LAST WEEK IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT CODY HIGH SCHOOL’S BAYLEE STAFFORD RECEIVED THE MOWER AWARD. THE WILFORD MOWER AWARD IS PRESENTED TO THE MOST OUTSTANDING MALE AD FEMALE SENIOR STUDENT-ATHLETE IN CLASS 3A/4A IN THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT. STAFFORD WINNING THE AWARD MAKES IT BACK-TO-BACK AS FORMER FILLY AND CURRENT WYOMING COWGIRL PAIGE POWELL GARNERED THE AWARD A YEAR AGO. STAFFORD ON WHAT IT MEANS TO RECEIVE THE AWARD.
“IT WAS DEFINITELY AN HONOR TO EARN THE MOWER AWARD. I WASN’T ENTIRELY SURE WHAT IT WAS AT FIRST. I HAD HEARD OF IT AND I UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS KIND OF A BIG DEAL BUT IT’S COOLER NOW THAT I KNOW MORE ABOUT IT. AND THEN, I MEAN, I WISH WE WOULD HAVE HAD A SEASON. I WOULD’VE TAKEN THAT OVER ANY AWARD BUT IT’S STILL REALLY COOL.”
STAFFORD COMPETED IN TRACK AND FIELD, RAN CROSS COUNTRY AND WAS ALSO A PART OF THE SOCCER TEAM FOR CODY. STAFFORD ON THE CRITERIA REQUIRED.
“TO MY UNDERSTANDING OR FROM WHAT I HAVE READ AND BEEN TOLD, THEY CONSIDER THE ATHLETES, OBVIOUSLY THEIR ATHLETIC CAREER BUT THEN THEY ALSO LOOK AT CHARACTER AND WHAT THEY’RE INVOLVED IN, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.”
AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR HER TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF FORMER CODY FILLY PAIGE POWELL?
“IT WAS SUPER COOL. I REALLY LOOKED UP TO AND RESPECTED PAIGE. SHE REALLY HAD A HEART FOR WHAT SHE DID AND SO IT’S COOL TO ALSO EARN AN AWARD THAT SHE EARNED.”
BAYLEE WILL BE GOING TO LARMAIE NEXT FALL TO COMPETE IN TRACK AND FIELD AND RUN CROSS COUNTRY FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING. STAY TUNED TO THE BIG HORN RADIO NETWORK FOR MORE ON BAYLEE STAFFORD.
