STEVENS POINT — The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association announced 46 schools have met the criteria to be named recipients of the Award of Excellence in 2019-20, including Monroe.
The award promotes and recognizes the efforts and achievements of schools in the areas of sportsmanship, ethics, integrity, leadership and character. Schools and athletics administrators experienced unique and additional challenges this year with school closures and the cancelation of high school activities in the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The students and coaches worked very hard last year, going above and beyond. I am proud of all of them for earning this award,” Monroe Athletic Director Jeff Newcomer said. “I look forward to continuing to work towards this high standard year in and year out.”
Three of the 46 schools are receiving the honor for the fourth time, including Baraboo, Racine Horlick and Stoughton. Seven of this year’s recipients are being presented with the award for the third time, including Brookwood, Fort Atkinson, Kimberly, Racine Lutheran, The Prairie School, University School of Milwaukee and Watertown. Another eight of this year’s recipients have earned the award for the second time.
Recipients will be presented the Award of Excellence at the fall Area Meetings, which will be conducted virtually, and will be recognized for the achievement on the WIAA website, in the WIAA Bulletin and at the 2021 Annual Meeting.
The criteria applied toward the Award of Excellence include:
● Athletic Director maintains and updates all information in the WIAA School Directory annually.
● Athletic Director does due diligence in striving to achieve staff compliance with all WIAA coaching requirements (i.e. rules video, exam, officials’ rankings)
● Athletic director conducted regular occurring meetings with a Captain’s Club/Team Leadership Council/Etc. — sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity is on the agenda and is discussed
● Athletic director conducted regular occurring meetings with coaches — sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity is a topic that is on the agenda and is discussed
● Athletic director conducted at least one informational meeting with student-athletes and their parents — sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity is a topic that is on the agenda and is discussed
● Athletic director attended conference meetings — sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity is a topic that is on the agenda and is discussed
● Coaches and student-athletes attended a sportsmanship summit/leadership conference/etc.
● There was school representation at one of the seven WIAA Fall Area Meetings
● There was school representation at WIAA Annual Meeting in April
● Athletic Director made the student body aware of sportsmanship initiatives through school assemblies, announcements, posters, etc.
● Three or more athletic teams gave back to their school or community through volunteerism
● Athletic director has taken the Free NFHS Sportsmanship course
● Three or more head coaches have taken the Free NFHS Sportsmanship course
● Athletic program had no coach ejections at any level
● Athletic program had no coach or player assault of an official at any level
● Athletic director nominated/submitted a boy and/or a girl for WIAA Scholar Athlete recognition (either for local or state level recognition)
