Winning one of the Positive Athlete of Western Pa. awards is no small accomplishment.

In fact, it's a big deal.

There were more than 1,000 nominees for the honor. Only 32 were chosen.

Two of the 32 — Sam Everson of Valencia and Matt Kraft of Cranberry Township — are from Butler County. Everson is on the fencing team at Aquinas Academy while Kraft plays tennis for Seneca Valley.

A third — Freeport's Tori Radvan — won the award last spring. She has since graduated.

These two guys are among the elite 32 because their purpose in life goes far beyond sports.

Both are off the charts academically. Everson has a 4.24 grade point average going into his junior year while Kraft has a 4.2 GPA entering his senior year.

Everson is completing his Eagle Scout project, constructing a veteran's memorial in the Middlesex Glade Run Cemetery, in September.

Kraft is active in the youth group of his church, works with food banks and assists older people with their homes. He also aided the homeless on a trip to Atlanta.

Everson founded the music club at Aquinas Academy, plays the saxophone in the marching band,and has been involved in Kung Fu for 12 years.

It's not hard to see how these two helped their respective sports in school. Kraft went to work on recruiting kids to play on the tennis team. Everson is already captain of the fencing team and is a member of the Pittsburgh Fencers Club.

Simply put, these two kids are true leaders.

Doubtless, they will continue to be leaders no matter what endeavors they choose to chasein adult life. And it probably won't be tennis or fencing.

Given all that is happening in 2020 — the COVID-19 pandemic, political warfare and racial injustice — don't we need young people like this to continue to develop into leaders and top-of-the-line citizens?

Don't we need people like this who so willingly give of their time and possess the energy to thrive in so many different endeavors?

It may seem like Matt Kraft and Sam Everson have no time to enjoy their youth and high school years.

Somehow, I'll bet they're finding time to do that as well.

Leaders aren't designated as such. They develop such characteristics on their own. They are curious and creative, energetic and active, with a yearn to learn and a will to excel.

Guaranteed, every one of the 32 winners of the Postive Athlete of Western Pa. Award possesses all of those qualities.

Some day, this world will turn around again. The year 2020 will be in our rearview mirrors.

And Matt Kraft and Sam Everson will be far from peaking in life.

They will continue to push the envelope.

And all who know them will benefit from it.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle