Evan Steggs is a freshman wrestler at Alliance High School. At the last home duel on February 3, 2015, Evan was awarded with a Good Sportsmanship Award. During the wrestling dual against Torrington, AHS principle, Mr. Clear, read the letters from the Wyoming High School Activities Association (WHSAA).

When the Alliance wrestling team went to the Douglas, Wyoming, Evan weighed in at 113 pounds. Steggs was one of the five wrestlers competing in his weight class that had a wrestler with multiple physical and mental challenges. Three out of the five wrestlers, including Steggs, without any knowledge of their coaches, let the student win. The wrestlers didn’t just let the student win, they let him win by a pin. “I wanted him to know what it felt like to win. It made me feel like a good person and I felt happy for the kid,” said Steggs.

Mr. Clear said that the school is very impressed with the sportsmanship that Steggs displayed and wanted to acknowledge him at a home meet. He described Steggs as a high quality man and that he head heard nothing but praise about the wrestler’s conduct on and off of the mats.

A letter from the WHSAA commissioner Ron Laird states that Steggs received the award for his exemplary conduct and good sportsmanship during the Shane Shatto JV Douglas Wrestling Tournament. The letter also includes notes such as the acts that Steggs took that took him out of championship contention for the tournament. The last remarks of the letter were “Many times competitors would look for a quick pin, but these three individuals need to be commended for acting in a first class manner and allowing their peer to experience success and place third in the tournament. Too often these acts of kindness go unnoticed, but we can only hope that the decisions of these three individuals can spread throughout sports.” Steggs received this letter from Ron Laird and a letter from the city manager of Alliance. Steggs stated “I felt good about myself when they told me that I was receiving an honor. It just feels good.”

It really pleases our town and community when an athlete or just a student does something good for another. When Steggs allowed the disabled kid to pin him, he made everyone proud. Steggs proved to everyone that anyone can be a good person and do the right thing.