*Blog taken from the Rhode Island Interscholastic League:

What does it mean to be an "Authentic Athlete"? How can you support teammates to be their best; while being true to yourself?

BY GRACE PELLETIER

Bay View Academy Student

Authentic means genuine and original. At first, I was puzzled by this question - how could you not be genuine in sport? Then I thought about the presentation by the Taylor Hooton Foundation regarding PED's. In fact, I have A PED free sticker on my computer. Athletes who choose to use performance-enhancing drugs are not genuine athletes. Their throw or their hit is not genuine as it is not the result of their effort or practice and is tainted by the effect of an illegal substance.

As an athlete, we all want to be successful and admired by our teammates. We want to make our school proud and our parents proud. That is why I think it was so powerful to me as a freshman that my school invited the Taylor Hooton Foundation to come and speak with us about the dangers of PED's to us individually as athletes but also the danger to our teams and sense of trust and community that would be lost if we as individuals choose to use these drugs. I know it is essential to my high school that every banner we hang is actually authentic and genuine. That all of my sister athletes and I are authentic and we are all true to ourselves, our coaches and our teammates.

In this super competitive world, it gives me permission to just be my best and that this is good enough. I have heard team's chant, "Win, Win, Win" in an effort to motivate themselves. "Work hard. Do your best" - this is a better chant.

Being an athlete has given me so much - it challenges me and excites me and motivates me. I try and encourage my teammates with a high five - specifically when they haven't had the result they wanted after a shot on goal, etc. Everyone claps when you are successful, far less when you have tried and failed. The smiles and encouraging words then are somehow more authentic and genuine and speaking solely for myself, very much appreciated.

- Grace Pelletier plays field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse at Bay View. She has attended the New England Student Leadership Conference at Worcester State University each of the last two years.