>> I NEED EVERYONE TO FIND YOUR SEATS, GET YOURSELVES SETTLED. THANK YOU FOR THAT REALLY MEAGER ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO START. THIS IS AN ATHLETICS EVENT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. THAT WAS PATHETIC. HERE'S YOUR SIMPLE RESPONSE. IT'S GOOD AFTERNOON. THAT'S BEAUTIFUL YOU GOT TWO THINGS TO DO NOW. YOU'RE AT YOUR TABLE AND PEOPLE
AROUND YOUR TABLE. I NEED TO YOU FIND AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN AND SAY GOOD AFTERNOON, SAME THING NUMBER TWO YOU LOOK GOOD TODAY. MAKE IT HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU, YOU LOOK GOOD TODAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. >> GOOD AFTERNOON! >> WE WANT TO WELCOME YOU AND I REALLY NEED YOU GUYS TO HEAR THIS.
TO THE 20th ANNUAL DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS CELEBRATION. ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THAT. MY NAME IS BRAD, I'M ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. I GET THE PRIVILEGE TO BE THE CO-CHAIR OF WHAT WE CONSIDER TO
BE THE VERY BEST EVENT. IN 1986, WHEN U.S. CONGRESS PASSED THE FIRST EVER NATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY IN SPORTS. TO CELEBRATE THAT, WE STARTED
OUR FIRST ONE HERE IN DOUGLAS COUNTY. WE ARE EXCITED FOR THE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION TODAY. WHAT YOU NOTICED TODAY, WE REBRANDED. YOU'RE SE SEEING A NEW LOGO.
WE DID A LOT OF GREAT JOB WITH REBRANDING TODAY. WE HAVE SOME FIRST EVER VIDEO SELECTIONS OF EVERY FEEDER AREA THAT WE'VE EVER DONE. WE ALSO IS SOME SPECIAL GUEST TODAY GUYS THAT I REALLY HOPE YOU'RE EXCITED ABOUT.
I NEED TO START WITH THIS. START WITH SOME THANK YOUS. TODAY, IF YOU'RE A PART OF THE GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS COMMITTEE, I NEED YOU TO STAND UP NOW. WE GOT JAN, WE GOT KAREN AND
T.R. AND ASHLEY AND ALLISON. CAN WE GIVE THESE GUYS A MASSIVE ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO START TODAY? [ APPLAUSE ] IT'S THE COMMITTEE'S WORK THAT
ALLOWED US TO BE IN THIS PLACE AT THIS TIME. CELEBRATING THESE AMAZING LADIES. NEXT THING, SPEAKING ABOUT THIS PLACE. CAN I SEE A QUICK RAISE OF HANDS, THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME TO OUR LEGACY CAMPUS. CAN I SEE A RAISE OF HANDS.
WE WANT TO WELCOME YOU. SECOND OF ALL, WHO'S BEEN HERE BEFORE? THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REST OF YOU. WHAT'S THE THIRD OPTION? CAN WE ALL AGREE THAT THIS PLACE IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL? CAN WE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO OUR LEGACY STAFF FOR SETTING
THIS UP TODAY. BY THE WAY, GET USED TO THIS. HERE WE GO. NUMBER THREE IS OF THANKS I NEED TO GIVE MASSIVE SHOTOUT TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
TO THE MAN HIMSELF -- CAN WE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO TOMMY IN OUR COMS DEPARTMENT. GREAT JOB. NEXT ONE, I DO NOT NEED AN APPLAUSE YET.
I'M GOING TO HAVE SEVERAL GROUP OF PEOPLE STAND UP. IF YOU ARE PART OF DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, QUIETLY, NO APPLAUSE. I NEED YOU TO STAND. IF YOU ARE ANY PART OF OUR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, PLEASE STAND. IF YOU ARE PART OF OUR CABINET
OR CENTRAL AD DEPARTMENTS, PLEASE STAND. OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR OUR NONPROFIT ARM OF THE FOUNDATION IF YOU ARE PART OF THAT BOARD I NEED YOU TO BE STANDING. THEN, THIS IS NOT ATHLETIC DIRECTORS BUT ANY BUILDING PRINCIPALS OR ANYONE ON YOURE
ADMIN TEAM, I NEED THOSE PEOPLE TO STAND UP. EXCELLENT. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MAKES WORLD GO AROUND OF THESE PEOPLE AND THESE LEADERS THAT ARE STANDING RIGHT NOW. CAN WE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE PLEASE TO SAY THANK YOU. THANKS, ERIN.
WE HAVE ANOTHER REALLY SPECIAL GROUP.
WE HAVE SOME REPS TODAY. REPS TODAY PLEASE STAND UP TO BE RECOGNIZED WITH ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THESE GUYS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE NEXT ONE IS THE BIG GROUP HERE. LISTEN, I KNOW THAT SOME OF THIS
I'M ABOUT TO ANNOUNCE. OUR COACHES AND TEACHERS. YOU'RE SUCH A HUMBLE CREW. I'M NOT STANDING UP. IF YOU'RE A COACH OR A TEACHER THAT'S HERE TO SUPPORT OUR 90 WINNERS TODAY. I NEED OUR COACHES AND TEACHERS TO STAND PLEASE RIGHT NOW.
YES, PAUL. LOOK AROUND THE ROOM. GIVE IT UP FOR THESE GUYS. COACH, WHITE, YOU LOOK GOOD. GOOD LUCK TONIGHT AT THE GAME BY THE WAY. THE NEXT ONE WHAT WE'RE KIND OF SHRINKING THE CIRCLE HERE NOW IS
WE JUST NEED TO TAKE A MOMENT AND PAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND THEIR ADMIN ASSISTANTS. I REALLY NEED YOU TO KNOW AT THE END OF THE DAY, THESE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING ALL THAT BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF FOR YOUR SPECIFIC SCHOOL. A LOT OF WAYS THOSE RECOGNITIONS
SOMETIMES DON'T COME VERY FAST. OFTENTIMES YOU GET THE OPPOSITE FEEDBACK. WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THAT FEEDBACK TODAY THAT COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO THE BRILLIANCE OF ATHLETICS HERE IN DOUGLAS COUNTY. ADs, ADMIN ASSISTANTS GET UP
BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO CELEBRATE YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU, FOR THAT. THE NEXT ONE IS OUR ONE OFF ON
TODAY I NEED IT TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANKS. WE HAVE IN OUR 20-YEAR ANNIVERSARY, A SINGLE PHOTOGRAPHER FOR OVER THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN TO EVERY SINGLE EVENT FOR OUR FEMALE ATHLETE SPORTS.
SHE IS CAPTURED VIDEO. SHE CAPTURED STILL PHOTOS. TODAY, SHE'S HERE TO CAPTURE YOUR GIRLS AS THEY ARE WINNERS IN THIS BACK CORNER OVER HERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SPOT FOR THEM TO GET SOME PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS DONE. I NEED TO RIGHT NOW OUT LOUD
THANK, KIM MALONEY. YOU THINK OF THE THOUSANDS OF HOURS BRINGING IN AMAZING HUMAN BEING AND AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHER. I NEED IT SAY THANK YOU.
CAN WE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE RIGHT NOW. ALL RIGHT, WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT OUR DEPARTMENT. YOU HEARD ME SAY EARLIER, I'M THE CO-CHAIR OF THIS EVENT. I NEED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE THE BETTER HALF OF THE CO-CHAIRING OPPORTUNITY HERE.
ALLISON PORTER IS OUR ADMIN ASSISTANT FOR OUR DISTRICT ATHLETICS OFFICE. SHE'S NOT ONLY A GREAT COLLEAGUE, BUT SHE IS A GREAT FRIEND. SHE IS A GREAT INFLUENCE HERSELF AS A COACH. SHE'S STANDING OVER ON THIS WALL OVER HERE.
LAST YEAR, GUYS, SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE BECAUSE SHE WAS SICK. SHE WAS LIVE STREAMING. WE WERE WAVING AT HER. NOW WE GET THE LIVE VERSION OF HER. CAN WE GIVE ALLISON A MASSIVE ROUND OF APPLAUSE PLEASE?
I REALLY LIKE HER. ALL RIGHT. I NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS NEXT INDIVIDUAL. HE'S GOING TO START WALKING UP HERE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LISTEN, 20 YEARS WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS. THIS GUY HAS BEEN OUR DISTRICT
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FOR 16 OF THOSE YEARS. HE TOOK OVER, HE INHERITED TRADITION OF CELEBRATING OUR YOUNG LADIES. I REALLY NEED YOU TO HEAR THIS FROM MY HEART.
FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, IT'S BEEN ALLISON, DEREK AND I GETTING A CHANCE TO RUN THIS DISTRICT VIBE AND FEEL. TO HAVE DEREK UP HERE ON CELEBRATION OF HIS FINAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS, I ASKED HIM TO SHARE A FEW WORDS. DEREK GOES BY A LOT OF NAMES FOR US.
WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE FUN. I WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW, WE OBVIOUSLY CALL HIM OUR DIRECTOR. BUT ALSO CALL HIM THINGS LIKE MASTER SHE FOO FROM KUNG FU
PANDA. I NEED YOU GUYS TO HEAR THAT FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF US THAT HAVE FELT DEREK'S INFLUENCE ON OUR LIFE, WE CALL HIM OUR MENTOR AND WE CALL HIM OUR FRIEND AND WE CALL HIM THE AMBASSADOR OF ATHLETICS.
GIVE DEREK A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR HIS SERVICE. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I DON'T KNOW IF I DESERVE THOSE ACCOLADES. WELCOME TO THE GREATEST EVENT. WE PUT ON THE ENTIRE YEAR. WE LOVE THIS EVENT, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE DO FOR OUR GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS HERE. WELCOME TO OUR EVENT. BRAD TOOK CARE A LOT OF THANK
YOUS. I WILL BE REMISED IF WE DIDN'T THANK BRAD. BRAD IS REALLY ORGANIZED WITH THIS EVENT. HE IS DOWN -- HE GETS IN THE TREACHERIES DOWN TO -- TRENCHES AND DOWN TO THE TEE. IF WE CAN GIVE BRAD ROUND OF
APPLAUSE TOO. THANK YOU. 30 MINUTES, RIGHT? THREE TO FIVE MINUTES. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. THAT I WANT TO SAY. YOU STUDENT ATHLETES IN THE ROOM
RIGHT NOW, SHOULD BE VERY PROUD WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. WE ARE VERY COMPETITIVE DISTRICT IN DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS. IT'S A COMPETITIVE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE STRIVE TO BE THE BEST IN EVERYTHING WE DO. ACADEMICS, ATHLETICS, ACTIVITIES
ACROSS-THE-BOARD. I WILL SPARE ALL THE MATH AND ALL THE NUMBERS. IN THIS ROOM TODAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE, YOU FEMALE ATHLETES ARE IN THE TOP TWO PERCENT OF THE FEMALE ATHLETES IN DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. TOP TWO PERCENT.
WE HAVE 45 MIDDLE SCHOOLS, 45 HIGH SCHOOLS. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. PARENTS YOU SHOULD BE EXTREMELY PROUD. I WAS THINKING AS BRAD WAS THANKING EVERYBODY THAT IT TAKES ALL OF US FOR THE SUCCESS OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE. IT TAKES ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT
BRAD MENTIONED THAT STOOD UP. IT TAKES GUYS AS PARENTS. ALL THE TIME AND COMMITMENT GUYS GIVE AS PARENTS. I THINK ALL THE CLUB SPORTS ALL THE YOUTH SPORTS ALL THE MONEY, ALL THE TIME, ALL THE EFFORT, EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS PUT IN AS PARENTS TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT
WE DO AT THIS SCHOOL LEVEL. IT TAKES ALL OF US. THERE'S NOT ONE PERSON IN THIS ROOM WE DIDN'T HAVE AN EXACT WHAT THE -- IMPACT. ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR
THE PARENTS AS WELL. A COUPLE OF THINGS, A MESSAGE I WILL HAVE FOR THE GIRLS. I SAID THIS COACHING, I WOULD SAY THIS IS REALLY FOR OUR
STUDENT ATHLETES IN THE ROOM. AS YOU GUYS PURSUE YOUR CAREER, WE'RE ABOUT TO HEAR ALL THOSE ACCOLADES FOR STUDENT ATHLETES. THE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN THEIR
TENURE IN HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR ALL THE ACCOLADE. YOU MIDDLE SCHOOLGIRLS IN THE ROOM, YOU ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED A LOT. YOU'RE REALLY JUST GETTING STARTED. YOU HAVE FOUR YEARS AHEAD OF YOU AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL TO
COMPETE AND TO PARTICIPATE. I THINK A FEW WORDS THAT I WOULD SAY THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT IN ATHLETICS IS NUMBER ONE, YOU SHOULD HAVE FUN. ATHLETICS SHOULD BE FUN. SOME PEOPLE -- SOMETIMES THEY
MISINTERPRET FUN AS RECREATIONAL. THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. BEING COMPETITIVE IS FUN. ACCOMPLISHING SOMETHING IS FUN. WORKING HARD TO GET THERE IS FUN. SOMETIMES YOU NEED A BACK UP AS YOU'RE WORKING HARD AND YOU'RE RUNNING EXTRA SPRINTS AND DOING
EXTRA MILES IN THE WEIGHT ROOM. JUST BACK UP AND HAVE FUN. ENJOY IT. IT GOES QUICK. TRUST ME. I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M RETIRING 32 YEARS IN EDUCATION. IT GOES REALLY QUICK. TAKE TIME, MAKE SURE YOU'RE HAVING FUN.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. THAT'S NUMBER ONE THING I WOULD SAY. NUMBER TWO, I WOULD SAY BE A GOOD TEAMMATE. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE A GOOD TEAMMATE. THE RELATIONSHIPS YOU BUILD WITH YOUR TEAMMATES ON AND OFF THE COURT ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
I'M GOING TO EMBARRASS SOMEONE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY THAT I KNOWN THIS GUY FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS. WE BECAME TEAMMATES 40 YEARS AGO ON A HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM. TO THIS DAY, NOW WE'RE HERE CELEBRATING HIS DAUGHTER IN THE GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS EVENT.
