, Feb. 6, nearly 600 young ladies were recognized for their commitment to excellence in athletics and academics.

“If you don't have good students, you won't have good athletes,” said Christopher Bergeron, Salem High athletics director and president of the state's athletics director association. “It's difficult being a teenager. They have a lot of influences, positive and negative. We want to steer kids in the right direction. School and sports, those are both positives that help do that.”

Every award recipient had to be a New Hampshire resident in her senior year, currently active in at least two varsity sports. In addition, the talented teens had to hold a minimum B+ grade-point average, serve as positive role models to peers, and participate in community service.

Among the total number of recipients, 162 represented high schools that draw local student-athletes, including Bishop Brady, Bishop Guertin, Bow, Concord, Derryfield, Goffstown, Hopkinton, John Stark, Central, Memorial, West, Pelham, Pembroke Academy, Salem and Trinity.

Trinity's Erin Pepin was also awarded a $500 scholarship for her achievements in the classroom and on the field. Four individual scholarships were handed out, one for each of the four classes: L, I, M and S.

“I really applaud you so much for your dedication,” Gov. John Lynch said during his welcoming address. “I really do understand how difficult it is to juggle those (athletic) activities and school work.”

Prior to introducing Lynch, Stefany Shaheen, commissioner of the New Hampshire commission on the status of women, took a brief look back in time.

As an award recipient in 1993, Shaheen said she was one of 210 honored guests. Looking out on nearly three times as many females 13 years later proved women's athletics is a powerful force.

Shaheen's point was underscored by the event's keynote speaker, Harvard's Susan Ware. A Hopkinton resident, Ware's published works include the history of American women.

“In a matter of two, possibly three generations, girls who played sports went from being called ‘Tomboys' to ‘athletes,'” she said. “Or in your case, ‘scholar-athletes.'”

In 1971, the year before Title IX – the federal low prohibiting sexual discrimination against students and employees of educational institutions – less than seven percent of females participated in sports across the country, Ware said.

In 1987, the first year of New Hampshire's Athletic/Academic Awards, just five females were recognized.

While progress was made since '72 to provide young women with athletic opportunities, Ware said female sports still wasn't close to having equal footing with male athletics. Compared to roughly four million boys participating in sports in '87, approximately 1.7 million females took the field, Ware added.

Currently, 42 percent of all high school athletes are female, according to Ware.

“You are products of one of the greatest success stories in recent American history,” Ware said.

Still, the various speakers and presenters agreed there's work to be done, prompting Lynch to offer the sea of skilled studentathletes two pieces of advice.

First, he urged every girl to remain involved in the educational activities that brought her success. Second, Lynch asked every girl to consider coaching.

“It's just a wonderful way to give back to that activity that I know has meant so much to you,” he said.

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Visit www.nh.gov/csw for a complete list of award recipients.