Boyceville’s Matt Leach named WEAU’s Athlete of the Week

By Kelsie Hoitomt

BOYCEVILLE – Matt Leach, a recent graduate from the Class of 2013 received the honors of being named Athlete of the Week by the WEAU news station in Eau Claire.

The headline of the story was titled “Matt Leach, a role model for the community” by reporter Jenn Chapman.

Chapman followed Leach around the halls during one of his last few days as a senior at the Boyceville high school. She interviewed fellow students, coaches and friends. He was also filmed during a baseball game.

In school and on the field is where Matt is shown expressing his best character as he always has a positive word to say or a word of encouragement followed with a smile. That is what makes him the role model for not only his fellow teammates, but adults and young children in the community as well.

Student-athletes are nominated by a coach or someone in the school district and then WEAU chooses who will receive the recognition.

Leach is a prime example of a true student-athlete as he believes in order to excel, you have to be a student first and then an athlete.

“We’re student-athletes not athlete students so it’s good to be able to perform in school and get good grades,” told Leach in the WEAU interview.

Leach finished his high school career as a catcher for the baseball team and also was the starting quarterback on the football team earlier this year. Off the field he was a state gold medalist in Science Olympiad and completed advanced placements in physics and calculus.