WE STILL GET TOGETHER. IT'S THAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR TEAMMATES BOTH ON AND OFF THE COURT. DAN, YOU KNOW I WILL EMBARRASS YOU. PLEASE STAND AS MY TEAMMATE FROM 40 YEARS AGO. GIVE DAN A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[ APPLAUSE ] I WOULD SAY THE LAST THING, I WILL PULL OUT MY PHONE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I DON'T MESS UP THIS DEFINITION. I ALWAYS TELL MY STUDENT ATHLETES I WILL TELL YOU GUYS TOO PLAY WITH PASSION. HAVE FUN, BE A GOOD TEAMMATE AND PLAY WITH PASSION.
SOMETIMES I GET THE QUESTION, COACH, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY PASSION? CAN YOU DEFINE PASSION. I'M GOING TO READ WHAT I THINK PASSION IS. THIS IS A GENUINE PASSION IS A
DEEP AUTHENTIC AND HEART FELT ENTHUSISM, A WILLINGNESS TO ENSURE CHALLENGES AND DRIVE TO PURSUE GOALS. THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE A WILLINGNESS TO ENDURE CHALLENGES, THOSE OF YOU GOING
ON TO PLAY AT THE NEXT LEVEL IN COLLEGE, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, YOU WILL ENDURE SOME CHALLENGES. THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF ATHLETICS. IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE SUCCESS PART. YOU'LL LEARN JUST AS MUCH IF NOT MORE IN THE PARTS WHERE YOU'RE ENDURING THOSE CHALLENGES.
YOU SHOULD WELCOME THOSE CHALLENGES AND PLAY WITH PASSION. MY THREE THINGS, HAVE FUN, BE A GOOD TEAMMATE AND PLAY A WITH PASSION. LET'S GET ON TO THE REAL REASON WE'RE HERE CELEBRATING STUDENT ATHLETES.
THANK YOU. >> I LOVE THOSE MOMENTS JUST FOR THAT FLEETING SECOND YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO TRIP. THAT'S GREAT. I NEED EVERYONE TO HEAR WE HAVE ONE LAST GROUP THAT WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE. I JUST NEED YOU TO THINK WHO YOU THINK I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THINK ABOUT THIS. THIS GROUP OVERALL, CUMULATIVE G.P.A., 3.95. WE THINK ABOUT THAT IN THIS GROUP, WE HAVE DISTRICT MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAMPIONS, FIRST TEAM ALL CONFERENCE, FIRST TEAM ALL
STATE, SECOND TEAM ALL STATE, CONTINENTAL LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR. MVPs IN VARIOUS SPORT. GATORADE PLAYER, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED NATIONAL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK. ARMY ALL AMERICAN.
THINK IF THIS. OUT OF THIS GROUP, WE HAVE AP SCHOLARS IN THAT GROUP. WE HAVE ACADEMIC ALL STATE FIRST TEAM. WE HAVE NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY AND NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY.
WE HAVE STATE QUALIFIERS. ACADEMIC LETTERS FROM MULTIPLE YEARS. STUDENT GOVERNMENT LEADERS. UNIFIED PROGRAM PARTNERS, BEST BUDDIES PROGRAM LEADERS, SPORTS, SCHOLAR AWARD WINNERS. IN THIS GROUP, WE HAVE PEOPLE
THAT ARE GOING TO BE ON TO PLAYING NCAA DIVISION 1, 2 AND 3 SPORTS SOFTBALL, VOLLEYBALL, GOLF, TRACK AND FIELD AND DANCE. MAYBE SOME OF YOU'RE GETTING AN IDEA OF THIS GROUP I'M TALKING ABOUT. ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAVE TO START
THINKING ABOUT OUR CAREER PATHWAYS SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS GROUP ARE GOING ON TO HEALTH SCIENCES PATHWAY. THEY ARE HEADING ON INTO BIOLOGY, BIOCHEMISTRY, HEALTH SCIENCE, KINESIOLOGY, PHYSICAL THERAPY AND VETERINARIAN MEDICINE AND PREMED. SOME GOING ON TO THE WORLD OF
BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP IN A PATHWAY. BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION T FINANCE, MARKETING, ACCOUNTING, POLICE SEANCE, INTERNATIONAL STUDIES AND LAW. WE HAVE SOME GOING INTO STEM, ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL PATHWAYS. THEN WE HAVE THIS EDUCATIONAL AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PATHWAY,
CHILD DEVELOPMENT. THEY WANT TO BE TEACHERS. MY FAVORITE THING IS SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT THIS GROUP GETS CALLED, THEY ARE CALLED ROLE MODELS. THEY ARE CALLED INSPIRING. THEY ARE CALLED ENCOURAGERS AND UPLIFTINGER OF THE HUMAN SOUL.
THEY ARE LEADER AND RESILIENT, THEY ARE COMPASSIONATE AND EAGER TO LEARN AND THEY LOVE PEOPLE. WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE THE GOODNESS AND THE FULLNESS OF WHO THEY ARE AS HUMAN BEINGS.
THIS WILL BE OUR ONE CHANCE A AS A CROWD TO GIVE ALL 90 OUR LOVE AND OUR ADMIRATION TO SAY THAT YOU ARE MORE THAN JUST AN ATHLETE. YOU ARE MORE THAN JUST A STUDENT. YOU ARE THE FULLNESS OF WHAT IT MEAN TO BE A GOOD HUMAN BEING.
LADIES, I HOPE YOU PICKED UP ON THIS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU. COULD I HAVE ALL OUR LADY WINNERS PLEASE STAND UP RIGHT NOW AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CAN WE GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO OUR 90.
[ APPLAUSE ] LET'S GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD. WE'RE EXCITED TO INTRODUCE ONE MY FAVORITE PEOPLE. WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING
MS. ROMI BEAN HERE WITH US TODAY. ROMI'S CAREER AT CBS NEWS COLORADO STARTED BY COVERING THE DENVER BRONCOS ON CBS COLORADO MORNINGS ON A PART-TIME BASIS. SHE USED THE EXPERIENCE TO LEARN AS MUCH AS SHE COULD ABOUT ANCHORING SPORTSCASTS, TELLING COMPELLING STORIES, AND CONNECTING WITH THE COLORADO
COMMUNITY. AFTER TWO YEARS OF WORKING MORNINGS PART-TIME, ROMI LANDED A FULL-TIME POSITION AS THE WEEKEND SPORTS ANCHOR IN 2018. BY 2022, ROMI WAS NAMED THE 2022 CO-COLORADO SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR BY THE NATIONAL SPORTS
MEDIA ASSOCIATIONS. AND IN JANUARY OF 2023, ROMI WAS NAMED CBS COLORADO'S LEAD SPORTS ANCHOR. SHE IS THE FIRST WOMAN TO BE NAMED A MAIN SPORTS ANCHOR IN DENVER TV HISTORY. ROMI STATES THIS IS A RESPONSIBILITY I DO NOT TAKE
LIGHTLY. SO MANY INCREDIBLE WOMEN HAVE COME BEFORE ME AND PAVED THE WAY FOR ME TO BREAK A NEW BARRIER. IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO CONTINUE WHAT THEY STARTED. I HOPE THIS SHOWS YOUNG WOMEN AND GIRLS THAT SPORTS ARE FOR EVERYONE.
ROMI IS HERE TO REPRESENT THE BEST WHAT MEANS TO BE DOING THINGS OUTSIDE OF JUST SPORTS BUT STILL HAVING AN INFLUENCE OF SPORTS ON THIS WORLD. ROMI IS GOING TO BE UP HERE TODAY AND SHARING SOME THINGS. I WANT IT TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS OF OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK
LIKE AFTER YOU SPEAK. WE'RE GOING TO BE CALLING SPECK SCHOOLS ONE AT A TIME. LEGEND AND CIMARRON YOU WILL BE THE FIRST. YOU WILL BE MOVING ON THE ON
DECK AREA BY MRS. PORTER. YOU WILL BE STANDING THERE WITH JOY IN YOUR HEART. YOU'RE GOING TO BE MAKING YOUR WAY ON TO STAGE. YOU'RE GOING TO BE STANDING ALL
THE WAY ACROSS TEN OF YOU WHEN YOUR NAME IS ANNOUNCED. YOU WILL STEP FORWARD. WE GET TO SHARE SOME BRILLIANT THINGS ABOUT YOU. WHEN WE'RE DONE READING, YOU STEP BACK. AT THE END OF ALL TEN, WE'RE GOING TO SEND YOU OFF STAGE BECAUSE YOUR ATHLETIC DIRECTORS AND MYSELF ARE GOING TO BE MEETING YOU OVER THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A CERTIFICATE, MAYBE A HANDSHAKE AND A HUG TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS. YOU'LL MOVE ALL THE WAIT TO THE BACK CORNER TO SEE KIM. WE'RE GOING TO GET A PROFESSIONAL PHOTO OF YOU AND A CHANCE TO ENCAPSULATE THE DAY. WE THINK ABOUT ALL OF THAT AND WE THINK ABOUT THIS MOMENT RIGHT
NOW OF THIS AMAZING WOMAN WHO'S COMING ON STAGE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THE BRILLIANCE OF HER LIFE AS A WOMAN AND AS AN INDEPENDENT WARRIOR FOR WHAT IT MEANS TO BE THE AUTHENTIC SELF. PUT YOUR HAND TOGETHER FOR
MS. ROMI BEAN. [ APPLAUSE ] >> I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY.
I MARK IT ON CALENDAR, NEXT YEAR'S EVENT, I WALK AWAY SO INSPIRED BY THE CREDIBLE YOUNG WOMEN WE'RE HONORING TODAY. ALL YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IT'S ONLY THE BEGINNING. YOU ARE TRULY THE BEST OF US.
I WANT YOU TO ALSO HONOR THE TEAM THAT GOT YOU HERE. YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR TEAMMATES, YOUR COACHES. AWAY LEA LEARNED IN -- WHAT I LEARNED SUCCESS IS BETTER WHEN IT'S SHARED TOGETHER. YOU REMEMBER EVERYONE WHO GOT YOU THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES I GOT INTO THIS PATH AND LITTLE BIT OF NONTRADITIONAL FASHION. I DIDN'T GO INTO A JOURNALISM SCHOOL. I CAME INTO IT LATE. I WAS FIGHTING TIME AND BEING A WOMAN IN MALE DOMINATED INDUSTRY. I WAS A BRONCOS CHEERLEADER AS I
JUMPED IN THIS JOB. I WAS FIGHTING ALL SORTS OF THINGS. I THOUGHT I HAD TO DO IT ALL BY MYSELF. I COULDN'T REALLY LEAN ON MY TEAM UNTIL I FELT LIKE I WAS CONTRIBUTING ENOUGH TO THE
PROCESS. EVERYTHING YOU GO THROUGH IN LIFE AND ALL THE SUCCESS YOU ACHIEVE TO THIS POINT I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT YOURSELF, ALWAYS REMEMBER AND ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR AMAZING PARENTS, FAMILY AND
FRIENDS AND COACHES, ATHLETIC DIRECTORS. SUCCESS IS BETTER TOGETHER. BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TEAM, WE SAY THERE'S NO I IN TEAM. AND ME IN WE. THOSE ARE TRUE. SOME OF IT GETS LOST IN THAT
CONVERSATION IS REMEMBERING THAT THE BEST WAY TO BE A BEST TEAMMATE IS BY BEING TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SACRIFICING THINGS LIKE GOING OUT WITH FRIENDS, GOING EARLY TO PRACTICE, STAYING LATE. ALL THOSE THINGS IS BEAUTIFUL
SACRIFICES THAT HELP YOU BE THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF AND GET THE MOST OUT OF YOU AND YOUR TEAM. WE SHOULD NEVER SACRIFICE WHO YOU ARE. WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON WHAT YOU STAND FOR, THAT'S WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST TEAMMATE YOU CAN BE. THAT'S WHY YOU'RE ALL HERE TODAY.
YOU STAY TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN. SOMETIMES I THINK WHEN THINK ABOUT IT, THESE BIG MASSIVE LIFE ALTERING EVENTS. IT CAN BE LITTLE THINGS. I WAS REFLECTING ON THE WAY HERE WE DO A SHOW EVERY WEEK. IT'S A SHOW DURING BRONCO SEASON.
IT'S ALWAYS WITH THE BRONCO PLAYER. I INTERVIEW A PLAYER IT'S A GREAT SHOW. THERE'S A SEGMENT DIDN'T RESONATE WITH ME. DIDN'T REALLY FEEL RIGHT. I FELT LIKE, I STAYED QUIET ABOUT IT SO LONG. IT DIDN'T SIT WITH WHO I WAS.
I BROUGHT IT TO MY PRODUCER AND PHOTOGRAPHER AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT. WE CAME UP WITH A GREAT NEW PLAN THAT I THINK HELPED ME DEVELOP BETTER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE PLAYERS TAK -- THAT I TALK TO. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT STAYING TRUE
TO WHO YOU ARE, WHETHER THAT'S IN WORK OR SCHOOL OR, LO THAT'S -- WHETHER AT HOME OR TEAM. IT COULD BE LITTLE THING. ALWAYS REMEMBERING THAT YOU HAVE SO MUCH VALUE. YOUR BIGGEST VALUE IS IN YOUR VOICE AND BEING WHO YOU ARE.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST TEAMMATE. NEVER SACRIFICE THAT AND TODAY, LET'S CELEBRATE ALL OF YOU AND EVERYONE WHO HELPED GET YOU HERE.
