The Queen of Sportsmanship: Meet Jenna Huff!

Jenna Huff is a student here at Appalachian State University during the week, but on the weekends, she is traveling across the state of North Carolina as Miss Stanly County. She is a sister of Sigma Kappa Sorority where she serves as Co-PR Chair. 

Jenna is unique in so many ways, but her Miss Stanly County platform really sets her apart from others in her generation. Her platform is all about positive sportsmanship, and the reason she chose it is very moving and inspiring.

On October 31, 2010, Jenna was running a cross country race at a regional high school meet. Her competitor was in the lead, and Jenna was quickly approaching her. With about 50 yards left in the race, her competitor felt a sharp pain in her hip, causing her to stop just short of the finish line. When Jenna saw this, she stopped and helped support her competitor, and they finished the race together. 

Because of this amazing event, Jenna was recognized for many sportsmanship awards. She was the first ever recipient of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s (NCHSAA) “Spirit of Sport Award,” the Russell Blunt “Be a Good Sport” award presented by the Durham Sports Club, and the “Heart of the Champion” award, given to her by the NCHSAA. The biggest award she received was the Jack Kelly Fair Play Award, which was presented to her by the United States Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 

Being recognized and praised for doing the right thing, showing compassion to a hurt and deserving competitor, caused her to adopt this platform. She thought she was doing the right thing, but others considered it extraordinary in the world of sports. Jenna’s goal for her platform is to teach young athletes the importance of sportsmanship because it should be the expectation for all athletes instead of the bloodthirsty, cutthroat competition mindset that most young athletes have. 

She is currently working as a coach for a Girls on the Run team where she is able to promote positive sportsmanship to her team. Her overall goal is to “assist and motivate North Carolina’s youth to become kind, compassionate members of their communities.” She has visited several local schools and speaks on her sportsmanship topic. 

Jenna will be competing for Miss North Carolina June 20th through the 25th. Her talent is almost as unique as the girl herself. She will be dribbling a basketball routine to music. The reason she picked her talent is because of how the students at the schools she visits reacted to the way she was able to do cool tricks with the basketball while wearing her crown and heels.  

Jenna is a kind, strong willed, and natural born leader. She has done so much for the Boone community through her work with Girls on the Run and Sigma Kappa. Through her service as Miss Stanly County, she has discovered a love for working with children that she never would have known if it weren’t for this amazing opportunity. 

Be on the lookout for Jenna’s People’s Choice video! The more views she gets, the bigger chance she has of being in the Top 11 in the Miss North Carolina Pageant. 

Outside Sources: 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/scott-fowler/article9050801.html

Photos from Jenna Huff

• sportsmanship