True triple threats
BUTLER TWP — Excellence times three — an apt description of Lance Slater and Tori Stevenson.
The 2023 Butler graduates recently received the school’s Tri-Athlete awards from the Northern Area Athletic Director Association. To be eligible for the award, athletes must letter in three sports in one year.
Slater played football, basketball and baseball at Butler. He is headed to Gannon University where he will play baseball and major in engineering.
“When I was in 10th grade, some people told me I should focus on baseball, refine my skills there and not play any other sports,” Slater said. “I’m glad I didn’t listen. I’ve enjoyed every sport and I made new friends through every sport.”
Stevenson played soccer, basketball and lacrosse for the Golden Tornado. She’s been a three-sport athlete since seventh grade and was named MVP of the girls lacrosse team in the spring. She is headed to Grove City College and will play soccer and lacrosse while majoring in bio-medical engineering.
“I definitely recommend playing multiple sports in high school,” Stevenson said. “It makes you a better athlete by learning different aspects of every sport.”
Originally recruited to play soccer at Grove City, Stevenson decided to take on lacrosse as well.
“I’m excited about doing both,” she said. “I’ve talked to the coaches and they’re going to work it out schedule-wise. I’m happy about that.”
Both carrying high grade point averages as well, Slater and Stevenson relished the high school athletic experience. Slater was a wide receiver in football, a guard in basketball and shortstop in baseball. Stevenson played outside back in soccer, shooting guard in basketball and midfield in lacrosse.
“Lance could blow past defensive backs in football, guarded the other team’s best scorer in basketball and had a lot of range at shortstop,” Butler baseball coach Justin Forbes said. “There’s no doubt each sport helped him in the others.
“He developed outstanding hand-eye coordinaton and a lot of mobility. Those things played big in his development as a baseball player.”
Slater agreed.
“Play different sports, you use different muscles,” he said. “You naturally become more athletic.”
Stevenson admitted to growing tired at times. She played club soccer as well and lacrosse would overlap there. Basketball would overlap lacrosse practice as well.
“It was still worth it,” she said. “I enjoyed all three sports too much to give up any one of them. And when I was recruited by colleges, they were encouraged by the fact I was a multi-sport athlete.”
Carrie Gamper completed her first season as Butler girls lacrosse coach and presented Stevenson with her Tri-Athlete award during a ceremony ion April at the Chadwick in Wexford. She also presented her with the lacrosse MVP award during the team banquet at Butler Country Club last month.
“Tori played at a high level in all three sports,” Gamper said. “The defensive stance you take in basketball is very similar to that in lacrosse. Her speed in soccer translated to her speed on the lacrosse field.
“Playing two sports in college is an incredible feat these days. Tori will pull that off. She’s a go-getter who works hard, plays physical and has a commitment to getting better.”
Forbes said of Slater: “He has an incredible work ethic, time management skills ... He knows how to prioritize things.”
While three-sport athletes are uncommon in Class 6A, Forbes said Butler has more than its share.
“You don’t see as many three-sport athletes at Pine-Richland, North Allegheny or Seneca Valley, compared to us,” he said. “We played Seneca Valley in baseball and they had Division 1 recruits coming off the bench. We don’t have that kind of depth.
“I appreciate three-sport athletes and the attitude and commitment it takes to do that. These kids and others like them should be commended.”