I WANT TO INTRODUCE -- INTRODUCE TH ELLIS. BEGAN HER COACHING JOURNEY BACK IN 1979 IN AMARILLO, TEXAS COACHING 8TH-GRADE GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL, BASKETBALL, AND TRACK. SHE JOINED DOUGLAS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL IN THE EARLY '90'S AND LATER LED CHAPARRAL'S VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM FROM 1997 TO 2014.
OVER HER CAREER, SHE EARNED TWO STATE TITLES, AN UNDEFEATED SEASON, MULTIPLE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND COACHED ELITE ATHLETES, INCLUDING ALL-AMERICANS AND A NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR. A MULTI-TIME COLORADO COACH OF THE YEAR, SHE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE CHSCA HALL OF FAME
AND CHSAA HALL OF FAME T.R REMAINS ACTIVE IN HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS, VOLUNTEERING WITH CHSAA AND THE STATE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT ANNUALLY. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MRS. T.R. ELLIS. [ APPLAUSE ] OUR OTHER PRESENTER IS THE
AMAZING BETHANY BROOKENS. BETHANY IS THE ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER FOR THE COLORADO HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION WHERE SHE SERVES ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATORS AND STUDENT-ATHLETES ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE OF COLORADO. A PROUD GRADUATE OF OVERLAND HIGH SCHOOL, BETHANY WAS A THREE-SPORT ATHLETE IN TENNIS,
VOLLEYBALL, AND BASKETBALL-EXPERIENCES SHE CREDITS WITH SHAPING HER LEADERSHIP AND LIFELONG LOVE OF SPORT. SHE WENT ON TO PLAY COLLEGIATE BASKETBALL AND TENNIS AT DAVIDSON COLLEGE AND LATER EARNED HER MBA FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER. TODAY, SHE OVERSEES MULTIPLE SPORTS AT CHSAA AND IS A
PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATIONALLY BASED ATHLETICS, TITLE IX, AND EXPANDING LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR MRS. BETHANY BROOKENS.
[ APPLAUSE ] LEGEND AND CIMARRON MAKE YOUR WAY OVER HERE TO THE ON DECK AREA BY MRS. PORTER.
WHILE YOU DO THAT. LADIES & GENTLEMEN, EACH YEAR OUR DCSD NEIGHBORHOOD MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS CONDUCT A RIGOROUS SELECTION PROCESS INVOLVING COACHES, TEACHERS, SCHOOL STAFF, ADMINISTRATION, AND THEIR ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY.
TO SELECT 5 OUTSTANDING FEMALE STUDENT-ATHLETES FROM THEIR SCHOOL. THINK ABOUT, JUST FIVE. OUT OF THOUSANDS OF PARTICIPANTS IN OUR ATHLETICS PROGRAMS, ONLY 90 ARE CHOSEN FOR THIS PRESTIGIOUS RECOGNITION. IT IS AN HONOR TODAY TO CELEBRATE THESE YOUNG WOMEN WHO NOT ONLY PARTICIPATE IN THEIR
SCHOOL'S ATHLETIC PROGRAMS BUT DO SO WITH EXCEPTIONAL CHARACTER, LEADERSHIP, DEDICATION, AND DISTINCTION. THESE REMARKABLE ATHLETES SET THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE AT THEIR SCHOOLS AND INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF FEMALES
ATHLETES TO MAKE THEIR MARK ON THE WORLD. KEEPING THAT IN MIND, I WANT TO ONCE AGAIN WELCOME YOU TO THE 2026 GIRLS & WOMEN IN SPORT CELEBRATION AND OUR FIRST FEEDER
AREA GROUP OF WINNERS. [VIDEO]
♪♪
LET'S CELEBRATE THE AMAZING WINNERS AT LEGEND HIGH SCHOOL AND SIMMON HIGH SCHOOL. ♪♪
♪♪ IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO SHARE ABOUT OUR LEGEND FEEDER AREA WINNERS. BEFORE I DO, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE OUR MOUNTAIN VISTA & MOUNTAIN RIDGE WINNERS QUIETLY START TO LINE UP IN THE ON-DECK
AREA. ALRIGHT, LET'S BEGIN AND SHARE ABOUT OUR CIMARRON MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNERS. ANAFLORA REYES ANAFLORA IS THE KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT IN YOUR CLASS AND ON YOUR TEAM, SHARED ATHLETIC
DIRECTOR TY BARNES, DESCRIBING HER AS MATURE, FUN AND FUNNY, HER COACH, CARA THOMAS, ADDED THAT ANAFLORA EXEMPLIFIES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A STUDENT-ATHLETE, NOTING HOW SHE BALANCES COMMITMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITH MATURITY AND PURPOSE ON AND OFF THE COURT
THROUGH HER KINDNESS, HUMOR, AND POSITIVITY. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, ANAFLORA SHARED, I'VE LEARNED HOW TO BALANCE SPORTS AND SCHOOL, PLAY MULTIPLE SPORTS WITH SUPPORT FROM MY TEACHERS, AND USE WHAT I LEARN IN ONE SPORT TO HELP ME IN OTHERS.
I'VE ALSO LEARNED HOW IMPORTANT MY TEAMMATES' SUPPORT IS AND HOW MUCH IT MATTERS TO BE PART OF A TEAM. [ APPLAUSE ]
ANNIE NGUYEN ANNIE IS AN AMAZING STUDENT-ATHLETE, SHARED AD BARNES, NOTING THAT SHE HAS PLAYED LITERALLY EVERY OFFERED SPORT AND IS A FEROCIOUS LEARNER IN THE CLASSROOM AND ON THE COURT.
HER COACH, THOMAS PATERSON, DESCRIBED ANNIE AS AN EXCEPTIONAL TEAMMATE WHO LEADS WITH PASSION AND COMPASSION AND CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTS OTHERS, WHILE COACH COURTNEY KAY ADDED THAT ANNIE'S ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, ATHLETIC VERSATILITY, AND RELENTLESS COMPETITIVENESS INSPIRE HER TEAMMATES TO PUSH THROUGH
CHALLENGES. REFLECTING ON HER MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC EXPERIENCE, ANNIE SHARED, I'VE LEARNED THAT I WORK HARD, LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE AROUND ME, AND FOCUS ON MAKING CHOICES I CAN CONTROL WITH MY TEAMMATES AND COACHES, LESSONS THAT WILL HELP ME SUCCEED BEYOND
MIDDLE SCHOOL. ANNIE NGUYEN CORA BINFORD CORA BINFORD BRINGS JOY, EFFORT, AND POSITIVITY INTO EVERYTHING SHE DOES AT CIMARRON MIDDLE SCHOOL. MR. BARNES SHARES THAT CORA
ALWAYS HAS FUN AND WORKS HARD NO MATTER WHAT SHE IS DOING, AND THAT HER SMILE AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE SHOW UP BOTH IN THE CLASSROOM AND ON THE FIELD. COACH PATERSON DESCRIBES CORA AS AN OUTSTANDING STUDENT-ATHLETE WHOSE HARD WORK, ADAPTABILITY, AND TEAM-FIRST MINDSET ALLOW HER
TO BALANCE ACADEMICS AND ATHLETICS WHILE STEPPING INTO WHATEVER ROLE HER TEAM NEEDS. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, CORA SHARED, I'VE LEARNED THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK-IF YOU TRY YOUR BEST AND
PUT IN THE EFFORT, YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN ANYTHING YOU DO. I'VE LEARNED TO KEEP PUSHING TOWARD MY GOALS AND NOT GIVE UP. CORA BINFORD MADISON JOHANNSEN
MADISON EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF GWS DAY THROUGH HER PASSION, PERSEVERANCE, AND JOYFUL LEADERSHIP, SHARED COACH DEB STEWART, DESCRIBING HER AS A MULTI-SPORT STUDENT-ATHLETE WHO COMPETES WITH DETERMINATION WHILE UPLIFTING OTHERS THROUGH
ENCOURAGEMENT, FRIENDSHIP, AND INCLUSIVITY. CIMARRON AD TY BARNES ADDED THAT MADISON IS A GREAT LEADER AMONG HER PEERS WHO PLAYS WITH VISIBLE PASSION AND JOY, DOES EVERYTHING SHE CAN FOR HER TEAM, AND BRINGS A SMILE INTO EVERY SPACE SHE
ENTERS. REFLECTING ON HER MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS JOURNEY, MADISON SHARED, I HAVE LEARNED HOW TO BE A BETTER TEAM PLAYER. WHEN I WAS COMPETING IN SPORTS AT THE BEGINNING OF MIDDLE SCHOOL, I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME BEING SUPPORTIVE OF OTHER TEAMMATES AND ALWAYS WANTED TO BE THE CENTER OF ATTENTION.
I HAVE LEARNED TO HELP OTHERS BE THEIR BEST AND TO BE A CHEERLEADER FOR OTHERS.
REMMI GREENSTREET REMMI CONSISTENTLY SETS THE TONE AS A LEADER AT CIMARRON MIDDLE SCHOOL THROUGH HER QUIET CONFIDENCE AND COMMITMENT. COACH CARA THOMAS SHARED THAT REMMI IS A STUDENT-ATHLETE WHO LEADS BY EXAMPLE, NOTING THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE SHE SETS
AND THE FOCUS AND PASSION SHE BRINGS TO EVERY OPPORTUNITY. MR. BARNES ADDED THAT REMMI IS A MODEL STUDENT-ATHLETE, HIGHLIGHTING HER LEADERSHIP AS THE PRESIDENT OF NJHS, ALONG WITH HER KINDNESS, POSITIVITY, AND THE RESPECT SHE EARNS FROM BOTH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS TEACH HER, REMMI SHARED, I LEARNED THAT I NEED TO ALWAYS CARE ABOUT ALL OF MY TEAMMATES AND LIFT EACH OTHER UP TO LIFT OUR WHOLE TEAM UP. I NEED TO BE THERE FOR MY TEAMMATES AND HELP THEM WHETHER IT IS FOR A PLAY ON THE COURT OR HELP WITH HOMEWORK.
I NEED TO BE PRESENT AND JOIN TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY. REMMI GREENSTREET LET'S GIVE A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR CIMARRON MS
WINNERS. NOW WE'RE GOING TO HONOR LEGEND. ADYSON ICE ADYSON ICE'S JOURNEY TO SUCCESS IN GIRLS GOLF IS DEFINED BY GROWTH, JOY, AND RELENTLESS
EFFORT. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR DAN SIMINGTON SHARED THAT ADYSON, A FORMER BASEBALL PLAYER WHO DISCOVERED GOLF IN HIGH SCHOOL, IS NOW A THREE-TIME STATE QUALIFIER WHO FINISHED IN THE TOP TEN LAST SEASON WHILE HELPING HER TEAM EARN A SECOND-PLACE FINISH,
ADDING THAT HER SMILE, JOY, AND UNMATCHED WORK ETHIC INSPIRE EVERYONE AROUND HER. HER COACH, JAY NELSON, ECHOED THAT IMPACT, SAYING BIG THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES, AS HE DESCRIBED ADYSON AS A FOUR-YEAR LETTER WINNER, CAPTAIN,
FIRST-TEAM ALL-LEAGUE PLAYER, AND ALL-STATE ATHLETE WHO LEADS BY EXAMPLE BOTH ON THE COURSE AND IN THE CLASSROOM AS SHE CONTINUES TO PURSUE EXCELLENCE AT THE STATE LEVEL. LOOKING AHEAD, ADYSON PLANS TO CONTINUE BOTH HER ATHLETIC AND ACADEMIC JOURNEY AT NEWBERRY
COLLEGE IN SOUTH CAROLINA. REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, ADYSON SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS SOMEONE WHO WAS HARDWORKING AND ALWAYS GAVE EVERYTHING I HAD TO MY TEAM. I WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BASKETBALL
COURT, MY EFFORT WAS NEVER QUESTIONED AND MY ENERGY WAS NOTHING BUT CONTAGIOUS. WHEN MY TEAM NEEDED SOMEONE TO STEP UP, I WANTED TO BE THE FIRST PERSON THEY LOOKED TO. IF I AM REMEMBERED AS SOMEONE WHO NEVER STOPPED BELIEVING IN THE VALUE OF EFFORT AND LEADERSHIP, THEN I WILL KNOW I LEFT A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON MY
TEAM. ADYSON ICE LUCY THOMPSON LUCY THOMPSON IS THE GREATEST ATHLETE IN LEGEND HISTORY,
WOW. SHARED MR. SIMINGTON, DESCRIBING A COMPETITOR WHO PAIRS UNMATCHED NATURAL ABILITY WITH EXTRAORDINARY WORK ETHIC AND BECAME THE FIRST ATHLETE TO COMPETE IN TWO STATE TITLE GAMES ON THE SAME DAY. COACH DARREN PITZNER ADDED THAT COACHING LUCY IS LIKE WATCHING A
HUMAN HIGHLIGHT REEL IN THREE SPORTS, HIGHLIGHTING HER DOMINANCE IN SOFTBALL AND FLAG FOOTBALL, HER STATE RECEIVING RECORD, AND HER HUMILITY DESPITE ELITE SUCCESS. COACH KRISTEN SHIRK REINFORCED THAT WHILE LUCY'S ATHLETICISM
STANDS OUT, IT IS HER CHARACTER, RESILIENCE, LEADERSHIP, AND ABILITY TO BALANCE ACADEMICS, SPORTS, AND LIFE THAT TRULY SET HER APART AS A ROLE MODEL WHOSE PASSION LIFTS EVERYONE AROUND HER. LOOKING AHEAD, LUCY HAS COMMITTED TO CONTINUE HER SOFTBALL CAREER AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. REFLECTING ON THE LEGACY SHE HOPES TO LEAVE, LUCY SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A LEADER WHO SET THE STANDARD EVERY DAY, SOMEONE WHO DIDN'T JUST TALK ABOUT HARD WORK, DISCIPLINE, AND COMMITMENT, BUT LIVED IT IN A WAY OTHERS COULD FOLLOW. MORE THAN ANYTHING, I HOPE THE
UNDERCLASSMEN SEE ME AS SOMEONE WHO BELIEVED IN THEM, PUSHED THEM, AND MADE THEM FEEL LIKE THEY BELONGED. I HOPE TO LEAVE ALL OF THE PROGRAMS AT LEGEND HIGH SCHOOL THAT I PLAYED FOR BETTER THAN IT WAS WHEN I GOT THERE.
