FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A Fayetteville boy who serves as a cross-country guide-runner for a visually impaired West Fork teen won an award for his sportsmanship.
The Musial Awards celebrate all the greatest moments of sportsmanship for the year. Fayetteville fifth-grader Rebel Hays won the Musial Award for Extraordinary Sportsmanship at the award ceremony last month in St. Louis. Hays is a cross-country guide-runner for West Fork sophomore Paul Scott, who is visually impaired.
“It’s just a really high award in that if you can help people maybe you won’t get the award, but you just know you are doing something good for someone and that’s a really big part in this world,” Hays said.
Hays was in second grade when he began being Scott’s guide runner after his family heard he was looking for one. When Scott was in junior high at West Fork, Hays guided him on two-mile runs and this past fall 5K races in high school.
“It’s been really great because he gets to challenge him and he gets to complete his goals and on the other side, I get to complete my goals and I think it’s great and he has a lot of fun,” he said.
Paul Scott says he’s very thankful for Hays and that he was very deserving of the award.
“He is very special, someone as young as him. He uses his own time. He sacrifices his own time to help others," Scott said. "I love running very much because it isn’t just a sport, it’s a way to really refresh your mind."
Marc Schrieber is the vice president of the St. Louis sports commission. He says they were very impressed with Hays’ character and kindness to do what he does because his name doesn’t appear in the race results. He says it really embodies the spirit of the Musial Awards.
“The glory he gets is the fulfillment of what he’s doing through his kindness and selflessness," he said. "It is really something to see a 12-year-old have the poise, maturity and understanding to know the impact that he’s able to have."
The 2021 Musial Awards will air on Channel 5 at 4 p.m. on Christmas Day. You’ll be able to see Rebel Hays be honored along with eight others.