Dykes garners state award

By KAITLYNN HAGER

Raymond High School senior Hannah Dykes received a W.I. A. A. State Athlete of the Week Award for the week of April 7-13.

Each week, W.I.A.A. presents six female and six male athletes with the State Athlete of the Week Award. This award is given to those who exhibit exceptional performance and exceed academic standards in the week prior.  The winners receive a commemorative t-shirt, a letter of recognition from the W.I.A.A. Executive Director, and a certificate.

“Getting the award was a really eye opening experience for me,” Dykes told the Herald. “I always try to put my best effort into everything I do, but that's just how I was raised. I never did it for an award and I never expected anything in return other than being able to perform at my best. So when my coach interrupted my class to announce my achievement, I was so shocked.

“It's nice to know that hard work really does pay off. This season has been a time of progress,” Dykes added. “Everyone is working really hard and it's paying off for all of us. I've just been running sprints and working on technique to benefit my triple jumping. I know I've been working harder than usual because of the shin splints I've been plagued with for the past couple of weeks.”