Tyler Baker Named January's Robesonian/Mountaire Scholar Athlete of the Month

PEMBROKE — He runs, jumps, flips and hits.

And when he’s not doing the aforementioned, he’s hitting the books.

His name is Tyler Baker, a three-sport senior at Purnell Swett High School who is a part of the Rams cross country, cheerleading and baseball teams. His achievements in the classroom and on the playing fields earned Baker January’s Robesonian/Mountaire Scholar Athlete of the Month award.

The ATOM 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.

“He is just the perfect example of a student-athlete,” Swett cross country coach Jim Adams said. “He’s been one of the reasons why we’ve been so successful in cross country the last few years.”

Baker, an all-conference runner the past two years who’s best time finishing time is 18 minutes, 1 second was named the Rams boys cross country MVP this past fall. But it was Baker’s prowess in the classroom that impressed Coach Adams the most.

“There were times when he came up to me in practice with some kind of project or paper due and he’d ask if he could work on it and run when he got time,” Adams said. “He was the kind of athlete that I could trust doing that. I knew Tyler would do what he had to do with his academics and go do his run also.”

Aside from helping Adams and the Rams shape into the area’s top pack of distance runners this past fall — Swett won this season’s Robeson County Championships, Baker also is part of the Rams cheerleading squads during the fall and winter and hits the ball diamond in the spring. Last year, as Swett’s leadoff hitter the centerfielder led the Rams in batting average and touted a .500 on-base-percentage.

All-the-while, Baker, son of Melanie and James Baker, maintains over a 4.0 weighted GPA inside Swett High School’s hallways.

“I pay attention in class and try not to get distracted, and study whenever I can and work hard,” Baker said. “My parents, they give me motivation and they push me.”

Baker also went on to accredit his grandparents, Terry and Joseph Langley. Joseph Langley, who played baseball at East Carolina University, coached Baker on the ballfield through middle school. Baker plans to attend ECU next fall and study physical therapy.

Sports Editor Kaleb Roedel can be reached at (910) 272-6111 or kroedel@heartlandpublications.com.

Each monthly Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athlete will also be eligible to receive one of two The Robesonian/Mountaire Farms $1,500 college scholarships, which will be awarded to one male and one female athlete. These winners will be named the “Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athletes of the Year.” Both will be featured in additional articles, highlighting their yearly performance.

To view previous monthly winners click here

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The partnership of Mountaire Farms and the Robesonian for the Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athlete of the Month Award begins its second year in September. 

Each month, this award will recognize a male or female athlete in his/her senior year from one Robeson County area High School, who carries a "B" average or higher. Nominees need to also be recognized by their coaches for outstanding sportsmanship and perform with superior ability in athletic competition.

Each month, the selected high school Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athlete will receive an engraved, crystal trophy, recognizing him/her as the monthly honoree, and will be featured in an article on the sports page of the Robesonian.  This will spotlight the Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athlete's academic and athletic performance and be in a print edition as well as on the sports page of the Robesonian web site.  Honorees will also be highlighted in Mountaire Farms quarterly newsletter.  Each monthly Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athlete will also be eligible to receive one of two Robesonian/Mountaire Farms $1,500 college scholarships, which will be awarded to one male and one female athlete.   These winners will be named the "Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athletes of the Year." Both will be featured in additional articles, highlighting their yearly performance, which will be in a print edition as well as on the web site and in the Mountaire newsletter.

Entries will be accepted from Aug. 15, 2011 through May 15, 2012 and should contain the following in submission:
 

• Name and gender of student;
• School attending;
• Name of school-sponsored sport(s) in which the student participates;
• Verification of grades: either a copy of the previous marking period report card or a letter from school counselor stating student's GPA (for this year's first semester marking periods, please use student's junior term final grades);
• Written recommendation from his/her coach

There is no limit on the number of submissions received each month/year from each school.

So that we may honor the first Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athlete of the Month in September, please send in your nominations beginning Aug. 15, 2011. 

Submit your nomination by mail to:

Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athlete of the Month
Attn: Kaleb Roedel
PO Box1098
Lumberton, NC 28358

CLICK HERE to view the Robesonian website and submit your nomination online.