MISSOULA — When you work in sports media for as long as I have — it's hard to believe it's nearing 20 years — stats and results start to run together.
You remember the generational talents and the goosebump-inspiring moments, but you don't remember every player who scored a bunch of points, no matter how hard you try.
The ones you most remember are the ones who excel not only on the court or field, but in the classroom or community.
I've talked to and gotten to know a lot of great kids during my journalism career. When somebody asks me for my favorite stories, though, the ones that pop into my head are about the kids who have gone the extra mile to help a bullied student feel comfortable walking the high school hallways, extended a hand to welcome a special needs classmate to their team, put their rival differences aside to create magic moments, or have just done something extraordinary in school.
To that end, MTN Sports is debuting "Class Act" this fall, a new weekly series that will highlight the student in student-athletes.
Of course we'll still profile the stars of competition and the teams chasing championships, but we're going to make a concerted effort to look beyond the playing surface.
Do you know a student-athlete with an exceptional grade-point average? How about one that recorded a perfect score on the ACTs? A multi-talented kid who succeeds in other extracurricular activities like music, Business Professionals of America or 4-H?
Or what about those people who are making their schools and communities better places for everybody?
We want to tell those stories, and we want to spotlight as much good in the Treasure State as we can. But we need your help. If you know any of these student-athletes, whether in high school or college, who are doing these exceptional things, please let us know.
You can nominate them to be featured in our "Class Act" series by emailing scores@montanasports.com. Tell us where they go to school, which sports they play and how they're succeeding outside of the arena.
We're going to start by featuring one of these kids each week. The series will air statewide in the 10 p.m. news on our CBS affiliates (KPAX in Missoula, KTVQ in Billings, KBZK in Bozeman, KXLF in Butte, KRTV in Great Falls and KXLH in Helena) and again in Monday's edition of Montana This Morning.
We have some great candidates to get us started, but we want to hear from you! Please help us shine a light on Montana's best and brightest. Again, the email to nominate "Class Act" student-athletes is scores@montanasports.com. We hope to hear from you soon.
