Haskins Earns Scholar Athlete of the Month Honor

LUMBERTON — Calling Connor Haskins a multi-sport student-athlete would be an understatement. Haskins, a senior at Lumberton High School, has worn maroon and gold on just about every playing field possible — football field, soccer field, swimming pool, tennis court and golf course — with all-conference and team MVP awards to show for.

And he’s done it all while maintaining a 4.2 weighted GPA.

Haskins’ athletic and academic efficiency earned the Lumberton High senior The Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athlete of the Month honor for May.

The AOTM program’s mission is to highlight male and female senior student-athletes within Robeson County who carry a 3.0 GPA or higher. Nominees need to also be recognized by their coaches for outstanding sportsmanship and perform with superior ability in athletic competition.

“You listen to the title (scholar-athlete) and you hear scholar first,” Haskins said. “So first of all, it’s about getting your classroom work done, taking care of your grades. I try to focus as much as I can on getting the classroom stuff done so I can participate in athletics.”

Haskins felt humbled to be added to the list of this year’s AOTM recipients.

“You look at the past winners, they’re all great people and you’re just honored to be in the same pack of people, in that same class,” he said.

When it came to his position of choice, a kicker on the LHS football team, one could argue that Haskins was in a class all his own. This past fall for the Pirates, the two-time all-conference and three-time all-county kicker booted eight field goals, pushing his career-total to 19.

The question wasn’t will Haskins kick collegiately, the question was where. In the end, Haskins chose the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, which added Haskins to its 2012 recruiting class two months ago.

“Football is definitely something I’ve put a lot of time in,” said Haskins, the son of John and Kelly. John is the women’s basketball head coach at UNCP. “I’ve been kicking since I was 11. I’ve spent countless hours out under the lights in the winter, in the rain, in every possible field condition with my dad. He’s been through it all with me, shagging balls.”

Connor Haskins, a member of Lumberton High’s National Honor Society, BETA Club and Art Club, is considering majoring in Political Sciences and minoring in Criminal Justice at UNCP.

The senior’s prowess on the football field is just a fraction of his athletic achievements at LHS. Haskins was also a two-time All-SEC and team MVP soccer player, a three-time All-SEC and team MVP tennis player and a team MVP swimmer. He also tried his hand on the golf team for the first time this spring.

“I’ve had a great time, a great career here at Lumberton High School,” Haskins said. “I couldn’t be more happy. They’ve let me do just about every sport I wanted to play. I’ve been as good as I can be all-around.

“My parents and coaches have motivated me to do my best every time I’m out there. Just being able to represent the school and community, as well, motivates me to represent Lumberton on the front of the jersey.”

This 2011-12 school year’s AOTM program will conclude with June’s winner announced on Sunday, June 3. The Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athlete of the Month awards banquet will be held Wednesday, June 6, at the Holiday Inn. There, the male and female Scholar Athletes of the Year will be announced. Each winner earns a college scholarship worth $1,500.