LUCY THOMPSON MADISON SCHEIBEL IS MADISON HERE TODAY. MAILE STARNS MAILE STARNS HAS STEPPED
CONFIDENTLY INTO A LEADERSHIP ROLE AS THE LONE RETURNING STARTER FROM LEGEND'S STATE RUNNER-UP BASKETBALL TEAM, SETTING THE TONE THROUGH HER CONSISTENCY AND WORK ETHIC. MR. SIMINGTON SHARED THAT MAILE MENTORS NEW TEAMMATES, ACTIVELY SEEKS OPPORTUNITIES TO LEAD, AND IS THE DEFINITION OF EFFORT IN THE UNSEEN HOURS, ELEVATING EVERYONE AROUND HER. HER COACH, DARREN PITZNER, ADDED
THAT MAILE FULLY EMBRACES HER ROLE, DESCRIBING HER ENERGY, SPEED, TOUGHNESS, AND RELENTLESS WORK ETHIC AS QUALITIES THAT HAVE LIFTED THE PROGRAM TO A NEW STANDARD AND ESTABLISHED HER AS ONE OF COLORADO'S TOP POINT GUARDS. AFTER GRADUATING FROM LEGEND
HIGH SCHOOL, MAILE PLANS TO CONTINUE HER BASKETBALL CAREER AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL, WHILE PURSUING A MAJOR IN BUSINESS AND A MINOR IN BIOLOGY. REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, MAILE SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS SOMEONE WHO WAS HARDWORKING AND ALWAYS GAVE EVERYTHING I HAD TO MY TEAM.
I WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BASKETBALL COURT, MY EFFORT WAS NEVER QUESTIONED AND MY ENERGY WAS NOTHING BUT CONTAGIOUS. WHEN MY TEAM NEEDED SOMEONE TO STEP UP, I WANTED TO BE THE FIRST PERSON THEY LOOKED TO. IF I AM REMEMBERED AS SOMEONE WHO NEVER STOPPED BELIEVING IN
THE VALUE OF EFFORT AND LEADERSHIP, THEN I WILL KNOW I LEFT A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON MY TEAM. MAILE STARNS REESE BETSCHART
REESE HERE TODAY? SHE'S VERY ACCOMPLISHED. LET GIVE OUR LEGEND HIGH SCHOOL WINNERS BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE
♪♪
>> WELL DESERVED ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR WINNERS FROM MOUNTAIN VISTA HIGH SCHOOL AND MOUNTAIN RIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL. ♪♪
I'M EXCITED TO SHARE ABOUT OUR MOUNTAIN VISTA FEEDER AREA WINNERS. BEFORE I DO, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE OUR PONDEROSA & SAGEWOOD WINNERS QUIETLY START TO LINE UP IN THE ON-DECK AREA. JUST A NOTE. IN ORDER TO RESPECTFULLY MONITOR
OUR TIME, WE WOULD ASK THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO APPLAUSE AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEN AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE HIGH SCHOOL. NOT AFTER EACH PERSON. LET'S START WITH OUR MOUNTAIN RIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNERS. EMMIE BITTLER
LEADERSHIP AND CONFIDENCE DEFINE EMMIE BITTLER'S IMPACT AT MOUNTAIN RIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MARK SIKORA DESCRIBED EMMIE AS A LEADERSHIP POWERHOUSE, PRAISING HER TIRELESS WORK ETHIC, COMMITMENT, AND ABILITY TO HOLD HERSELF TO HIGH STANDARDS BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY.
HER COACH, MARK ELLIOT, SHARED THAT EMMIE RECENTLY DISCOVERED HER PURPOSE THROUGH SPORTS, A JOURNEY THAT HELPED SHAPE HER IDENTITY AND BUILD HER CONFIDENCE, NOTING HOW SHE ACTIVELY RECRUITS OTHER GIRLS INTO SPORTS WHILE EMPHASIZING CHARACTER OVER WINNING. THROUGH HER INVOLVEMENT IN ATHLETICS, STUDENT COUNCIL, AND
THE INTERACT CLUB, EMMIE HAS GROWN INTO A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL ACROSS THE SCHOOL. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, EMMIE SHARED, I HAVE LEARNED THAT TRYING A NEW SPORT CAN BRING YOU A NEW INTEREST. WHEN I STARTED WRESTLING, I WASN'T SURE I WOULD LIKE IT, BUT NOW IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE SPORTS, AND I WILL BE CONTINUING MY WRESTLING JOURNEY
THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND. EMMY KLEINSASSER EMMY IS THE KINDEST STUDENT-ATHLETE YOU WILL MEET, SHARED MR. MARK SIKORA, DESCRIBING HER INFECTIOUS OPTIMISM, COMPASSION, AND RELENTLESS DEDICATION TO BOTH
ACADEMICS AND ATHLETICS. HER COACH, KAREN SPRAFKE, ADDED THAT EMMY GIVES 110% WITHOUT EXCUSES IN CROSS COUNTRY, BASKETBALL, AND TRACK, BRINGING JOY, GRIT, AND LEADERSHIP TO EVERY TEAM SHE JOINS. KNOWN FOR HER INTEGRITY AND ENCOURAGEMENT, EMMY CONSISTENTLY LIFTS OTHERS WHILE HOLDING
HERSELF TO A HIGH STANDARD. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, EMMY SHARED, THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS, I HAVE LEARNED THAT WHEN YOU GIVE IT YOUR ALL, YOU SEE THE REWARD IN ITS FULLEST. KENDALL KING BALANCING MULTIPLE SPORTS,
ACADEMICS, AND LEADERSHIP ROLES COMES NATURALLY TO KENDALL KING. MR. SIKORA DESCRIBED KENDALL AS A PHENOMENAL STUDENT-ATHLETE WHO GIVES 100% EFFORT IN EVERYTHING SHE DOES, PRAISING HER INTELLIGENCE, CREATIVITY, AND ABILITY TO MENTOR AND SUPPORT HER PEERS.
HER COACH, PAUL COLE, SHARED THAT KENDALL EXCELS ACROSS MULTIPLE SPORTS AND NJHS, NOTING HER RELIABILITY, DILIGENCE, AND COMMITMENT TO EMPOWERING HER TEAMMATES. KENDALL'S ABILITY TO STAY ORGANIZED WHILE STAYING INVOLVED HAS SET HER UP FOR SUCCESS. REFLECTING ON HER MIDDLE SCHOOL
EXPERIENCE, KENDALL SHARED, PLAYING THREE SPORTS EACH YEAR HAS TAUGHT ME HOW TO BALANCE SCHOOL, CLUBS, SPORTS, AND MY SOCIAL LIFE. IT GAVE ME THE STRUCTURE I NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN HIGH SCHOOL. SOFIA BARAJAS
RESILIENCE STANDS AT THE HEART OF SOFIA BARAJAS' JOURNEY AT MOUNTAIN RIDGE. HER COACH, STEVE LOPEZ, SHARED THAT SOFIA IS AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADER ACROSS FLAG FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, AND TRACK, HIGHLIGHTING HER ABILITY TO MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE WHILE BATTLING SEVERE SCOLIOSIS AND EVEN STEPPING INTO A COACHING ROLE WHEN PHYSICALLY
LIMITED. MOUNTAIN RIDGE AD MARK SIKORA ADDED THAT SOFIA'S RELENTLESS DEDICATION, WORK ETHIC, AND INFECTIOUS POSITIVITY INSPIRE BOTH TEAMMATES AND CLASSMATES, MAKING HER AN INVALUABLE PART OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL
SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, SOFIA SHARED, MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE HELPED ME THROUGH MANY LESSONS AND HARDSHIPS. MOST IMPORTANT IS PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE. YOU CAN'T JUST GIVE UP IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH SOMETHING OR SOMEONE. ZELDA FRIBERG
CONSISTENCY, KINDNESS, AND QUIET LEADERSHIP DEFINE ZELDA FRIBERG'S IMPACT AT MOUNTAIN RIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL. MR. SIKORA SHARED THAT ZELDA BALANCES ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE WITH ATHLETIC GRIT, LEADING BY EXAMPLE THROUGH INTEGRITY, PERSEVERANCE, AND RESPONSIBILITY.
HER COACH, MICHELE AHRENS, DESCRIBED ZELDA AS AN EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT-ATHLETE IN VOLLEYBALL AND BASKETBALL, NOTING HER STRONG TEAMWORK, WORK ETHIC, AND WILLINGNESS TO STEP INTO LEADERSHIP ROLES - EVEN MANAGING A TEAM WHEN NEEDED. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, ZELDA SHARED, NEVER BE AFRAID TO TRY
SOMETHING NEW. LET'S GIVE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OUR MOUNTAIN VIEW RIDGE SCHOOL WINNERS. WE ARE ALSO HAPPY TO HONOR OUR 5 AMAZING MOUNTAIN VISTA HS WINNERS
ARIANNA AKEY COMPETING ACROSS FOUR SPORTS, ARIANNA AKEY SETS THE STANDARD FOR VERSATILITY AND LEADERSHIP AT MOUNTAIN VISTA HIGH SCHOOL. HER COACH, KEN ORTEGA, DESCRIBED ARIANNA AS AN UNBELIEVABLE ATHLETE AND LEADER, EMPHASIZING
HER HUMILITY, WORK ETHIC, AND ABILITY TO BRING TEAMMATES TOGETHER, QUALITIES THAT HELPED GUIDE THE PROGRAM TO BACK-TO-BACK STATE TITLES IN FLAG FOOTBALL. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR JIM FLANIGAN ADDED THAT ARIANNA BECAME A TWO-TIME STATE CHAMPION AND COLORADO PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN
FLAG FOOTBALL, LEADING THE TEAM TO A PERFECT 38-0 RECORD AS QUARTERBACK AND LINEBACKER, WHILE ALSO EARNING A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE 4X400 RELAY. ARIANNA PLANS TO PURSUE CIVIL ENGINEERING AND HOPES TO SERVE IN THE PEACE CORPS, AND REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE WANTS TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SHE SHARED, I
WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR MY SPORTSMANSHIP AND CHARACTER ON AND OFF THE FIELD. BRAELYNN LOONEY BRAELYNN BROUGHT AN UNWAVERING TOUGHNESS TO OUR PROGRAM THAT WAS INFECTIOUS, SHARED COACH KEN ORTEGA, DESCRIBING THE EFFORT
AND INTENSITY SHE BROUGHT TO EVERY SNAP, PRACTICE, AND GAME. AS A MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE AT MOUNTAIN VISTA, BRAELYNN COMPETED IN SOCCER, LACROSSE, AND GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL, BECOMING A TWO-TIME ALL-STATE PLAYER AND CAPTAIN OF A BACK-TO-BACK STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM THAT WENT 38-0.
MR. FLANIGAN HIGHLIGHTED HER IMPACT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL, NOTING THAT SHE LED THE TEAM IN TOUCHDOWN RECEPTIONS AND TACKLES, EARNED NATIONAL ALL-AMERICAN HONORS, AND COMPETED IN THE ALL-AMERICAN GAME IN TEXAS. BRAELYNN WILL CONTINUE HER FLAG FOOTBALL CAREER AT WINGATE UNIVERSITY IN NORTH CAROLINA,
AND REFLECTING ON THE LEGACY SHE HOPES TO LEAVE, SHE SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A LEADER WHO GAVE EVERYTHING, LIFTED MY TEAMMATES, AND HELPED BUILD THE LOVE AND CHEMISTRY THAT MADE US GREAT, ON AND OFF THE FIELD. IN MY SPORT, I HOPE I'M REMEMBERED AS A PIONEER IN THE
FIRST GENERATION OF GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL, PROVING IT DESERVES RESPECT THROUGH HARD WORK, FOOTBALL IQ, CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION. AT MY SCHOOL, I WANT TO LEAVE A CHAMPION'S STANDARD THAT CONTINUES LONG AFTER ME.
CLAIRE GUIBERSON CLAIRE GUIBERSON'S SUCCESS AT MOUNTAIN VISTA HIGH SCHOOL IS BUILT ON DISCIPLINE, CONSISTENCY, AND ELITE COMPETITIVE HABITS. HER COACH, ETHAN ROUSE, DESCRIBED CLAIRE AS A FIERCE COMPETITOR WHOSE WORK ETHIC AND MINDSET LED TO THREE TOP-10
STATE FINISHES AND MADE HER A VITAL PART OF THE 2024 NIKE NXN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM. MR. FLANIGAN ADDED THAT CLAIRE WAS A THREE-YEAR VARSITY LETTER WINNER WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THREE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS, A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, AND THE FIRST NATIONAL TITLE IN SCHOOL
HISTORY. CLAIRE WILL CONTINUE BOTH HER ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC JOURNEY AT VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, AND REFLECTING ON HER EXPERIENCE, SHE SHARED THAT SHE WAS PROUD TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE NXN THIRD-PLACE TEAM IN 2023, THE 2024 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM,
AND THE NXN CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM IN 2024. PRESLEY NICHOLS OKAY WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON.
