Congratulations to our three award winners!
Trenton Meisetschleager - Athlete of the Year
Congrats to Trenton Meisetschleager, from Moutlon, TX on being named the 2022 Athlete of the Year.
Coach Sam Swinford had this to say about him, “He was a great traveler and teammate throughout the entire trip – he was always punctual, was quick to make an effort with new teammates, and dove into all of the experiences with both feet. On the court, he had 4 good games and was impressive with his effort and energy while in the game and on the bench. In addition, his family were also great guests and were extremely supportive of the team and the trip from start to finish.”
RUNNER UP: Carter Frego from Fairhope, AL. Coach Greg Blythe had this to say about Carter, “He always had a smile on his face, competed hard, fully immersed himself in the experience. Just a great kid all-around.”
The 8th annual STUDENTathlete of the Year award is our highest honor given to our travelers. This traveler demonstrates athletic success in International competition. But that’s just part of the story. This traveler also appreciates the culture and diversity of the different places we visit. They display awesome patriotism and interact positively with our new International friends and make a strong positive impression about America! They demonstrate leadership throughout the trip with their teammates and coaches. READ MORE HERE.
Jamie Koepp - Coach of the Year
Congrats to Jamie Koepp on being named the 2022 Coach of the Year.
Coach Koepp served as the Tour Coordinator for our Portugal and Spain Tour and also led the U17 Boy’s Basketball team to our first ever Gold Medal at the Portugal Basketball Festival.
SaW President Tim Ryerson had this to say, “Coach Koepp is one of the most impressive tour coaches we have come across. He was amazing on tour with us in 2021 and we asked him to come back in a leadership role in 2022. He exceeded lofty expectations! He was so great during stressful travel days in the airport and handling all the little issues that come up on tour. He’s a great communicator prior to traveling. And, he’s fun on tour. If we had to Frakenstein a perfect tour coach, he’s it.”
RUNNER UP: Sam Swinford from Marion, IL. SaW President Tim Ryerson had this to say, “Sam is a former SaWUSA athlete. He was amazing on his first tour as a coach. Athletes and parents loved him and he was an amazing communicator. The confidence and ‘get it done’ attitude he had made me actually reconsider my opinion of Millennials :).”
The 8th annual Coach of the Year award is our highest honor given to our travelers. The selection is based on; helpfulness in trip preparation, post-trip survey results from parents and athletes, commitment to team safety, commitment to trip morale, athletic competition success, and a commitment to well-being of our STUDENTathletes. READ MORE HERE.
Butch Lehman - Guest of the Year
Congrats to Butch Lehman on being named the 2022 Guest of the Year.
Coach Sam Swinford had this to say, “Butch was supportive of all of our athletes throughout the trip. He made an effort to learn names and backgrounds of each player on the team, took time to make an effort with the other parents, and jumped to action as a second set of hands as we navigated the airport when our initial flight was cancelled (Butch took the initiative with the group that had to route through Boston, while I went to Dallas.) He made sure every one had what they needed to have a successful weekend.”
RUNNER UP: Joe Scialampo, from Ladson, SC. Coach Greg Blythe had this to say, “Big Joe Scialampo kept a good attitude, gratitude, and bonded well with other families.”
The 8th annual Guest Traveler of the Year award is our highest honor given to our travelers. This ‘Trip Mom’ (or Dad) makes the trip better for all travelers. They are great at ‘going with the flow’ and handling the ups and downs of International group travel. During the trip they help the SaWUSA staff care for each traveler by going above and beyond to assist other travelers, especially those traveling without parents. Most importantly, they make the trip more enjoyable just by being along for the ride. READ MORE HERE