Hampshire's Dumoulin shows us the right way to be a student-athlete

Every year right about this time we reflect on certain members of the year's senior class and their careers as student-athletes.

It's impossible to give each of them plaudits, but we truly do appreciate and respect everything that each senior embarking on graduation has done in the athletic arena and we wish them all the very best for their futures.

But now and then we run across a student-athlete who exemplifies the meaning of that hyphenated word. It's OK to be a good player. But there's more to being a respected high school student-athlete than just scoring points or putting a ball over or into a net.

Hampshire senior Cassie Dumoulin is one of those student-athletes who we've watched mature into a fine young lady who will be nothing but successful for the rest of her life.

Dumoulin played her final athletic contest for Hampshire Friday as she and her Whip-Pur teammates left their hearts on the soggy turf of Rod Poppe Fields in Marengo, losing the Class 2A girls soccer regional championship match to Marian Central 1-0 when the Hurricanes scored a rain-aided goal that slipped off the hands of the Hampshire goalie midway through the second half.

"It was a physical game and both sides played with a ton of heart," said a soaked and muddy Dumoulin after Whips' coach Patrick O'Brien had delivered his final postgame speech of the season. "It's what you'd expect from a regional championship."

Dumoulin, who will play basketball and possibly soccer at Elgin Community College while she begins her studies to become a civil engineer, has seen her share of regional championships in her three-sport career at Hampshire. She went downstate in volleyball, made it to a sectional final in basketball and was a force to be reckoned with the two years she played soccer. She played on teams that won numerous conference championships and if you added up all the Hampshire wins of teams Dumoulin has played for, the numbers would be staggering.

But high school sports is supposed to be about more than just winning. They are supposed to be about positive maturation, about hard work, about respecting your opponents, coaches and teammates, and about being a good role model and leader when you get older.

In Cassie Dumoulin's case, let's just say check, check, check and check.

"We have a unique situation at Hampshire with the middle school and high school being together and you see them coming up real young and you get to see their qualities," said O'Brien. "Cassie didn't play soccer until two years ago and she turned into a super player who scored 24 goals for us this year and was unanimous all-conference.

"She's just such a wonderful kid. It's going to break my heart to enter next year without a person like Cassie."

The impact of her high school career being over hadn't hit Dumoulin yet just 10 minutes after Friday's game. But in the humble way that she's become one of the bright lights of this area over the past few years, she was quick to dole out thanks instead of reveling in her own personal accomplishments.

"I think all the things I accomplished is a testament to all my teammates," she said. "I've been so blessed to be around great people who are just awesome leaders who have made everyone better."

This young lady is one who doesn't really like talking about herself. She prefers to give others credit. Heck, she thanked me over and over this year for doing what I insist is just my job. So I had to press a little as the rain fell Friday to get her to say something good about herself, and of course it came back to what she could do for others.

"I hope I affected at least one person," she said. "I've always thought that the opportunity you have in high school sports is to make a difference in someone's life. I hope I've made a difference. That would make the four years of hard work and dedication all worth it."

Yes, Cassie, you have made a difference. And we know you will continue to do so. We also know younger athletes who have played with and around you will, if they've been paying attention, have learned the right way to be a high school student-athlete.

jradtke@dailyherald.com