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Chelsea Crouch embodied what scholastic sports are supposed to be like through her career at Bonner Springs High School. So it should come as no surprise that she earned the school's top student-athlete recognition, the Bonner Springs High School Athlete of the Year Award.

It was an honor the Chieftain agreed with, in naming Crouch its BSHS Female Athlete of the Year, an award given annually to a graduating senior.

"She was always a feisty competitor," BSHS tennis coach Bill Scott said of Crouch. "She just hated to lose."

She almost didn't play tennis though.

Scott attempted to interest Crouch in tennis back in middle school, but it was clear he was barking up the wrong tree.

"I told her that it would be her best chance to go to state in some sport at Bonner," Scott recalled. "She just laughed and said she was a volleyball player and that is that."

Much to Scott's surprise, Crouch joined the tennis team as a sophomore. Just as he'd predicted, she was a natural.

"She made the varsity right away and became our leader, even as a sophomore," he said. "She always played at the No. 1 level, either in singles or doubles. She was very coachable."

She was a great teammate to have in tennis, Scott said.

"She was also one to do things to bring more team spirit and unity, like her crazy idea to camp out on the tennis courts in tents and lock themselves in, wake up the next day, and play in a big tennis match," Scott said. "Like a fool I let her have her way on this. She accomplished what she set out to do - we still talk about that night."

In the fall of 2007, Crouch advanced to the Class 5A state tournament in doubles along with teammate Felisha Leipard. They qualified for state by finishing third at a regional tournament that was stacked with stiff competition. Scott remembers that day fondly.

"When she and Felisha qualified for state by winning a close three-set match at Emporia's regionals, they were so thrilled," he said. "I will always remember them dropping their rackets and hugging each other on the court. Chelsea said to me later, 'You know, when I entered high school I figured I would go to state some year, but never did I think it would be in tennis.'"

Scott went on to say that he would miss her leadership next year and the competitive example she always showed to the younger girls.

After tennis, Crouch jumped right into basketball, a sport where she was a three-year letter-winner. She was not the top scorer for the Braves during the season, but she claimed high-scorer honors in several games throughout the season. She was always a tough player who regularly drew the toughest assignment on defense. Having to guard some of the better players in the Kaw Valley league was no small chore, but Crouch was up to the task many times.

Although Crouch excelled at tennis and basketball, softball was her passion. She excelled behind the plate as the team's catcher, and also filled in at third base for coach Roger Davidson's squad.

Davidson was Crouch's fourth coach in four years at BSHS, making her the lone constant on the varsity squad during that time.

Before the season Crouch was asked about what to expect from her team - a team that had limited success during her time at Bonner. David said Crouch answered like a natural leader, almost like a coach would.

"I think the young girls will step up when we need them too," Davidson recalled Crouch saying. "We are building something good here, all 11 of us are committed to (the team). People are starting to take us more seriously."

She was intimidating when she played behind the plate, Davidson said. Always covered in dirt and bruises, the rail-thin senior wielded a whip for an arm and could pick off base runners. She also had a deadly bat that could plug gaps in the opponent's outfield at any given time, he said.

"She really made our team go," Davidson said. "She was our on-the-field and off-the-field leader. I was really pleased with her leadership abilities. She will be missed."

He went on to say that Crouch was undoubtedly the team's MVP, and was the catalyst for everything good that happened on offense for the Bravettes.

Crouch could have been an All-District player this year, Davidson said, but because she split time at the two positions she did not get enough votes at either to garner the honor.

Beyond the playing field, Crouch was an office assistant for Garold Baker, the school's former athletics director, and helped out with photography for the yearbook. Despite all her extracurricular activities, she was able to maintain exemplary grades and was a regular on the school's honor roll. She will continue her softball career next year when she will play for Kansas City Kansas Community College on scholarship.

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