The Crockett High School Volleyball Team received the 2018 Girls’ Team Sportsmanship Award presented by the Austin Founder Lions Club. Lion Greg Harkrider, back left, and Austin Independent School District Athletic Director Leal Anderson, back far right, presented the trophy to team representatives Danielle Crawley, team captain, and Hope Espinosa, team captain, both holding the trophy and check. The two juniors are joined by Principal Kori Crawford, front left; John Altes, JV assistant coach, back center; and Lorie Henry, Crockett Head Coach, back right.

The McCallum High School Football Team received the 2018 Boys’ Team Sportsmanship Award presented by the Austin Founder Lions Club. Lion Greg Harkrider, left, and Austin Independent School District Athletic Director Leal Anderson, far right, presented the trophy to team representatives J.B. Faught, holding the trophy, and Maxwell Perez and Tyrell Washington, holding the check. Principal Mike Garrison, back left, helped congratulate the team, which is coached by Tom Gammerdinger, back right.

Two Austin high school teams and their coaches were honored today (May 10, 2018) by the Austin Founder Lions Club, the oldest continuously operating Lions Club in the world. Sportsmanship Award trophies were presented to the McCallum High School Football Team which is coached by Tom Gammerdinger and to the Crockett High School Volleyball Team coached by Lorie Henry. Greg Harkrider, chairman of the club’s Sportsmanship Awards Committee, along with Austin Independent School District Athletic Director Leal Anderson presented the trophies and $500 checks to the coaches and team representatives. Roger Wallace, KXAN News sports anchor, was the keynote speaker.

"For more than 30 years, the Austin Founder Lions Club annually has recognized local high school boys’ and girls’ athletic teams for their good sportsmanship," said Leonor Marques, club president. “Club members believe teaching good sportsmanship is an important component of team sports. Our awards are intended to encourage good sportsmanship and recognize those teams and their fans who demonstrate it consistently throughout the year,” she added.

Only team sports are considered for the awards. For boys, the sports considered are football, basketball, baseball and soccer. For girls, volleyball, basketball, softball and soccer are considered. One boys and one girls team from among the four sports is honored, and recipients are selected only from Austin Independent School District schools.

“The club asks various officials (referees, umpires, etc.) to vote on which teams demonstrate the best sportsmanship based on the behavior of players, coaches and fans,” Harkrider explained. “Each official picks the top three teams in the sport that he/she officiates during the year. A point/percentage system is used to compare the teams fairly,” he added.

“These school teams have coaches who teach good sportsmanship and hold players and fans accountable to maintain these standards,” Harkrider said. “We are pleased to recognize the coaches, players and fans of these teams, and appreciate the model they set for others.”