In recognition of the vital role good sportsmanship plays in shaping today’s student-athletes, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) today announced the recipients of this year’s Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Awards. The award honors schools whose athletic teams demonstrated exemplary sportsmanship during the 2012-2013 regular season and FHSAA State Series. This year, 20 high schools and three middle schools received the prestigious award.
“This is a special award for our member schools, honoring those who truly do things the right way,” said FHSAA Executive Director Dr. Roger Dearing. “Sportsmanship is the most important value we can install in our young student-athletes, and the schools we honor today have demonstrated a deep commitment to integrity and the spirit of fair play.”
The award, presented annually since 1991, is named in honor of FHSAA Commissioner Emeritus Fred E. Rozelle. It is presented to one school in each classification whose total sports program best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship as demonstrated by its coaches, players and spectators. Criteria for selection of the winners includes programs and activities implemented within the school and community to promote sportsmanship; the number and type of unsportsmanlike ejections; the number and type of exceptional sportsmanship reports; and the source of the nomination.
Section winners will each receive $500 and a commemorative plaque. Each overall winner will receive an additional $2,500 and a larger plaque.
The schools receiving the FHSAA/Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Awards for outstanding sportsmanship in 2012-2013 are:
High Schools – 1A
Section 1 – Cedar Key
Section 2 – The Villages Charter
Overall Winner – Cedar Key
High Schools – 2A
Section 1 – Munroe (Quincy)
Section 2 – Merritt Island Christian
Section 3 – Master’s Academy of Vero Beach
Section 4 – Miami Christian
Overall Winner – Miami Christian
High Schools -3A
Section 2 – Lake Mary Preparatory School
Section 3 – Shorecrest Preparatory School (St. Petersburg)
Overall Winner – Lake Mary Preparatory School
High Schools – 4A
Section 2 – Cocoa
Section 3 – Dunbar (Fort Myers)
Overall Winner – Cocoa
High Schools – 5A
Section 2 – Lake Nona (Orlando)
Section 3 – North Fort Myers
Overall Winner – North Fort Myers
High Schools – 6A
Section 2 – Sunlake (Land O’ Lakes)
Section 3 – Fort Myers
Overall Winner – Sunlake (Land O’ Lakes)
High Schools – 7A
Section 1 – First Coast (Jacksonville)
Section 2 – Viera
Section 3 – Braden River (Bradenton)
Overall Winner – Braden River (Bradenton)
High Schools – 8A
Section 1 – Mandarin (Jacksonville)
Section 3 – Riverview (Sarasota)
Section 4 – Ferguson (Miami)
Overall Winner – Ferguson (Miami)
Middle Schools
Section 1 – Grand Ridge Middle
Section 2 – Fox Chapel Middle (Spring Hill)
Section 4 – St. Mark’s Middle (Fort Lauderdale)
Overall Winner – Grand Ridge Middle
About the FHSAA
The Florida High School Athletic Association is the governing body for interscholastic athletic competition in Florida. It has a membership of almost 800 middle, junior and senior high schools.