KEIRA WOODY LEADERSHIP DEFINES KEIRA WOODY'S IMPACT AT MOUNTAIN VISTA HIGH SCHOOL, BOTH IN THE POOL AND ON THE SOCCER FIELD. AS A VARSITY CAPTAIN IN SWIMMING AND A CORE DEFENDER IN GIRLS SOCCER, KEIRA CONSISTENTLY LEADS THROUGH ACCOUNTABILITY, EMPATHY, AND CONNECTION. MR. FLANIGAN SHARED THAT KEIRA WAS PART OF THE 2024 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SOCCER TEAM AND
SCORED THE OVERTIME GAME-WINNING GOAL IN THE STATE QUARTERFINALS TO SEND THE TEAM TO THE SEMIFINALS. HER COACH, TIM BYERS, DESCRIBED KEIRA AS AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADER, WHILE COACH THERESA ECHTERMEYER ADDED THAT HER KINDNESS, INTEGRITY, AND SERVANT LEADERSHIP HAVE SHAPED THE
PROGRAM SINCE HER FRESHMAN YEAR. KEIRA PLANS TO ATTEND COLLEGE AND STUDY CHILD DEVELOPMENT, AND REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SHE SHARED, I HOPE PEOPLE REMEMBER ME AS A LEADER THEY LOOKED UP TO, BY THE WAY I INSPIRED OTHERS, LED BY
EXAMPLE, AND CREATED A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE COULD TRUST EACH OTHER AND BE CONFIDENT TO PUSH THEMSELVES, IT IS HOW I CONNECTED WITH THE PEOPLE ON MY TEAM TO MAKE THEM BETTER ATHLETES AND PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE THAT FOR YEARS IN THE FUTURE.
LET'S GIVE OUR MOUNTAIN VISTA HS WINNERS A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [ APPLAUSE ] [VIDEO]
♪♪
>> LET'S GIVE HUGE ROUND APPLAUSE FROM WINNERS FROM
PONDEROSA HIGH SCHOOL AND
SAGEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL. BEFORE WE GET TO THE BRILLIANCE OF OUR PONDEROSA FEEDER AREA WINNERS, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR ROCK CANYON AND ROCKY HEIGHTS WINNERS TO QUIETLY START MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE ON-DECK AREA. THANKS. LET'S START BY CELEBRATING OUR WINNERS FROM SAGEWOOD MS. SAGEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL EMERSON GOMPERT QUIET LEADERSHIP CAN BE POWERFUL, AND EMERSON GOMPERT
PROVES THAT EVERY DAY. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MEGAN HILL SHARED THAT WHILE EMERSON MAY NOT BE THE LOUDEST VOICE ON THE COURT OR TRACK, HER SUPPORT FOR TEAMMATES IS CONSTANT AND UNMISTAKABLE, ADDING THAT SHE IS NEVER AFRAID TO ASK FOR FEEDBACK BECAUSE SHE KNOWS IT HELPS HER GROW.
HER COACH, NOAH WEINMAN, DESCRIBED EMERSON AS A HARDWORKING, RESPECTFUL, AND COACHABLE ATHLETE WHO TAKES FEEDBACK IN STRIDE AND STAYS FOCUSED ON IMPROVEMENT. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, EMERSON SHARED, I LEARNED THAT I CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING BY WORKING HARD.
MADDIE WIDMER TRYING SOMETHING NEW CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR MADDIE WIDMER. MRS. HILL SHARED THAT MADDIE DECIDED TO TRY CROSS COUNTRY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SIXTH GRADE AND QUICKLY DISCOVERED A LOVE FOR IT - AND FOR EVERY OTHER SPORT SHE'S TAKEN ON AT SAGEWOOD PRAISING HER DEDICATION TO
WORKING HARD BOTH IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL. HER COACH, SEAN FRAZIER, DESCRIBED MADDIE AS AN INCREDIBLE ATHLETE WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE WHO GIVES HER ALL IN ACADEMICS AND SPORTS, NOTING HER LEADERSHIP ON THE BASKETBALL COURT AND HER CHARACTER AND CONFIDENCE WHEN TRYING FLAG FOOTBALL FOR THE
FIRST TIME THIS SEASON. REFLECTING ON HER EXPERIENCE, MADDIE SHARED, PARTICIPATING IN SPORTS HAS HELPED ME LEARN THAT I AM DISCIPLINED, DEDICATED, AND CAPABLE OF PUSHING THROUGH HARD THINGS. I DISCOVERED HOW I CAN HANDLE PRESSURE AND BUILD CONFIDENCE ON A TEAM, AND THAT WILL HELP ME REACH HIGHER EXPECTATIONS IN
HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND. MIKAELA RODRIGUEZ ENERGY, PASSION, AND JOY FOLLOW MIKAELA PEANUT RODRIGUEZ WHEREVER SHE GOES. SAGEWOOD AD MRS. HILL DESCRIBED MIKAELA AS A FIRECRACKER WHOSE EXCITEMENT AND ENTHUSIASM MAKE
HER IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS, PRAISING THE WAY SHE CHAMPIONS HER PEERS' SUCCESS AND TAKES ON EVERY CHALLENGE WITH A SMILE. HER COACH, NOAH WEINMAN, ADDED THAT MIKAELA'S DYNAMIC SPIRIT, VERSATILITY, AND STRONG WORK ETHIC SHINE ACROSS VOLLEYBALL, BASKETBALL, AND TRACK, NOTING THAT EVEN THOSE WHO HAVEN'T
COACHED HER FEEL HER POSITIVE IMPACT. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, MIKAELA SHARED, I LEARNED THAT I ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO PUSH THROUGH. WHETHER IT WAS A BAD GAME OR A SLOW TIME, I ALWAYS COME BACK, AND I THINK THAT IS ONE OF MY BEST TRAITS. MOLLY MORAND
MOLLY MORAND BRINGS HEART, KINDNESS, AND LEADERSHIP INTO EVERYTHING SHE DOES. HER COACHES, GRAIG MACHENDRIE AND NOAH WEINMAN, DESCRIBED MOLLY AS SOMEONE UNAFRAID OF TRYING, FAILING, AND LEARNING, HIGHLIGHTING HER RELENTLESS GROWTH, INTEGRITY, AND POSITIVE INFLUENCE ACROSS BASKETBALL AND
VOLLEYBALL. MRS. HILL ALSO SHARED THAT MOLLY IS A HARDWORKING STUDENT-ATHLETE WHO DEEPLY VALUES BEING PART OF SAGEWOOD'S PROGRAMS, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE AND SUPPORT HER PEERS. REFLECTING ON HER MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE, MOLLY SHARED, I LEARNED THAT I ENJOY BEING ACTIVE AND PLAYING BASKETBALL AND VOLLEYBALL.
I ALSO ENJOY HAVING A TEAM WHO LOVES ME AND HELPS ME. I LEARNED HOW TO BE A LEADER AND HOW TO BE HELPFUL WHEN OTHERS CAN'T. MORGAN GREENE STEPPING OUTSIDE HER COMFORT ZONE HAS BEEN A DEFINING PART OF MORGAN GREENE'S JOURNEY.
MRS. HILL SHARED THAT MORGAN CHALLENGES HERSELF DAILY, WORKS HARD IN TRACK AND IN THE CLASSROOM, AND ADVOCATES FOR HERSELF WITH TEACHERS AND COACHES, ESPECIALLY WHEN FACING INJURIES, BRINGING A POSITIVE ENERGY TO SAGEWOOD. HER COACH, SEAN FRAZIER, DESCRIBED MORGAN AS FULL OF INTEGRITY AND DETERMINATION,
PRAISING HER DEDICATION TO HER TEAM AND GROWTH AS BOTH AN ATHLETE AND PERSON. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, MORGAN SHARED, I LEARNED THAT EVERYTHING TAKES PRACTICE AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO UNLESS YOU TRY. WORKING ON SKILLS DAILY AND
TRYING NEW THINGS CAN REALLY HELP YOU REACH YOUR GOALS. LET'S GIVE A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR SAGEWOOD MS WINNERS. [ APPLAUSE ] YOU ARE AMAZING. WE ARE ALSO HAPPY TO HONOR OUR 5 AMAZING PONDEROSA HS WINNERS
PONDEROSA HIGH SCHOOL EMERSON BUSER POSITIVITY IS EMERSON BUSER'S CALLING CARD, AND IT'S FELT FAR BEYOND THE DANCE FLOOR. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR NATE HILL SHARED THAT EMERSON IS AN INCREDIBLY POSITIVE MEMBER OF BOTH THE DANCE TEAM AND THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, PRAISING HER
WORK ETHIC AND THE EXAMPLE SHE SETS FOR FUTURE DANCERS AND ATHLETES. HER COACH, MORGAN BENHAM, DESCRIBED HOW EMERSON'S LEADERSHIP HAS ELEVATED THE ENTIRE PROGRAM, NOTING THAT SHE LEADS WITH HEART, PUSHES HERSELF WITH DETERMINATION, AND INSPIRES TEAMMATES THROUGH ENCOURAGEMENT AND BELIEF.
EMERSON PLANS TO ATTEND COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY, AND REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SHE SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS AN APPROACHABLE LEADER, SOMEONE PEOPLE CAN COME TO, SOMEONE WHO SHOWED UP, CARED DEEPLY, AND ALWAYS LEFT THINGS AS I FOUND THEM. ADDISON SPAIN
LEADERSHIP SHOWS UP DIFFERENTLY IN EVERY SPACE, AND FOR ADDISON SPAIN, IT SHOWS UP EVERYWHERE. HER COACH, PAT LAPORTA, SHARED THAT ADDIE STRIVES TO BE A LEADER IN ANY ENVIRONMENT, DESCRIBING HER AS ONE OF THE HARDEST WORKERS AND MOST
CONSISTENT TEAMMATES, ALWAYS FINDING WAYS TO SUPPORT THOSE AROUND HER. MR. HILL ADDED THAT ADDISON IS A RARE STUDENT-ATHLETE, COMPETING IN THREE SPORTS AND MAKING A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON EVERY TEAM WHILE SERVING AS A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL ACROSS THE SCHOOL. ADDISON PLANS TO STUDY KINESIOLOGY WITH THE GOAL OF PURSUING A CAREER IN SPORTS
MEDICINE, AND REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SHE SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS SOMEONE WHO ALWAYS BROUGHT A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND GAVE MY FULL EFFORT IN EVERYTHING I DID, WHETHER IN MY SPORT, SCHOOL, OR EXTRACURRICULARS. I HOPE I SHOWED OTHERS THAT WORKING HARD AND CARING DEEPLY
CAN COEXIST WITH HAVING FUN. MORE THAN ANYTHING, I WANT TO LEAVE A LEGACY FOR THE GIRLS AFTER ME, REMINDING THEM TO GIVE 100% WHILE STILL FINDING JOY AND LIGHT IN THE PROCESS.
ADDYSON TUCKER ZOEY FOCO CULTURE MATTERS, AND ZOEY FOCO HELPED SHAPE IT AT PONDEROSA. HER COACH, AMADA VILLARI, DESCRIBED ZOEY AS AN EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT-ATHLETE WHOSE LEADERSHIP
EXTENDED FAR BEYOND PERFORMANCE, BALANCING ELITE COMPETITION IN CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK WITH ACADEMICS, MUSIC, SERVICE, AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP. MR. HILL ADDED THAT ZOEY IS AN INCREDIBLE COMPETITOR AND GREAT LEADER, CREDITING HER AS A KEY PART OF GROWING THE PROGRAM AND SETTING A STANDARD FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW.
ZOEY PLANS TO PURSUE COLLEGIATE ATHLETICS AS A COMPETITIVE RUNNER WHILE EXPLORING HER ACADEMIC INTERESTS, AND REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SHE SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS SOMEONE WHOSE INFLUENCE EXTENDED BEYOND PERFORMANCE, HELPING BUILD AN ENVIRONMENT OF SUPPORT, JOY, AND
LAUGHTER, AND FOR THE POSITIVE IMPACT I HAD ON MY TEAM, SPORT, AND SCHOOL, ON AND OFF THE TRACK. LET'S GIVE OUR WINNERS A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE
[ APPLAUSE ] [VIDEO]
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BEFORE WE GET TO THE BRILLIANCE OF OUR ROCK CANYON FEEDER AREA WINNERS, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR THUNDERRIDGE AND RANCH VIEW WINNERS TO QUIETLY START MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE ON-DECK AREA. THANKS.
AND, IT'S TIME. LET'S START BY CELEBRATING OUR WINNERS FROM ROCKY HEIGHTS MS. ROCKY HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL ANISTON COIL ANISTON COIL LEADS WITH CONFIDENCE, POSITIVITY, AND A GENUINE LOVE FOR VOLLEYBALL.
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR CULLEN HILSENDAGER SHARED THAT ANISTON SHINES BOTH ON THE COURT AND IN THE CLASSROOM, NOTING HER STRONG CHARACTER, DETERMINATION, AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING SHE PURSUES. HER COACH, PAIGE TAYLOR,
DESCRIBED ANISTON AS A NATURAL LEADER AND ENCOURAGING TEAMMATE WHO BRINGS PASSION, INTEGRITY, AND A STRONG WORK ETHIC TO BOTH VOLLEYBALL AND ACADEMICS. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, ANISTON SHARED, MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE ALLOWED ME TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF PATIENCE.
