Emme Sayers Earns Joe Gillespie Sportsmanship Scholarship from Green Hornets

Multi-sport scholar-athlete Emme Sayers has been named the 2019 winner of the Joe Gillespie Award. The award is given annually to a college-bound Green Hornets scrub girls basketball senior player to recognize her dedication, loyalty, hard work and integrity both inside and outside of athletics. Sayers received a check for $1,000 from Green Hornets scrub girls coordinator Tim Fisher at halftime of the league’s championship game on Sunday, Feb. 17, at the Severn School.

Sayers is a scholar-athlete at Severna Park High School, where she plays on both the field hockey and lacrosse teams. She has played in the scrub league for four years and was the second highest scorer in the league this season. Off the court, Sayers is a Green Hornets basketball referee, a peer leader for Rise for Autism, and was recommended to participate in the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland Youth Leadership Program. She enjoys photography, fly fishing, and chess. She will study computer science in college.

“Emme’s essay on sportsmanship was praised for the way that she demonstrated sportsmanship as a player and referee,” said Fisher. “The judges felt she did the best job of capturing the spirit of sportsmanship exhibited by Joe Gillespie.

The judges saw in Emme’s application what many others who have seen her on the court already knew,” continued Fisher. “Emme is one of the finest young adults I’ve ever coached in my 25 years of recreational sports. She exhibits integrity, sportsmanship, and a love of the game that is infectious.”

“Scrub basketball has been one of the highlights of my sports career. It’s a place where girls of all ages can come together to play and have fun without the stress of tryouts or practices,” said Sayers.

“I applied for this scholarship because sportsmanship is something that is very important to me. Through this league I have learned the importance of always playing fair, being a good teammate and overall just loving the game,” she continued. “I am honored to be recognized by the family and friends of coach Joe Gillespie.”

Joe Gillespie was a Greater Severna Park Athletic Association (Green Hornets) volunteer for more than 40 years. He was the driving force behind getting girls in the Severna Park community involved in basketball and softball. Gillespie started the Green Hornets girls’ basketball program in 1972.

Two of Gillespie’s adult children and four GSPAA board members or officials served as judges. The award has been given since 2004.