HUNTSVILLE – Eight member high schools of the Alabama High School Athletic Association were each awarded $1,000 scholarships by al.com Wednesday at the STAR Sportsmanship Awards Luncheon at the Von Braun Center.
The first-ever banquet, a feature event of the 12th annual All-Star Sports Week currently underway here, recognized 92 AHSAA member schools as examples of outstanding sportsmanship for going through the entire 2007-08 school year without receiving a single fine or ejection.
The banquet was hosted by Learning Through Sports, Inc., and the AHSAA. Each school also received a large sportsmanship banner to hang in their respective schools.
al.com, which has also emphasized good sportsmanship through its partnership with AHSAA, selected one school from each of the AHSAA’s eight athletic districts to receive the special grant.
Schools receiving the special grants were: Excel (District 1), Ariton (District 2), Sidney Lanier (District 3), Dadeville (District 4), Erwin (District 5), Alexandria (District 6), Pickens County (District 7) and Susan Moore (District 8).
al.com CEO Cindy Martin, who presented the checks at the banquet, said it is al.com’s way of supporting the AHSAA’s STAR Sportsmanship initiative. "Better citizens in sports become better citizens in life," she said.
The AHSAA has partnered with STAR Sportsmanship, a special online interactive training tool designed and administered by Learningthroughsports.com.
AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese praised the STAR Sportsmanship program and founder Brian Shulman, former Auburn University football standout. Shulman was on hand along with John Draper, Executive Director of CLAS, to recognize the schools.
“These schools are laying the foundation for what we hope will be 400 schools represented at this banquet in years to come,” Shulman said.
AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese agreed. “Our goal has always been and always will be to have zero fines and ejections. These schools have done just that and we are very proud of all of them.”
Beginning in the upcoming 2008-2009 school year, all student-athletes who participate in sports and cheerleading at an AHSAA member school must complete the STAR Sportsmanship program before becoming eligible. All coaches in the AHSAA must complete the coaches’ portion of STAR Sportsmanship by 2009-2010. A special program is also available on line for parents and one for game officials will be available soon.
The schools recognized included:
Class 1A
Alabama School for the Blind (Talladega); Appalachian; Ariton; Athens Bible; Brantley; Covenant Christian (Tuscumbia); Decatur Heritage (Decatur); Donoho (Anniston); Edward Bell (Camp Hill); Kinston; Linden; A.L. Johnson (Thomaston); Paint Rock Valley (Princeton); Sacred Heart Catholic (Anniston); Saint Bernard Prep (Cullman); South Lamar (Millport); Sulligent; Sweet Water; Talladega County-Central (Talladega); Verbena; Vina; Wadley.
Class 2A
Catholic (Huntsville); Excel; Falkville; Fultondale; Highland Home; Holy Spirit Catholic (Tuscaloosa); Lanett; Leroy; Lineville; Luverne; Mars Hill Bible (Florence); Pickens County (Reform); R.C. Hatch (Uniontown); Ranburne; Southern Choctaw (Silas); West Morgan (Trinity); Woodland.
Class 3A
Abbeville; Aliceville; Calera; Calhoun (Letohatchee); Clay County (Ashland); Clements; Francis Marion (Marion); Good Hope; Greensboro; Headland; Hokes Bluff; Holly Pond; Leeds; Lincoln; Loveless Academic Magnet (Montgomery); Mobile Christian; Munford; Slocomb; Susan Moore (Blountsville); Winfield.
Class 4A
Alabama Christian (Montgomery); Alexandria; Andalusia; Ashville; Boaz; Central-Coosa (Rockford); Dadeville; East Lawrence (Trinity); Escambia County (Atmore); Fayette County (Fayette); Hamilton; Handley (Roanoke); K.D. Smith, DAR, (Grant); T.R. Miller (Brewton); Monroe County (Monroeville); Northside; Oak Grove; Tarrant; W.S. Neal (Brewton).
Class 5A
B.C. Rain (Mobile); E.B. Erwin (Birmingham); Fort Payne; Gulf Shores; Vigor (Prichard); West Point; Woodlawn (Birmingham).
Class 6A
Blount (Prichard); Buckhorn; Carver (Birmingham); Carver (Montgomery); Homewood; Jeff Davis (Montgomery); Sidney Lanier (Montgomery).