EVERYONE LEARNS AND IMPROVES AT A DIFFERENT PACE, AND SUCCESS COMES FROM UNDERSTANDING THOSE DIFFERENCES. AS I MOVE THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND, PATIENCE WILL HELP ME WORK BETTER WITH OTHERS AND GROW AS A LEADER. AVEN CUMMINGS
INTENSITY, RESPECT, AND HEART DEFINE AVEN CUMMINGS ON THE WRESTLING MAT. MR. HILSENDAGER SHARED THAT AVEN APPROACHES WRESTLING WITH COMMITMENT AND A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE SPORT, EARNING THE TRUST OF HER COACHES AND TEAMMATES THROUGH LEADERSHIP
AND CARE FOR OTHERS. HER COACHES, SCOTT MCEOWEN AND RODNEY GRAHAM, DESCRIBED AVEN AS A FIERY COMPETITOR WHO HAS EVEN BEEN COINED AN ASSISTANT COACH FOR HER WRESTLING KNOWLEDGE, PRAISING HER COURAGE ON THE MAT, KINDNESS OFF IT, AND THE
DISCIPLINE AND HONESTY THAT INSPIRE EVERYONE IN THE WRESTLING ROOM. REFLECTING ON WHAT WRESTLING HAS TAUGHT HER, AVEN SHARED, IT HAS GROWN BOTH MY PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STRENGTH. I'VE LEARNED TO PUSH THROUGH MENTAL BLOCKS AND PHYSICAL
BARRIERS, AND I'VE LEARNED TENACITY AND PATIENCE. I KNOW NOTHING COMES WITHOUT HARD WORK, DEDICATION, AND A LOT OF SWEAT. CHARLEY GUNTHER EFFORT AND RESILIENCE DEFINE THE
WAY CHARLEY GUNTHER COMPETES. HER COACH, PAIGE TAYLOR, DESCRIBED CHARLEY AS AN EXCEPTIONAL VOLLEYBALL PLAYER WHO LEADS BY EXAMPLE THROUGH HARD WORK, DEDICATION, AND ENCOURAGEMENT, ALWAYS GIVING HER BEST EFFORT. MR. HILSENDAGER ALSO SHARED THAT
CHARLEY CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATES LEADERSHIP THROUGH DETERMINATION, SPORTSMANSHIP, AND A POSITIVE GROWTH MINDSET, SUPPORTING AND MOTIVATING HER TEAMMATES BOTH ON THE COURT AND IN THE CLASSROOM. REFLECTING ON HER EXPERIENCE, CHARLEY SHARED, I HAVE LEARNED THAT I WON'T GIVE UP WHEN THINGS
GET TOUGH. LOSSES AND TOUGH GAMES TAUGHT ME HOW TO RISE UP AND PUSH MYSELF. RHMS VOLLEYBALL BROUGHT ME CLOSE FRIENDS AND AMAZING COACHES AND REMINDED ME HOW MUCH I VALUE BEING ON A TEAM WORKING TOWARD A
COMMON GOAL. DAKOTA BURMEISTER DAKOTA REPRESENTS THE EPITOME OF THE TERM 'STUDENT-ATHLETE, ' SHARED HER COACH SHARON MAJETICH, DESCRIBING HER AS AN INCREDIBLY HARD WORKER WHO LEADS
WITH INTEGRITY ACROSS ACADEMICS, ATHLETICS, AND TEAM SETTINGS. MR. HILSENDAGER ADDED THAT DAKOTA'S DEDICATION, LEADERSHIP, AND POSITIVE INFLUENCE OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS HAVE SET A POWERFUL EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW,
NOTING THAT SHE CONSISTENTLY GIVES HER BEST IN EVERY PRACTICE, COMPETITION, AND CLASSROOM. REFLECTING ON WHAT SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, DAKOTA SHARED, SPORTS TAUGHT ME ABOUT TEAMWORK AND RESPONSIBILITY, AND TO PERSEVERE WHILE PUSHING MYSELF TOWARD MY POTENTIAL.
AS SANYA ROSS SAID, 'FAILURE I CAN LIVE WITH - NOT TRYING IS WHAT I CAN'T HANDLE.' QIANNA PARKER ENERGY AND COMMITMENT DEFINE QIANNA PARKER EVERY TIME SHE STEPS ONTO THE BASKETBALL COURT.
HER COACH, CAROLINE WEINBERG, SHARED THAT QIANNA PLAYS WITH INTENSITY, PASSION, AND RELENTLESS EFFORT, PRAISING HER TENACITY, FOCUS, AND DEDICATION TO IMPROVEMENT BOTH ATHLETICALLY AND ACADEMICALLY. MR. HILSENDAGER ADDED THAT QIANNA APPROACHES ATHLETICS AND
ACADEMICS WITH THE SAME DRIVE AND RESPONSIBILITY, CONSISTENTLY GIVING HER FULL EFFORT AND LEADING BY EXAMPLE. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, QIANNA SHARED, PLAYING MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HELPED ME UNDERSTAND MY STRENGTHS IN TEAM BUILDING AND
LEADERSHIP. WORKING WITH NEW PEOPLE TAUGHT ME PERSEVERANCE AND HOW TO BALANCE SCHOOL, CLUB TEAMS, AND THE SPORTS I LOVE. LET'S GIVE A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR ROCKY HEIGHTS
MS WINNERS. ROCK CANYON HIGH SCHOOL GIANNA BLANCO JOY AND COMPETITIVENESS DEFINE
GIANNA BLANCO'S PRESENCE ON THE VOLLEYBALL COURT. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR TOM BRIESKE SHARED THAT IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE WATCHING GIANNA COMPETE OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS, PRAISING HER AS AN OUTSTANDING PLAYER AND POSITIVE TEAMMATE WHO
CONSISTENTLY REPRESENTS ROCK CANYON WITH EXCELLENCE. HER COACH, ANGELA HANSON, ADDED THAT GIANNA EMBODIES EXACTLY WHAT A JAGUAR STUDENT-ATHLETE SHOULD BE, HIGHLIGHTING HER LEADERSHIP, WORK ETHIC, AND ABILITY TO BALANCE ATHLETICS
WITH STRONG ACADEMICS WHILE UPLIFTING THOSE AROUND HER. GIANNA WILL ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS TO STUDY BUSINESS AND MARKETING.
REFLECTING ON THE LEGACY SHE HOPES TO LEAVE, GIANNA SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A GREAT TEAMMATE AND LEADER ON AND OFF THE COURT, I ALSO WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS THE FIRST VOLLEYBALL PLAYER IN COLORADO HISTORY TO SERVE A PERFECT 25-0 GAME.
CATHERINE STITH I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH CATHERINE FOR THE PAST 4 YEARS, SHARED COACH AMANDA MUNDACA, WHO DESCRIBED HER AS AN INCREDIBLY TALENTED ATHLETE WITH A STRONG WORK ETHIC, OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP, AND A CONSISTENTLY POSITIVE ATTITUDE. AN ALL-STATE AND ALL-AMERICAN
CHEERLEADER, CATHERINE HAS PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN SUPPORTING ROCK CANYON ATHLETICS AND STRENGTHENING THE SPIRIT PROGRAM. MR. BRIESKE HIGHLIGHTED HER IMPACT, NOTING THAT CATHERINE CONSISTENTLY SHOWS UP FOR JAGUAR TEAMS AND REPRESENTS THE SCHOOL
WITH PRIDE AND EXCELLENCE. CATHERINE PLANS TO ATTEND COLLEGE AND MAJOR IN ACCOUNTING OR FINANCE, BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR A FUTURE CAREER IN BUSINESS. REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, CATHERINE SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED
AS SOMEONE WHO ALWAYS SHOWED UP AND GAVE THEIR BEST FOR THE TEAM AND SCHOOL, MOST IMPORTANTLY, I HOPE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR FOSTERING A POSITIVE, SUPPORTIVE TEAM CULTURE AND REPRESENTING MY SCHOOL WITH PRIDE AND INTEGRITY ON AND OFF THE MAT.
ADDISON ROLF THREE STRAIGHT STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS TELL PART OF ADDISON ROLF'S STORY, BUT HER IMPACT ON ROCK CANYON GOES FAR BEYOND THE MEDALS. AS A FOUR-YEAR MEMBER OF THE DANCE TEAM, INCLUDING THREE
YEARS ON VARSITY AND SERVING AS CAPTAIN HER JUNIOR AND SENIOR SEASONS, ADDISON HAS LEFT A LASTING MARK ON THE PROGRAM. HER COACH, CHRISTINA LEONE, SHARED THAT ADDISON IS A STANDOUT STUDENT AND COMMUNITY LEADER WHO HAS EARNED STATE, LEAGUE, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL
HONORS WHILE SETTING THE STANDARD FOR THE TEAM. MR. BRIESKE ADDED THAT ADDISON IS AN EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT-ATHLETE WHO NOT ONLY STRIVES FOR COMPETITIVE SUCCESS IN DANCE, BUT ALSO WORKS TIRELESSLY TO SUPPORT OTHER ROCK CANYON SPORTS PROGRAMS.
ADDISON'S GOAL IS TO ATTEND TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, MAJOR IN KINESIOLOGY, AND PURSUE A DOCTORATE IN PHYSICAL THERAPY, WHILE HOPING TO CONTINUE DANCING WITH THE DIVISION I TEXAS A&M DANCE TEAM. REFLECTING ON HER TIME AT ROCK CANYON, ADDISON SHARED, I HAVE
LOVED ATTENDING AND REPRESENTING ROCK CANYON FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS. IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE PART OF THE LEGACY THE ROCK CANYON DANCE TEAM HAS ESTABLISHED, I WILL TAKE EVERYTHING I'VE LEARNED WITH ME AS I MOVE ON TO COLLEGE, AND I HOPE TO MAKE ROCK CANYON PROUD.
LOGAN CARY IS LOGAN HERE TODAY? VERY ACCOMPLISHED. EMERSON MCDONALD EMERSON MCDONALD COMPETES WITH
HEART, INTENSITY, AND AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE AROUND HER. HER COACH, PAYTON HOLLOWAY, DESCRIBED EMERSON AS THE DEFINITION OF AN EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT-ATHLETE, HIGHLIGHTING HER UNSELFISHNESS, COMPETITIVENESS, AND DEEP CARE
FOR HER TEAMMATES AND COACHES. ROCK CANYON AD MR. BRIESKE ADDED THAT EMERSON IS A FIERCE COMPETITOR WHO STRIVES FOR EXCELLENCE BOTH ON THE COURT AND IN THE CLASSROOM AND HAS BEEN AN OUTSTANDING JAGUAR THROUGHOUT
HER 4 YEARS. EMERSON PLANS TO PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION AND STUDY BUSINESS, AND REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE WANTS TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SHE SHARED, AS THE BUZZER SOUNDS AND I HANG UP MY BASKETBALL SHOES ONE LAST TIME, I WANT TO BE
REMEMBERED AS A FRIEND, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR NOT JUST THE MOMENTS ON THE COURT, BUT WHO I WAS WITH MY TEAMMATES - A BEST FRIEND. LET'S GIVE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ROCK CANYON ATHLETES.
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BEFORE WE GET TO THE BRILLIANCE OF OUR THUNDERRIDGE FEEDER AREA WINNERS, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR CASTLE VIEW AND CASTLE ROCK MS WINNERS TO QUIETLY START MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE ON-DECK AREA. THANKS. AND, IT'S TIME. LET'S START BY CELEBRATING OUR
WINNERS FROM RANCH VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL. GENEVIEVE LIMONI DEPENDABILITY AND KINDNESS DEFINE GENEVIEVE LIMONI'S PRESENCE ON THE VOLLEYBALL COURT. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR DAVID POPP DESCRIBES HER AS SUPER RELIABLE AND COACHABLE, NOTING THAT SHE FINDS OPEN SPOTS, PLAYS CONFIDENTLY IN BOTH THE FRONT AND BACK ROW, AND SETS AND
PASSES WITH PRECISION, ALL WHILE BEING A GENUINELY KIND TEAMMATE AND SOLID STUDENT. COACH KELSEY SIEMONS ADDS THAT GENEVIEVE IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY DEPENDABLE, COACHABLE ATHLETE KNOWN FOR KINDNESS AND TEAMWORK, PRAISING HER COURT AWARENESS, VERSATILITY, AND POSITIVE, COOPERATIVE PRESENCE.
REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, GENEVIEVE SHARED, I'VE LEARNED THAT IT DOESN'T JUST TAKE ONE PERSON TO DO SOMETHING. WE COUNT ON EACH OTHER FOR THINGS AND HAVING A TEAM AND A GOOD GROUP TO COUNT ON IS SO BENEFICIAL AND IMPORTANT. IN VOLLEYBALL IT TOOK EVERYONE
PLAYING THEIR PART AND PUTTING IN EFFORT TO SUCCEED AND IT'S THE SAME WAY IN LIFE. JEMMA SCHILLING HARD WORK AND GROWTH TELL JEMMA SCHILLING'S STORY. MR. POPP SHARED THAT JEMMA IS A HARD-WORKING, KIND, AND TALENTED
MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE WHO GIVES HER ALL IN BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL, AND THE CLASSROOM, ALWAYS CHEERING FOR OTHERS AND EVEN HELPING YOUNGER PLAYERS IMPROVE. COACH KELSEY SIEMONS HIGHLIGHTED JEMMA'S JOURNEY, NOTING THAT SHE MOVED FROM THE B TEAM IN SEVENTH GRADE TO THE A TEAM THROUGH
DEDICATION, GROWTH, AND LEADERSHIP, ALL WHILE SUPPORTING TEAMMATES ALONG THE WAY. REFLECTING ON HER MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE, JEMMA SHARED, BEING A FRIEND, WORKING AS A TEAM AND MAKING SURE TO HAVE FUN. JUNE GREEN
JUNE GREEN'S GROWTH AS A BASKETBALL PLAYER HAS BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS. COACH CRAIG MOODY SHARED THAT JUNE HAS SHOWN OUTSTANDING IMPROVEMENT THROUGH DEDICATION, CONSISTENT PRACTICE, AND A STRONG WORK ETHIC, WHILE SUPPORTING TEAMMATES AND MODELING HUMILITY AND LEADERSHIP BOTH ON AND OFF THE COURT.
