OLIVESBURG — Elizabeth Webb, Crestview High School’s girls soccer coach, has loved sports all her life. Even as a child, she knew she wanted to coach sports some day.
In 2020, her childhood goal came true when she became the head coach of Crestview’s girls soccer team. Since then, she’s focused on coaching “well-rounded” people, she said.
“We’re not just focused on the athletics, but making sure that they’re being student athletes and good people and giving their all in everything that they’re doing,” she said.
Earlier this week, Webb was rewarded for her coaching efforts with an Ohio High School Sports Association Sportsmanship, Ethics, and Integrity award.
Webb coaches her girls to always show respect, compassion and sportsmanship for their opponents on the field, she said. According to Webb, she was nominated for the award after someone noticed the team and coaches exemplifying sportsmanship “on and off” the field.
“I’m very humbled and honored to receive (the award),” Webb said. “It’s confirming the beliefs that I’ve put into the programs that I’ve coached and just for someone else to notice that and take the time to give my name to the committee to be nominated.
“(I’m) just very honored and blessed to have that opportunity.”
Beyond reflecting the values the award is named for, coaches selected also have to serve as role-models for student athletes and others, Tim Stried, the director of media relations at OHSAA, said.
Webb didn’t know she was up for an award until the district’s coaches got together to vote for which players, coaches, and staff from the district should be nominated for the statewide awards. Someone mentioned her name was in the mix but she didn’t think anything of it, she said.
A few weeks later, she received a call for OHSAA letting her know she was up for the statewide award she would later win.
“I didn’t expect it at all, because that’s not what I go for. I do the right thing. We expect our girls to do the right thing, even if no one’s watching. So (I) didn’t expect any recognition at all,” she said.
Another coach from Ashland County, Ashland City Schools boys tennis coach Taylor Long, also received a sportsmanship, ethics, and integrity award from OHSAA this week.
