Senior Connor Lawrence was presented with Tom Suiter’s Extra Effort Award Monday, May 14. WRAL filmed the presentation of the award at Northwood, and aired the segment Tuesday, May 22.
     Tom Suiter’s Extra Effort award is presented on a weekly basis and is given to high school student athletes who excel in the classroom and in athletics.
     “We don’t look for the greatest athletes, we just try to look for a combination of both. You know, kids with good character,” said Suiter, the creator and presenter of the Extra Effort Award. “It’s not the athlete of the week, it’s the student athlete of the week.”
     Baseball coach Rick Parks nominated Lawrence for the award because of his excellence in pitching this season and his solid academic record.
     “Connor embodies everything that high school athletics is about, what athletes should strive to be,” Parks said. “His work ethic, his grades, how he shows up at practice every day, day in and day out and shows up to the game, just everything that makes Connor who he is.”
     Lawrence not only plays baseball, but he was also a player on the soccer and basketball teams.
     “I love playing all of the sports. I think it’s important to not give up something that you love doing just to have extra time,” Lawrence said. “I love doing it, so I’m going to do it as long as I can.”
     Principal Chris Blice says that this is an “excellent” award.
     “You really have to be a scholar, you have to be an athlete, you have to have the whole package,” Blice said. “I think it’s a great statement about good things going on in our school.”
     Suiter said he receives over 100 nominations each year for potential recipients, but he chose Lawrence because of his involvement in those three sports and his good grades.
     “What I liked about Connor was that he participated in three sports. [Parks said that] when [Lawrence] took the mound, they felt like they had a chance to win,” Suiter said. “I liked the fact that he was a really good soccer player, that he was a member of the basketball team, that he was a star on the baseball team, plus the fact that his grades were really good. I always love it when our extra effort winners have really good grades.”
     English teacher Nick Winstead, who taught Lawrence in class last semester, said he didn’t think that playing sports had an effect on Lawrence’s academic performance.
     “Connor was a good student; he worked very hard. He was always very conscientious and well meaning in his work, he always tried his best,” Winstead said. “If him playing two sports while in class had an effect, it wasn’t a negative one. He never seemed to be behind; he never seemed to be slacking off or not admitting to what he was doing. He seemed to handle the balance really well.”
     Lawrence said he handles the balance well, but sometimes it takes a toll on the time he spends with friends.
     “You definitely have to know which is your top priority and I have to understand that I can’t just do what I want,” Lawrence said. “A lot of the time, I have to get my schoolwork done instead of going out with friends, but it’s definitely not like I have to give up grades or athletics for the other.”
     Lawrence is choosing between playing baseball at Guilford next year and attending UNC-Charlotte solely for education.
     “I think Connor has a bright future in front of him no matter what career he chooses,” Parks said. “I think whatever he does he’s going to be well off in life.”