MR. POPP ECHOED THAT SENTIMENT, DESCRIBING JUNE AS ONE OF THE MOST IMPROVED AND RESPECTED TEAM MEMBERS WHO EXCELS ACADEMICALLY AND BRINGS A CARING PRESENCE TO EVERYTHING SHE DOES. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, JUNE SHARED, I LEARNED THAT TEAMWORK AND COLLABORATION ARE SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU LEARN TO
WORK EFFECTIVELY WITH OTHERS TOWARD A COMMON GOAL. I ALSO LEARNED DISCIPLINE AND TIME MANAGEMENT IS CRITICAL BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BALANCE SPORTS COMMITMENT WITH SCHOOLWORK AND OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES. LIZZY QUEEN
MASTERY AND DETERMINATION SET LIZZY QUEEN APART. MR. POPP DESCRIBED LIZZY AS AN INCREDIBLY TALENTED RUNNER AND STRONG STUDENT WHO NEVER STOPS UNTIL SHE HAS MASTERED WHATEVER CHALLENGE IS IN FRONT OF HER, WHETHER ON THE TRACK OR IN THE CLASSROOM. COACH ALISON STEMM ADDED THAT
LIZZY PAIRS REMARKABLE SKILL WITH RELENTLESS WORK ETHIC, CALLING HER PASSION, DISCIPLINE, AND DRIVE THE FOUNDATION OF HER SUCCESS AS A COMPETITOR AND TEAMMATE. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, LIZZY SHARED, MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS TAUGHT ME TO SET GOALS FOR MYSELF AND MY TEAM, AND HOW TO
WORK WITH A TEAM TO PURSUE THOSE GOALS. SPORTS GIVE US A CHANCE TO TEST OURSELVES AGAINST OURSELVES AND OUR PEERS, WHILE HELPING TEAMMATES AND STAYING HEALTHY, AND APPRECIATING EVERYONE'S HARD WORK AND ACHIEVEMENTS.
SAVANNAH SUROVIK BALANCING DEMANDING ACADEMICS WITH HIGH-LEVEL SOCCER AND COMPETITIVE RUNNING, SAVANNAH SUROVIK SETS A POWERFUL EXAMPLE. COACH ALISON STEMM DESCRIBED SAVANNAH AS A STANDOUT MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE WHO WORKS HARD, SUPPORTS OTHERS, AND GOES
THE EXTRA MILE, NOTING HER PERFECT SCORE ON LAST YEAR'S ELA STATE TEST AS A REFLECTION OF HER DISCIPLINE AND FOCUS. RANCH VIEW AD MR. POPP ADDED THAT SAVANNAH IS AN AWESOME TEAMMATE WHO CONSISTENTLY LOOKS OUT FOR OTHERS AND BRINGS A GREAT ATTITUDE TO EVERYTHING SHE
DOES. REFLECTING ON HER JOURNEY, SAVANNAH SHARED, THROUGH CROSS-COUNTRY AND TRACK, I HAVE LEARNED THAT IN THE END, I AM ABLE TO PUSH THROUGH PAIN AND THAT I JUST NEED TO KEEP WORKING AT SOMETHING I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH BECAUSE CONSISTENCY
REALLY DOES PAY OFF. LET'S GIVE A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR RANCH VIEW MS WINNERS. [ APPLAUSE ] WE ARE ALSO HAPPY TO HONOR OUR 5 AMAZING THUNDER RIDGE HS WINNERS SAMANTHA OLIVER
AT THUNDERRIDGE, SAMANTHA HAS BEEN A STEADY PRESENCE AND A DRIVING FORCE WITHIN THE SOFTBALL PROGRAM. HER COACH DESCRIBED SAMANTHA AS A CORNERSTONE OF THE TEAM, HIGHLIGHTING HER DISCIPLINE, TOUGHNESS, AND LEADERSHIP, AS WELL AS HER IMPACT OFFENSIVELY AND DEFENSIVELY WHILE ELEVATING THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR JOSH STEPHENSON ADDED THAT SAMANTHA EXEMPLIFIES DEDICATION AND CHARACTER BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD, EMBODYING THE SPIRIT OF GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS THROUGH ATHLETICS, ACADEMICS, AND SERVICE. SAMANTHA PLANS TO ATTEND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOL AND
CONTINUE ON TO LAW SCHOOL, AND REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SHE SHARED, I MOSTLY WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A KIND AND RESPECTABLE LEADER WHO HAS HELPED OTHERS GROW WITH THE SPORT. MADISON WRIGHT RESILIENCE DEFINES MADISON WRIGHT'S ATHLETIC JOURNEY AT
THUNDERRIDGE. MR. STEPHENSON SHARED THAT MADISON IS A STANDOUT TWO-SPORT ATHLETE WHOSE PERSEVERANCE THROUGH SEVERE INJURIES REFLECTS REMARKABLE DETERMINATION AND PRIDE IN REPRESENTING HER SCHOOL. HER COACH ADDED THAT AS A SENIOR CAPTAIN, MADISON EXEMPLIFIES
EXCELLENCE, POSITIVITY, AND A TEAM-FIRST MINDSET, IMPACTING BASKETBALL THROUGH LEADERSHIP AND WORK ETHIC WHILE PURSUING SOCCER AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL. MADISON WILL ATTEND CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY TO PLAY DIVISION I SOCCER, AND REFLECTING ON HOW SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED, SHE SHARED, I
WOULD LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR MY POSITIVE ATTITUDE, THE HARD WORK AND LONG HOURS I PUT INTO MY CRAFT, BEING COACHABLE, AND PERSEVERING THROUGH INJURIES AND TIMES WHEN NO ONE ELSE BELIEVED IN ME, USING THAT TO WORK HARDER AND KEEP MY LOVE OF THE GAME.
CAMDYN HURT LEADERSHIP AND CONSISTENCY HAVE DEFINED CAMDYN HURT'S IMPACT ON THUNDERRIDGE SOCCER AND BEYOND. HER COACH, MIKE PARSONS, SHARED THAT CAMDYN HAS BEEN AN AMAZING PLAYER AND TEAMMATE SINCE HER
FRESHMAN YEAR, HIGHLIGHTING HER CONSISTENCY, STRONG WORK ETHIC, COMMUNICATION, AND CARE FOR OTHERS AS QUALITIES THAT SET HER APART. MR. STEPHENSON ADDED THAT CAMDYN EXEMPLIFIES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A THUNDERRIDGE ATHLETE, NOTING HER LEADERSHIP, COMPETITIVE SPIRIT, AND ROLE AS A KEY MEMBER
OF THE 2023 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM. CAMDYN WILL CONTINUE HER SOCCER CAREER AT THE DIVISION I LEVEL AT OLE MISS, AND REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SHE SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR MY ATHLETIC TALENTS BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY MY POSITIVE AND SUPPORTIVE CHARACTER ON AND OFF THE FIELD.
I HOPE MY TEAMMATES WOULD SAY I ALWAYS GAVE 100% IN PRACTICES AND GAMES, PUSHING MYSELF AND THEM TO BE BETTER, AND THAT I CONTRIBUTED TO A WINNING CULTURE THROUGH LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT. QUINN STRANAHAN
QUINN'S INFLUENCE AT THUNDERRIDGE REACHES WELL BEYOND COMPETITION. HER COACH DESCRIBED QUINN AS AN ELITE RUNNER AND OUTSTANDING STUDENT WHO BALANCES DIVISION I-LEVEL TALENT WITH HUMILITY,
KINDNESS, AND INTENTIONAL LEADERSHIP, ELEVATING EVERYONE AROUND HER. MR. STEPHENSON ECHOED THAT SENTIMENT, NOTING HOW QUINN MODELS WHAT HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS SHOULD BE THROUGH HER COMMITMENT, CHARACTER, AND CARE FOR OTHERS. QUINN WILL ATTEND MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY IN BOZEMAN, WHERE SHE
WILL COMPETE IN TRACK AND CROSS COUNTRY WHILE PURSUING A DEGREE IN HEALTH SCIENCE. REFLECTING ON THE LEGACY SHE HOPES TO LEAVE, QUINN SHARED, I WOULD LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED AS SOMEONE WHO LED BY EXAMPLE, A CARING PEER, AND SOMEONE WHO IMPACTED TEAMMATES AND PEERS TO BECOME THE BEST VERSION OF THEMSELVES, LEAVING A LEGACY OTHERS CAN FOLLOW WHILE REPRESENTING THUNDERRIDGE IN A
POSITIVE WAY. CLAIRE WILSON DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES TO WIN HAS BEEN THE STANDARD CLAIRE WILSON SETS EVERY TIME SHE COMPETES. THUNDERRIDGE AD MR. STEPHENSON SHARED THAT CLAIRE'S COMPETITIVE
DRIVE, VERSATILITY, AND CONSISTENCY MADE HER A STANDOUT ACROSS BASKETBALL AND FLAG FOOTBALL WHILE SETTING A HIGH STANDARD FOR THE ENTIRE ATHLETIC COMMUNITY. WHETHER PLAYING HALF A SEASON IN A CAST OR NEVER LEAVING THE FLOOR DURING BASKETBALL GAMES, CLAIRE'S COMMITMENT HAS NEVER WAVERED.
SHE PLANS TO ATTEND BYU AND MAJOR IN BIOLOGY, AND REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SHE SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS THE PERSON WHO DID WHATEVER IT TOOK TO WIN, SUPPORTING MY TEAMMATES AND LEADING BY EXAMPLE, FIGHTING UNTIL THE END WITH ALL MY HEART, AND SHOWING THAT IT'S NOT JUST
THE WINNING SHOT, BUT THE STEPS IT TOOK TO GET THERE. LET'S GIVE OUR THUNDERRIDGE HS WINNERS A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
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BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR WINNERS FROM CASTLE VIEW HIGH SCHOOL AND CASTLE ROCK HIGH
SCHOOL. BEFORE WE GET TO THE BRILLIANCE OF OUR CASTLE VIEW FEEDER AREA WINNERS, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR CHAPARRAL AND SIERRA MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNERS TO QUIETLY START MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE ON-DECK AREA.
CELEBRATING OUR WINNERS FROM CASTING ROCK MIDDLE MIDDLE SCHOOL. EMILIA ALLEN EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT IS HOW COACH BEATA KOCSI DESCRIBED EMILIA ALLEN, HIGHLIGHTING THE WAY SHE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT AND MOTIVATE HER TEAMMATES EVEN WHEN SHE'S INJURED AND CONSISTENTLY PUT THE TEAM FIRST. THAT RESILIENCE DEFINED EMILIA'S TIME AT CASTLE ROCK MIDDLE SCHOOL.
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FRANK PILONE ADDED THAT EMILIA IS A TRUE ATHLETE WHO WORKS DILIGENTLY AT ALL THAT SHE DOES, NOTING THAT WHETHER IN THE CLASSROOM OR ON THE COURT, SHE LEADS WITH CONFIDENCE AND A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS TAUGHT HER, EMILIA SHARED, DURING MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS I LEARNED I CAN PERSEVERE THROUGH TOUGH TIMES, PUSH MYSELF
BEYOND MY COMFORT ZONE, AND GROW BOTH AS AN ATHLETE AND AS A PERSON, LESSONS THAT I KNOW WILL HELP ME IN HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND. KAPRI KISSINGER KAPRI KISSINGER BROUGHT ENERGY AND CONFIDENCE INTO EVERY TEAM SHE JOINED AT CASTLE ROCK MIDDLE SCHOOL. MR. PILONE DESCRIBED KAPRI AS AN
AMAZING MULTI-SPORT STUDENT-ATHLETE, ADDING THAT HER PERSONALITY IS CONTAGIOUS AND IT IS HARD TO BE AROUND HER WITHOUT HAVING A SMILE ON YOUR FACE. HER COACH, MICHAEL PACE, EMPHASIZED KAPRI'S RESILIENCE, HEART, AND STEADY WORK ETHIC, POINTING TO THE WAY SHE SUPPORTS OTHERS WHILE CONTINUING TO
CHALLENGE HERSELF AS A LEADER. KAPRI REFLECTED ON HER GROWTH THROUGH SPORTS, SAYING, I BELIEVE THAT I'VE LEARNED HOW TO WORK THROUGH DIFFICULT ISSUES AND HOW TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, AND I'M ALSO LEARNING HOW TO BETTER MANAGE MY TIME AND BALANCE SCHOOL AND BASKETBALL, WHICH WILL HELP ME IN HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND.
MADI VANDAVEER MADI WAS THE HARDEST WORKING PERSON ON THE COURT, SHARED COACH EVAN BENNETT, DESCRIBING THE DETERMINATION AND FOCUS MADI VANDAVEER BROUGHT TO EVERY COMPETITION.
HE ALSO NOTED HOW SHE CONSISTENTLY LISTENED, IMPROVED, AND SUPPORTED HER TEAMMATES, WHETHER HER TEAM WAS WINNING OR LOSING. MR. PILONE ECHOED THAT MESSAGE, RECOGNIZING MADI AS FIRST IN THE GYM AND THE LAST TO LEAVE, AND PRAISING HER INFECTIOUS POSITIVITY. REFLECTING ON THOSE EXPERIENCES, MADI SHARED, MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS TAUGHT ME TO PLAY THROUGH
ADVERSITY, STAY MENTALLY TOUGH, TRUST MY TEAMMATES AND COACHES, AND BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS, LESSONS THAT I WILL CARRY WITH ME INTO HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND. MARIANA MILLER
THE EMBODIMENT OF A STUDENT-ATHLETE IS HOW COACH FORREST SHEETS DESCRIBED MARIANA MILLER, POINTING TO HER STRONG ACADEMICS, PARTICIPATION IN MULTIPLE SPORTS, AND POSITIVE CHARACTER. MR. PILONE ADDED THAT MARIANA IS A DEDICATED MULTI-SPORT
STUDENT-ATHLETE WHO WORKS HARD, IS COACHABLE, AND LEADS BY EXAMPLE, ALWAYS BRINGING A SMILE INTO THE SPACE. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS TAUGHT HER, MARIANA SHARED, RESILIENCE HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST THING I'VE LEARNED, TO ALWAYS COME BACK STRONGER WHEN YOU ARE DOWN, BELIEVE IN MYSELF, AND CONTINUE GROWING AS BOTH AN
ATHLETE AND A PERSON AS I MOVE INTO HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND. PRESLIE BROWN PRESLIE IS AN AMAZINGLY TALENTED MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE, SHARED MR. PILONE, DESCRIBING HER AS A . LEADER ON AND OFF THE COURT WHO IS ALWAYS WILLING TO STEP UP AND
COMPETE WITH CONFIDENCE. HER COACH, ALISON GORDON, HIGHLIGHTED PRESLIE'S DEDICATION, NOTING HER HARD WORK, POSITIVE ATTITUDE, AND THE EFFORT SHE PUTS INTO EVERYTHING SHE DOES. REFLECTING ON WHAT SPORTS GAVE HER, PRESLIE SHARED, I LEARNED THAT I LIKE TO ENGAGE WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHEN PLAYING A
FUN SPORT, AND THIS WILL HELP ME IN HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE I CAN MAKE NEW FRIENDS WHO HAVE THE SAME LIKINGS AS ME. LET'S GIVE A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR CASTLE ROCK MS WINNERS.
