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Prior to February 2012, Dexter Olmstead was a three-sport athlete (football, basketball and track) at Timberlake High School. Dexter was, and still is, an honor student and a member of the National Honor Society. Dexter has never won an individual award for “most valuable” but has earned awards for most improved and most inspirational teammate.
On February 18, 2012, Dexter was involved in an auto accident outside of Athol, Idaho. He suffered severe brain trauma, a broken neck, a lacerated spleen and a broken pelvis. Upon entering the hospital in Coeur d’Alene, doctors informed his parents to prepare for the absolute worst. Dexter survived that first night, yet remained in a coma for four months.
The qualities and characteristics that Dexter possessed as a student-athlete were on display as Dexter came out of his coma and began a remarkable rehabilitation and recovery. Dexter’s doctors and therapists marveled at his progress, a consistent theme among these professionals were how fortunate Dexter was to survive his accident and the amazing recovery he has made.
On August 31, 2012 Dexter returned to Timberlake High School. He donned his #51 jersey and joined his football teammates for their season opener. Dexter sat in his wheelchair giving high fives and pats on the back and served as honorary captain for the remainder of the season. Dexter set his sights on making up the second semester of his junior year, and graduating with his classmates, no easy task with the challenges that lay before him. With dedication, courage and perseverance, Dexter will walk across the stage in June and receive his high school diploma.
Dexter is an inspiration to his teammates, coaches, and fellow students and is a wonderful example of the true “Spirit of Sport”.
Dexter will be presented with this award at the IHSAA Hall of Fame banquet held in Boise on August 7, 2013.
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The Spirit of Sport award must be an individual from a high school that is a member of the IHSAA. The recipient must be a current coach or student-athlete involved with the schools’ athletic or activities program. This award seeks to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive spirit of sport that represent the core mission of education-based participation. The award may be given in recognition of a specific act or for an activity of longer duration. It could be given to an individual who has gone beyond the normal everyday expectations of assisting others within the school or community. It could also be given to an individual who has overcome some sort of adversity or challenging circumstances.
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