Maddie Belan Impacts Her Peers

Maddie Belan is a senior at Elkins High School. She is a student-athlete who participates in in-school and out-of-school extracurricular activities. She has been a hardworking student since the start of her education. Maddie’s favorite activities are the sports she plays. “I prefer to do something involving my sports,” said Belan.
“My favorite sport is basketball because it’s fun, and I’m good at it,” Belan said. She’s played basketball since the first grade as a point guard or anywhere they need her. She wore #22 for the Lady Tigers since freshman year. Belan is working towards playing basketball in college and hopes to have a future out of it. She enjoys the team environment, as most of her friends play basketball with her. Although it is her favorite sport, she still enjoys the other sports nearly as much.
Soccer was Belan’s first sport, as she had played it from 5 to 17; this year was her last season playing. She is #5 on the field and starts games as center defense. “I try to stop the other team from scoring as many points as possible,” Belan stated. “Being a member of a continuous really good girls soccer team is one of my best accomplishments,”
Highland Dance has been a long part of Belan’s life. She has been dancing since she was 6, which is very important to her. She has many routines she performs in front of crowds. Just recently, she danced in a Mountain State Forest Festival competition. “It can be challenging having a busy schedule with school, sports, and other activities,” Belan said. Although she still succeeds in all of them.
Belan is an honor roll student and a part of the Honors Society. She has great grades and is positive in most of her classes. “Maddie is very hardworking,” said her peer and teammate, Erin Collins. Belan says math is her favorite because “it’s easy because I’m better at it than other subjects.” She is also a part of the class council student government and attended the homecoming court as a 2024-2025 princess.
Belan is also good friends with many of her peers. Her closest friend Karah Bennet said, “Maddie is a good person to be around.” Her friends enjoy playing sports with her as well. Her teammate Allison Lindsey recalled, “My favorite memory with Maddie is all of the practices we have together. She always makes me feel better when I’m sad.” They think she is an overall sweet, hardworking, reliable, and passionate person. Belan has been a positive influence on many people.