Clyde’s Corner

Dalton Satkowiak selected for Grant W. Whitaker ‘Leadership through Character Award’

by Clyde Whitaker

Hello everyone! I have to admit that I had writer’s block about what to write for my July “Clyde’s Corner” column. Fortunately, a story became available last Monday, June 6, during the presentation of a “Leadership through Character” baseball award named for my son Grant William Whitaker.

After Grant, an Ingham County deputy sheriff, was killed in the line of duty in 2014, an annual baseball award to honor him was created in 2015.

The baseball award is for a player who exhibits leadership and character. The player does not necessarily have to be the best player on the team, but a player who is well liked, respected, a good teammate and a person of integrity — like Grant.

This year marks the eighth year of the award presentation, and there were three nominees.

Dalton Satkowiak was chosen as this year’s recipient.

A total of 11 people voted on the award: five teachers, one administrator, one custodian, one office staff member, and three coaches outside of baseball.

Every year, different people vote on the award; it’s never the same people. I did not vote, and none of the current baseball coaches voted.

When you consider the composition of the 11-member team voting for the recipient of this award, it is clearly designed to go to someone who is well respected at the school. Dalton is the perfect recipient of this year’s award!

I did not know Dalton until I met him at the youth baseball camp held recently. What a humble and nice young man he is. I was impressed with the encouraging way he worked with the kids. And the way he had of just being there to help out his varsity baseball coach, Mark Vandenboom, was awesome.

Dalton obviously has good parents. His father is Jason, his mother is Colleen, and he has three sisters, Melanie, Alexis and Emily.

I could not be more thrilled with this year’s award recipient. He follows in the footsteps of seven previous recipients who were also great young men. I believe Dalton has a fantastic future ahead of him.

Good luck Dalton! Always hold the old “Orange and Black” close to your heart.

Clyde Whitaker is a 1973 Stockbridge graduate. He and his wife, Mary, raised four children in Stockbridge, and they still reside in the Stockbridge area.