By TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Although injuries have kept her from performing on the pitch, that has not stopped Megan Henry from making her presence felt within the Tennessee Tech soccer program and beyond.
Henry's leadership, positivity, selfless attitude, and ability to be there for her teammates paved the way to her taking home the Tennessee Tech Athletic Department's Unsung Leader Award for the month of September.
Henry, who joined the purple and gold prior to the start of the 2019 campaign after transferring from Mississippi State, has been sidelined due to injuries, but has proven to be a valuable member within the Golden Eagle ranks.
"Megan learned that she would not be able to physically compete for us this year, which hearing that sort of news for a lot of players would have taken them out of feeling like a part of the team," TTU head coach Steve Springthorpe said. "But for Megan, that couldn't have been further from the truth. Even with the sadness she felt, Megan stepped up and played a pivotal role throughout our practices and has been a tremendous help to the coaching staff."
Aside from her role in participating in practices, over the last month, Henry has been helping during matches by patrolling the sidelines for balls that ticket out of bounds to keep the pace of play moving. Off the pitch, the Arrington, Tenn. native has been a consistent member of the TTU Athletic Director's Honor Roll throughout her time as a Golden Eagle.
"Megan is a wonderful person who has been nothing but positive and encouraging to the rest of her teammates," Springthorpe said. "Her energy on the sidelines during practices and games has helped motivate the rest of our team to work hard. Megan has had a significant impact throughout the course of the season and is a crucial part of our team."
It is for these qualities and dedication that Henry is the recipient of the 2021 September Unsung Leader Award.
The Unsung Leader Award is selected from student-athletes, who have been nominated by their coaching staff, for exemplifying outstanding leadership qualities during the past month. The leadership can be shown on the field, in the weight room, at practice, in the classroom, in study hall, on campus, in the community or for a student club or organization.
The award honors a varsity student-athlete who has made a positive impact on their team and the Tennessee Tech community as a whole, through his or her dedication to demonstrating leadership traits, such as:
- Keep learning, growing and improving
- Follow through with excellence
- Accomplish more than expected
- Inspire and motivate others
Photo by Jim Dillon
