Poise. Composure. Confidence.

These were the traits of a true leader.

While it was easy for student-athletes to be seen as leaders on the field, the McCutcheon Mavericks understood that leadership went far beyond the final whistle.

“When you have a player-led culture, everybody’s gonna trust each other a little bit more, which means that they’re gonna work a little bit harder,” Josh Strasser said.

For many young athletes in the area, middle and high school players were the role models. They watched how they acted, listened to what they said, and mimicked what they did.

That was why being a leader in the community wasn’t optional—it was essential.

“Always acting right, having good body language around younger kids and using the right language around them,” Micah Bell said.

“Setting

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