Dec. 17, 2018 – Hartford, WI – Twelve individuals representing Hartford Union High School attended the 2018 Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association/Rural Mutual Insurance Sportsmanship Summit in Stevens Point, Wis., on Dec. 12.
More than 725 participants on 122 teams representing 106 member high schools attended Summit. Each school was represented by a team of students, school administrators, coaches, school board members and/or community leaders.
The mission of the Sportsmanship Summit was to strengthen the principles of sportsmanship by promoting teamwork through networking and the sharing of resources, and instilling the motivation to make a difference.
The Summit featured two keynote addresses and three time slots for five different break-out sessions, which focus on the ideals of sportsmanship/citizenship. The morning keynote address was presented by Craig Hillier, author of Playing Beyond the Scoreboard. The afternoon keynote address was presented by Lance Allan, sports anchor at WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee.
Participants also attended three morning break-out sessions. The subjects for the five, 40-minute break-out presentations available during the three time slots were “The Coach and Participants Roles in Sportsmanship” by Mark Maas, veteran teacher and coach, and State track & field color commentator on the NFHS Network; “Obtaining Victory with Virtue” by Mark Horbinski of WON80 and a member of the WIAA Sportsmanship Committee; “Sportsmanship: The Official’s Perspective” by Thaddeaus Hilliard, veteran WIAA licensed official; “Peer Sportsmanship Leadership” by Athletic Directors Aaron May of Waunakee and Sportsmanship Committee member, and Eric Nee of Sun Prairie; and “Sportsmanship Roundtable Discussions” moderated by Amy Vesperman, superintendent at Plum City, and Jenny Bandow, athletic director at Luxemburg-Casco. They are also members of the WIAA Sportsmanship Committee.
Together, schools, parents, booster clubs and communities can establish standards and expectations regarding good sportsmanship. Sportsmanship and good citizenship are the responsibility of everyone.
The team members representing Hartford Union High School were Mr. Vanden Acker, Mr. Redders, Olivia Otto, Maci Meyer, Sarah Zuer, Amanda Ruona, Irene Wilson, Jadon Melvin, Tommy Sheehan, Adam Johnson, Bobby Klockow, and Steven Lazaris.
