By Derrick Smith

There are many lessons that an athlete can learn when they are playing sports and not all of them are necessarily related to athletics. Katrina Winter is a mother of three and she says that she loves all the things kids learn while competing. 

“I love sports and the life lessons learned from them,” she stated. “Competitive sports require hard work and dedication. That’s life: hard work and dedication. Training hard and persevering through hard times and slumps helps children understand that with hard work, comes results. Sports also teach kids about teamwork, perseverance, commitment, accountability, integrity, how to win with humility and how to grow from loss.”

Katrina and her husband have three children that have been part or are part of the Chisholm school district.

“Hayden is now a senior at Oklahoma State University,” she said. “He played football and ran track in high school. Ashley is a senior and she plays volleyball and tennis. Our youngest, McKinley, is a sixth grader that plays club volleyball and competitive cheer. She plans to run track in the spring.”

Though she enjoys watching her kids compete, Winter also knows that parents being involved in helping out their kids teams is also very important to the success of the team.

“First of all, I enjoy watching them compete and encourage them to work hard at whatever sport they are currently competing in,” she said. “Secondly, I try to stay involved with the Booster Club helping to provide any needs the coaches or the school needs at any time. We organize fundraisers, sell spirit gear, work concessions, provide meals, put on sports banquets, help with tournament hospitality, and any other need that might come up.”

Another important part of a kid’s development is their environment and surroundings, and Katrina says that Chisholm has been one of the best for her and her family. 

“We love Chisholm Public Schools because it is a family-oriented school system that encourages excellence in life,” she said. “The administration and teachers are very supportive of the students and encourage our children to be the best they can be in every aspect of their lives. Our coaches put in an exorbitant amount of time into our students. They teach classes, coach sports, drive buses, help with injuries and rehabilitation, host summer pride, mow the lawn, they do it all.”