Caring about others has been a part of Annabellle Tate’s makeup since she was in elementary school.
For seven consecutive years, she received the “Caring Award” at Roosevelt Elementary.
Elayne Blessing, Tate’s lacrosse coach at Santa Barbara High, said she was not surprised by that, “because she shows caring over everything she does.”
Tate was honored as Santa Barbara High’s recipient of the Phil Womble Ethics in Sports Award at Monday’s Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon.
The junior is a leader in Santa Barbara’s Visual and Design Arts Academy. She helps run the student body, plans events and does social media for the program.
“One of her teachers said: “No matter what, Annabelle is a student that’s going to stop and help you. She makes you feel very important,” Blessing acknowledged in her presentation.
As her coach, Blessing said Tate is the one who brings the whole team together. “She is a natural-born leader. She has compassion and dedication to her sport and the team. She is the one who will make every new player comfortable, even if they never picked up a stick before.”
The coach noted that Tate’s teammates affectionally refer to her as “Homie” and the “Mayor of Hype City.
“She will be the loudest on the field, always, shedding her positive energy to everyone that’s around her,” Blessing said. “She’ll be the player that, when she knocks somebody down, she will reach back over to pick them up and help them.
“She is gracious, grateful and full of grit. Her energy is always positive.
“And I’m lucky to be her coach.”
— Noozhawk Sports Editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
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