FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Northern California Lacrosse Referees Association Announces Eight Team Sportsmanship Awards For 2015 Season

Inaugural Year For Boys Lacrosse Award That Goes Beyond Wins And Losses

San Francisco, CA – Celebrating how a team and its coaches conduct themselves on the field during play, the Northern California Lacrosse Referees Association (NCLRA) is honoring eight boys lacrosse teams with a newly created sportsmanship award in each of the leagues within the North Coast Section, the San Joaquin Section, and the Northern California Junior Lacrosse Association (NCJLA).

The winners are Campolindo High School (Diablo Foothill Athletic League), Davis High School (Sacramento Valley League), De La Salle High School (East Bay Athletic League) Lick-Wilmerding High School (Bay Area League), Piedmont High School (Diablo Valley Athletic League), Petaluma High School (North Bay League), Oakland Tech Lacrosse Club (NCJLA), and Redwood High School (Marin County Athletic League).

“The idea of sportsmanship in athletics, especially in an extremely intense sport like boys lacrosse, is often overlooked,” stated Gary Alabaster, Chairman of the NCLRA. “These teams not only displayed respect for their opponents, but also the game of lacrosse and they deserve to be recognized for their exemplary behavior.”

The winning programs were chosen by groups of officials who officiated many games in each of the leagues. Each referee participating on the committee officiated every team in the league a minimum of two games.

“While these are team awards, sportsmanship often begins with the head coach,” said Henry Molloy, President of the NCLRA. “Without their positive influence and ability to guide their teams in a direction that emphasizes fair play and appreciation for one’s opponent, these programs may not have been chosen for this accolade.”

Coaches for these programs are Mitchell Frey (Campolindo), Nick Jury (Davis), Bob O’Meara (De La Salle), Ryan Wallett (Lick-Wilmerding), Kevin Louchis (Petaluma), Jerem Strothers (Piedmont), and Blake Atkins (Redwood).

The awards will be presented to the teams at their league meetings in February 2016.

About The NCLRA

The Northern California Lacrosse Referees Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to grow the game of lacrosse in Northern California. Having achieved non-profit status in 2010, the NCLRA was originally founded by a group of lacrosse officials who had been working together since the early 80’s. Currently the NCLRA has over 220 members serving the North Coast Section, the San Joaquin Section, the Northern California Junior Lacrosse Association, and nationally ranked Saint Ignatius College Preparatory School.

Contact: David Hafner

dchafner@gmail.com

+1.415.336.3928