The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) presented awards to four neighborhood park sports coaches and their teams and three individual youth the Board of Commissioners meeting on January 21, 2015.
The awards were given in recognition of achievements during the MPRB’s fall youth sports season which ended in November.
The 2014 Fall Youth Sportsmanship Awards were presented to the coaches and athletes of the following teams: 14U Armatage-Kenny Wolves – Football, 13U Linden Hills Walsh – Volleyball, 11U Lynnhurst Breiland – Girls Soccer and 13U Windom Wolves – Open Soccer. The teams were awarded with their league’s traveling trophies and each team also received a certificate for pizza at Broadway Pizza Minneapolis.
The teams were chosen from among 207 MPRB football, soccer and volleyball youth sports teams for demonstrating exemplary sportsmanship throughout the fall season. A total of 2,904 youth athletes participated in one of the three fall sports in 2014.
Each winning team was recognized for its players’ outstanding display of positive attitudes, commitment, dedication, overcoming adversity and persistence.
Coaches were recognized for being positive role models, loyal to the program, emphasizing team work, demonstrating strong work ethic and passion and engaging players and parents to have fun.
The Sandy Peterson Most Improved Player Award for girls volleyball was presented to one girl from each age division. The award, consisting of a special trophy and jacket, is funded through a new memorial fund honoring, and in memory of, Peterson, a 30 year MPRB employee. Peterson ultimately became the first female director of the MPRB’s Youth Sports Department. It was Peterson’s dedication and commitment to MPRB girls’ athletics that helped paved the way for today’s young female athletes and earned her a number of awards for her outstanding work along the way. Players were nominated by their coaches and nominations were selected by a committee consisting of Peterson’s MPRB colleagues.
The following athletes were awarded the Sandy Peterson Most Improved Player Award: Cassidy Atheneos – Nokomis Wave 11U, Maggie Altmann – Van Cleve Vipers 11U, and Shelia Benick – Armatage-Kenny 13U.
The youth sports awards are presented by the MPRB athletics staff for fall/winter sports and spring/summer sports.
More than 6,000 youth participate in sports programs and countless organized groups and other neighborhood youth use MPRB sports facilities and athletic fields. Annually, more than 900 volunteer coaches devote their time and leadership to MPRB youth sports.
For more information about MPRB youth sports, visit the MPRB youth sports page or contact your local recreation center.
Award Winners:
2014 Youth Volleyball Sportsmanship Award
13U Linden Hills Walsh
Coach Brittany Walsh
Front row (L-R): Bella Walsh, Josie Siegel, Allison Kennedy, Ellie Pfeifer and Brita Lieving.
Back row (L-R): Nicole Giuliani, Katie Hurcomb, Lara Graber-Mitchell, Audrey Hepenstal, Sarah Shepard and Coach Chrissi Quinn.
Back row (L-R): Vice-President Scott Vreeland, Commissioner Jon Olson, President Liz Wielinski, Superintendent Jayne Miller, Commissioner Steffanie Musich, Commissioner John Erwin, Commissioner Brad Bourn and Commissioner Meg Forney.
Not pictured: Mira Katz, Fiona Kinney and Coach Brittany Walsh
2014 Youth Football Sportsmanship Award
14U Armatage-Kenny Wolves
Coach Greg Barsness
First row (L-R): Tramone Quarles, Nate Mertes, DeMarcus McKinley, and Coach Greg Barsness.
Second row (L-R): Coach David Wilson, Coach Marvin Brown, TK Marshall, Aaron Edwards, Omar Brown, Rhys McCarthy-Kern, Johnny Paine, Isaac Reed, Coach David Kern, MPRB Recreation Supervisor Nikki Friederich, and Greg Mertes.
Third row (L-R): Vice-President Scott Vreeland, Commissioner Jon Olson, President Liz Wielinski, Superintendent Jayne Miller, Commissioner Steffanie Musich, Commissioner John Erwin, Commissioner Brad Bourn and Commissioner Meg Forney.
2014 Youth Soccer Sportsmanship Award
13U Open Waite Wolves
Coach Erik Daun
Front row (L-R): Adam Sylvester and Coach Erik Daun.
Back row (L-R): Vice-President Scott Vreeland, Commissioner Jon Olson, President Liz Wielinski, Superintendent Jayne Miller, Commissioner Steffanie Musich, Commissioner John Erwin, Commissioner Brad Bourn and Commissioner Meg Forney.
2014 Youth Soccer Sportsmanship Award
11U Girls Lynnhurst Breiland
Coach Lance Breiland
2014 Youth Volleyball Sander Peterson Most Improved Player Awards
Cassidy Atheneos – Nokomis Wave 11U
Maggie Altmann – Van Cleve Vipers 11U
Shelia Benick – Armatage Kenny 13U
Front row (L-R): Coach Leigh Breitenbach, Shelia Benick, Cassidy Atheneos, Maggie Altmann, Eileen Kilpatrick and Karlye Hanson.
Back row (L-R): Vice-President Scott Vreeland, Commissioner Jon Olson, President Liz Wielinski, Commissioner John Erwin, Superintendent Jayne Miller, Commissioner Steffanie Musich, Commissioner Brad Bourn and Commissioner Meg Forney.
Cassidy Atheneos – Nokomis Wave 11U
“From the beginning of the season, Cassidy has been working to improve her serve; and tonight, it’s safe to say she has mastered the art of serving. She gets along with her teammates really well, and they all have noticed her improvement from the beginning of the season. Cassidy comes to practice with a smile on her face, patience to understand the game – rules and technique, and has a humble attitude at practice and games. I am very excited to see Cassidy on the floor again next season, and hope she continues to keep playing volleyball!” – Coach Kristin Boyum
Maggie Altmann – Van Cleve Vipers 11U
“Maggie joined our Van Cleve volleyball family this year as an energetic and enthusiastic novice player. When learning the fundamentals she always had a smile on her face. There were struggles with her serve at first, but with practice, determination and time, Maggie became one of our most consistent servers. I am very proud of her accomplishments this season. Her growth and improvement are a sheer sign determination and positive personality.” – Coach Aviva Grans-Korsh
Shelia Benick – Armatage Kenny 13U
“Shelia was very hesitant when she first joined that volleyball team this was her first year playing the sport. She was a bit quiet and most of all lacked the self confidence that she could play this sport. As the season progressed she came into her own and was the voice of our team. Not only was she comfortable on the court, she showed improvement each and every practice. The one thing that made me most proud as her coach we the encouragement she expressed to her teammates for good serves, hits and even good tries. This is something that isn’t taught. It is what it means to be on a team and be a teammate that promotes great sportsmanship.” – Coach Leigh Breitenbach
Contact
Mimi Kalb
Athletic Programs and Aquatics Director
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
612-230-6482
Email: mkalb@minneapolisparks.org