This week’s athlete of the week is Savanah Beavers, a hardworking and dedicated student-athlete. Savanah is a 2021 graduate from Olympia High School and Danvers native who ran cross country and track and field during her time as a Spartan. Savanah has competed in the State Meet for cross country every year since she was in 6th grade at Olympia Middle School. She has also competed in the State Meet for track in two seasons. She holds five all-state honors along with multiple all-conference, regional, and sectional awards. On top of all of that, Savanah has collected multiple awards and honors from different places in our area. She is the 3200m school record holder in track and field with a time of 11 minutes, 4.33 seconds. Throughout all of those achievements, Savanah believes that the 2017 cross country season stands out as her favorite. She stated, “The 2017 season stands out as being my favorite for the team's camaraderie and the personal growth I experienced. Throughout the season, we surprised ourselves with winning some meets and then finishing 8th at State.” She struggled with some health problems that season and learned to prioritize team success when she wasn’t able to perform her best individually.

Although Savanah is one of the most successful recent athletes at Olympia, she wants to share the message that she doesn’t “believe any achievement or goal should ever take all of you”. Savanah is just as successful in the classroom and she is on the course. She has experienced the highs and lows of the daily grind it takes to be at the top for both atmospheres. “I have witnessed and can personally atone that the path to success is incredibly tedious and challenging and is also simultaneously rewarding, but one should never risk losing themselves to the 'grind'. Success should be a celebration of who you are and how much you have grown, not a never-ending obsession that leaves your soul dry,” Beavers stated. She wants all athletes to know that you should be proud of yourself, wherever you are on your athletic journey.

Savanah will be attending Lehigh University in the fall to continue her athletic and academic careers. She will be studying physics with an emphasis on theoretical astrophysics while running cross country and track for the mountain hawks. She would like to say one more thank you to her teammates, family, coaches, and friends.