GREENVILLE – The Greenville athletics department awarded its highest honor, the Jack Raudabaugh Award, to a male and female student. The 2020 recipients are Morgan Gilbert and Tyler Beyke.
“The Raudabaugh Award is a very prestigeous award for our young people to get,” said Greenville Athletic Director Aaron Shaffer. “It is a highly competitive award and very prestigeous award for Greenville Senior High School.”
“It is a big honor because it shows all the hard work and dedication that you put in doesn’t go unnoticed throughout the school,” said Gilbert. “It shows that having good character overcomes just being a good athlete within the school system.”
“It is a great honor to receive the Jack Raudabaugh Award” said Beyke. “I am really pleased and I would like to thank all of my family, my loved ones, especially God, my teachers, coaches and my teammates for helping me along the way and making me the person that I am today.”
“Morgan and Tyler’s accomplishments are unbelievable,” Shaffer stated. “They are great representatives of not only our atheltic department but our school in general. These kids are the ones that make those sacrifices to be able to do a lot of great things and develop into good young people, great leaders.”
The Jack Raudabaugh Award is named after a former very successful teacher and coach at Greenville High School. To earn the award, recipients must achieve the criteria he put in place to inspire students at Greenville. Athletes, unless they are extremely outstanding, must compete in two sports, be in the upper third of the senior class, be of good moral character, willing to make needed sacrifices in order to be a good athlete, be someone team members can look up to and be a leader, not only in athletics, but other school activities as well.
The award was established in recognition of Jack Raudabaugh, a successful teacher, coach and principal in the Greenville Schools from 1937-1973. Raudabaugh served in World War II from 1943 to 1945.
Mr. Raudabaugh set forth the criteria as an inspiration to boys and girls entering Greenville High School.
Recipients must have lettered in two sports, be in the upper third of the senior class, be of good moral character, be willing to make needed sacrifices in order to be a good athlete, be someone other team members can look up to and be a leader not only in athletics, but other school activities as well.
Morgan Gilbert, the daughter of Travis and Misty Gilbert was a member of the Foreign Language Club, SADD Club, Student Council, National Honor Society, National Vocational Technical Honor Society and Skills USA-VICA.
As a Lady Wave athlete, Gilbert lettered two years in volleyball and four years in basketball and softball.
Gilbert served as GHS team Captain, was a Scholar Athlete, MVL Scholar Athlete, 2016-17, 2016-17 Co-MVP (Basketball), 2016-17 Co-Best Offensive Player (Softball), 2016-17 Co-Best Defensive Player (Softball), 2017-18 Team MVP (Volleyball), 2017-18 MVP (Basketball), 2017-18 Co-Highest Batting Average (Softball), 2017-18 Most RBI’s (Softball) and 2018-19 MVP (Basketball).
Gilbert earned numerous awards including: 2018-19 GWOC First Team (softball), 2018-19 All-Conference Team (softball), 2018-19 GWOC Softball Player of the Year – North Division, 2018-19 Second Team All-Ohio and 2018-19 First Team All-Southwest District.
Tyler Beyke, the son of Jim and Michelle Beyke was a member of Student Council, National Honor Society and National Vocational Technical Honor Society.
Beyke was a four year baseball letter winner and earned three letters in both football and basketball playing for the Green Wave.
Beyke served as a team Captain, was a Scholar Athlete, MVL Scholar Athlete, 2018-19 Best Offensive Player (baseball), 2019-20 Golden Helmit (football), 2019-20 Mr. Defense (basketball), 2018-19 MVBCA All Area Second Team, All-Darke County Football Honorable Mention.
Both Gilbert and Beyke agree hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed.
“Many times going to workouts and practices may not seem like it’s worth it all the time but in the end you can see the big picture and see that it paid off overall,” Gilbert noted.
“It takes a lot of practice, you just can’t show up game day and expect to be a good player out on the field or on the court,” said Beyke. “It definitely takes a lot of practice and hard work to make yourself the best you can possibly be.”
“Historically the Raudabaugh Award has been some of our better athletes but it has always been top of the line kids in terms of academics, school participation,” Shaffer concluded. “It is kids who have been in more than just sports.”
