Providence Hall's Elizabeth Beebe
Elizabeth Beebe knows all about dealing with adversity.
For two years, the Providence Hall athlete couldn?t play sports because of a nagging foot injury suffered during her freshman year. It was a difficult time for her. She came to the school as a heralded athlete from La Colina Junior High.
But Beebe stayed positive and continued to attend team practices and often kept the team scorebook and did stats during games. She also kept up with her academics.
She returned to the basketball court this past winter and helped Providence Hall advance to the CIF-Southern Section Finals and the state tournament for the first time in its short history.
Beebe on Monday was recognized for her dedication and perseverance by being presented with the Phil Womble Ethics in Sports Award at the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon at Harry?s Plaza Cafe.
Keith Luberto, Providence Hall?s Athletic Director, knew of Beebe?s athletic prowess when she first came to the school. He later learned she was a student-athlete with great character.
?What truly touched me was every time I asked her how things were going, she always had a smile on her face,? Luberto said. ?You could just tell she was pushing through adversity and she had joy in her heart. It?s something for me to learn from. This happened for two years, when she didn?t have the chance to play.?
On the basketball court, Beebe plays with a tremendous tenacity. Luberto noted she isn?t afraid to dive on the court for a loose ball or battle against a taller player. In the state tournament, she went up against a highly recruited 6-4 player and grabbed 17 rebounds in the game.
?She?s a positive role model, not just for the players but the coaches, too,? said Luberto.