CASTLE VIEW HIGH SCHOOL JAYA DERN KAIYA GILBERT KAIYA GILBERT SETS A STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR CASTLE VIEW VOLLEYBALL THROUGH HER COMPETITIVENESS AND COMMITMENT TO GROWTH. MR. DOWIS SHARED THAT KAIYA
PUSHES HERSELF AND HER TEAMMATES TO BE THEIR BEST, WHILE ALSO EXCELLING ACADEMICALLY WITH A 4.16 GPA AND NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP. HER COACH, RILEY BRADBURY, HIGHLIGHTED KAIYA'S IMPACT AS A FOUR-YEAR VARSITY LETTER WINNER, TWO-TIME TEAM MVP, MULTIPLE
ALL-LEAGUE AND ALL-STATE HONOREE, AND AVCA ALL-REGION AND ALL-AMERICAN HONORABLE MENTION, ADDING THAT SHE PUSHES HERSELF AND TEAMMATES TO EXCEL EVERY DAY. KAIYA WILL TAKE THAT SAME DRIVE TO THE COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES TO CONTINUE HER VOLLEYBALL
CAREER. IN REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SHE SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR BEING A COMPETITOR, ALWAYS PLAYING MY HARDEST, SOMEONE WHO WOULD PUSH AND SUPPORT TEAMMATES, AND HAVING FUN. LAYLA LOVELAND LAYLA LOVELAND HAS BEEN A STEADY
AND UPLIFTING PRESENCE IN SABERCAT BASKETBALL. MR. DOWIS SHARED THAT IT IS AN HONOR TO RECOGNIZE LAYLA FOR HER OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS AS A TEAM CAPTAIN WHO DEMONSTRATES EXCEPTIONAL CHARACTER, POSITIVITY, AND GENUINE CARE FOR HER TEAMMATES. HER COACH, MATT HEMA, ECHOED
THAT SENTIMENT, DESCRIBING LAYLA AS A KEY PART OF THE PROGRAM FOR MANY YEARS, KNOWN FOR HER HUMOR, LEADERSHIP, AND STRONG VALUES THAT MAKE HER A ROLE MODEL ON AND OFF THE COURT. LAYLA PLANS TO CONTINUE HER BASKETBALL CAREER AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL WHILE STUDYING TO BECOME A RADIOLOGY TECHNICIAN, AND REFLECTING ON
WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SHE SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS AN EXCEPTIONAL FRIEND, CAPTAIN, TEAMMATE, AND PERSON BEFORE BEING KNOWN FOR MY ATHLETIC ABILITY. I HOPE MY WORK ETHIC DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED, AND THAT THE PROGRAM REMEMBERS ME FOR THE TIME,
EFFORT, AND DEDICATION I POURED INTO MY ACHIEVEMENTS THROUGHOUT MY CAREER. OLIVIA BERTKE OLIVIA BERTKE'S INFLUENCE AT CASTLE VIEW EXTENDS FAR BEYOND THE SIDELINES. CASTLE VIEW AD MR. DOWIS DESCRIBED OLIVIA AS A COMMUNITY LEADER WHO INSPIRES OTHERS THROUGH HER POSITIVITY,
DETERMINATION, AND EXCELLENCE, WHILE MAINTAINING AN INCREDIBLY HIGH GPA AND SERVING IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT. HER COACH, TATUM REEL, SHARED THAT OLIVIA EMBODIES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A SABERCAT, CONSISTENTLY SETTING HIGH STANDARDS IN BOTH ACADEMICS AND ATHLETICS AND LIFTING THOSE AROUND HER THROUGH HER DRIVE AND
COMMITMENT. OLIVIA PLANS TO PURSUE HER GOAL OF BECOMING A VETERINARIAN, AND REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SHE SHARED, WHEN I GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CASTLE VIEW SABERCAT. IN THESE PAST 4 YEARS, I'VE
LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT MYSELF THROUGH MY EXPERIENCES AT CASTLE VIEW, AND JOINING THE CHEER TEAM MY FRESHMAN YEAR GAVE ME LESSONS, GROWTH, AND FRIENDSHIPS THAT I WILL ALWAYS CARRY WITH ME. LOGAN BAKER LOGAN BAKER'S VERSATILITY AND DISCIPLINE HAVE MADE HER A
STANDOUT IN BOTH SOCCER AND TRACK AT CASTLE VIEW. MR. DOWIS DESCRIBED LOGAN AS AN OUTSTANDING MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE, HIGHLIGHTING HER LEADERSHIP, DEDICATION, AND REMARKABLE ACADEMICS, MAINTAINING A GPA OVER 4.0. HER COACH, SHANEQUA BAKER, ADDED
THAT LOGAN USES HER SPEED AND SKILL TO EXCEL IN BOTH SPORTS, INSPIRING TEAMMATES THROUGH HER GRIT, WORK ETHIC, AND COMMITMENT TO IMPROVEMENT, AND PLANS TO CONTINUE COMPETING AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL. LOGAN PLANS TO ATTEND COLLEGE, STUDY BUSINESS, AND CONTINUE PLAYING HER SPORT COMPETITIVELY,
AND REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SHE SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A HARDWORKING, COACHABLE TEAMMATE WHO ALWAYS PUT THE TEAM FIRST, COMPETED WITH INTENSITY, LED BY EXAMPLE, AND CONSISTENTLY WORKED TO GET BETTER BOTH IN MY SPORT AND IN THE CLASSROOM WHILE REPRESENTING MY SCHOOL WITH
CHARACTER AND RESPECT. GIVE OUR CASTLE VIEW HS WINNERS A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
♪♪
>> LET'S HEAR IT FOR OUR WINNERS FROM CHAPARRAL HIGH SCHOOL AND
SIERRA MIDDLE SCHOOL. BEFORE WE GET TO THE BRILLIANCE
OF OUR CHAPARRAL FEEDER AREA WINNERS, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR DOUGLAS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL AND MESA MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNERS TO QUIETLY START MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE ON-DECK AREA. THANKS. LET'S START BY CELEBRATING OUR
WINNERS FROM SIERRA MIDDLE SCHOOL. ALESSIA FERRARA ALWAYS WILLING TO TRY SOMETHING NEW, ALESSIA FERRARA APPROACHES MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS WITH CURIOSITY, EFFORT, AND HEART. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR RIENNE RAY SHARED THAT ALESSIA IS VERY HARD WORKING, A GO-GETTER WHO IS
ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO LEARN AND GROW AS BOTH A STUDENT AND AN ATHLETE, WHILE CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTING HER TEAMMATES. COACH BRIDGET MCCOY HIGHLIGHTED ALESSIA'S ABILITY TO BALANCE IT ALL, NOTING THAT SHE COMPETES IN VOLLEYBALL AND TRACK,
PARTICIPATES IN THE SCHOOL MUSICAL, IS A MEMBER OF NJHS, AND SUPPORTS HER TEAM WHILE MAINTAINING A STRONG 3.83 GPA. REFLECTING ON HER EXPERIENCE, ALESSIA SHARED, I LEARNED ABOUT
DISCIPLINE, HOW TO HANDLE BIG AMOUNTS OF PRESSURE, AND THAT ATTITUDE AND THE EXPERIENCE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN WINNING. ASHLYN JOHNSON ASHLYN IS A STANDOUT STUDENT-ATHLETE WHO PERFECTLY
BALANCES A FIERCE COMPETITIVE DRIVE WITH A COMPASSIONATE HEART, SHARED COACH MARSHALL CAVIT, NOTING THAT SHE COMPETES HARD WHILE STILL BEING THE FIRST TO CHEER ON TEAMMATES AND OPPONENTS ALIKE. MISS RAY ADDED THAT ASHLYN PLAYS MULTIPLE SPORTS AT SIERRA, IS
ALWAYS READY TO STEP UP, NEVER BACKS DOWN FROM A CHALLENGE, AND CONSISTENTLY BALANCES ATHLETICS WITH HER ACADEMICS. REFLECTING ON WHAT SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, ASHLYN SHARED, I LEARNED THAT I COULD DO MORE THAN WHAT MY MIND TOLD ME. I LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES YOU
HAVE TO STOP LISTENING TO YOUR MIND AND JUST LISTEN TO WHAT YOU KNOW YOU CAN DO. BROOKLYN RUIZ AS A NEW STUDENT AT SIERRA MIDDLE SCHOOL, BROOKLYN RUIZ QUICKLY MADE HER PRESENCE KNOWN
THROUGH EFFORT, COACHABILITY, AND PASSION FOR THE GAME. MISS RAY DESCRIBED BROOKLYN AS A VERY HARD-WORKING, COACHABLE ATHLETE WHO IS ALWAYS LOOKING TO IMPROVE, BOTH IN SPORTS AND IN THE CLASSROOM. COACH BRIDGET MCCOY ADDED THAT BROOKLYN COMPETES IN VOLLEYBALL AND BASKETBALL, BRINGS GREAT
ENTHUSIASM TO HER TEAMS, AND BALANCES ATHLETICS WITH A 3.42 GPA. REFLECTING ON HER MIDDLE SCHOOL JOURNEY, BROOKLYN SHARED, THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS, I LEARNED RESILIENCE, DISCIPLINE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAMWORK.
I LEARNED HOW TO HANDLE CHALLENGES, LEARN FROM MISTAKES, AND KEEP IMPROVING. THESE LESSONS WILL HELP ME SUCCEED IN HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND, BOTH ON AND OFF THE COURT. CECILIA MARTINEZ
WHEN FACED WITH A CHALLENGE, CECILIA MARTINEZ LEANS IN. SIERRA AD MISS RAY SHARED THAT CECE NEVER BACKS DOWN, IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO BEING HER BEST ACADEMICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY, AND CAN ALWAYS BE FOUND SUPPORTING TEAMMATES WHEN SHE'S
NOT COMPETING HERSELF. COACH AARON WAGGONER SPOKE TO CECE'S JOURNEY IN WRESTLING, NOTING THAT SHE DIDN'T JUST FOLLOW IN HER FAMILY'S FOOTSTEPS - SHE EMBRACED THE CHALLENGE, WORKED RELENTLESSLY, COMPETED FIERCELY, AND THRIVED IN A MALE-DOMINATED SPORT WITH GRIT
AND DETERMINATION. REFLECTING ON HER GROWTH, CECE SHARED, I HAVE LEARNED MORE ABOUT HOW STRONG YOU HAVE TO BE MENTALLY MORE THAN PHYSICALLY. PARTICIPATING IN SPORTS HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH SELF CONFIDENCE AND ALLOWS ME TO EXPRESS MYSELF OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.
SPORTS HAS LET ME LEARN MORE ABOUT MY BODY AND THE GREAT THINGS IT ALLOWS ME TO DO. GIANNA LENS IN EVERY PROGRAM, THERE'S SOMEONE WHOSE ENERGY LIFTS EVERYONE AROUND THEM, AND AT
SIERRA MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT PERSON IS GIANNA LENS. COACH SHELBY ESTES SHARED THAT GIANNA IS THE HEART OF UNIFIED SPORTS - FEARLESS, JOYFUL, AND ALWAYS READY TO COMPETE, CONNECT, AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS WITH A SMILE. COACH VICKI CASTILLO ADDED THAT
GIANNA'S TEAMMATES KNOW HER AS THE ONE WHO BRINGS THE LAUGHS, KEEPS THE ATTITUDE POSITIVE, AND PLAYS WITH GENUINE KINDNESS, EARNING HER THE WELL-DESERVED TITLE OF QUEEN OF THE TEAM.
MISS RAY ECHOED THAT GIANNA BRINGS INCREDIBLE ENERGY, IS A GREAT TEAMMATE, AND LIGHTS UP EVERY COURT AND FIELD SHE STEPS ON. REFLECTING ON HER EXPERIENCE, GIANNA SHARED, I LEARNED HOW TO BE A TEAM PLAYER AND WORK TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH GOALS. LET'S GIVE A HUGE ROUND OF
APPLAUSE FOR OUR SIERRA MS WINNERS. [ APPLAUSE ] WE ARE ALSO HAPPY TO HONOR OUR 5 AMAZING CHAPARRAL HS WINNERS CHAPARRAL HIGH SCHOOL TAYLOR SNYDER TAYLOR IS A HARDWORKING
INSPIRATION TO HER TEAMMATES AND COACHES, SHARED CHEER COACH HEATHER SAUNDERS, HIGHLIGHTING HER KINDNESS, RESPECT, AND THOUGHTFULNESS AS A CAPTAIN WHO SET THE TONE FOR BOTH PRACTICES AND COMPETITIONS. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR ROB JOHNSON
ADDED THAT TAYLOR'S DEDICATION, SPIRIT, AND LEADERSHIP UPLIFT EVERYONE AROUND HER, AND THAT CHAPARRAL IS TRULY A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OF HER PRESENCE. TAYLOR WILL ATTEND COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY THIS FALL, WHERE SHE PLANS TO STUDY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, TAYLOR SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A TEAMMATE WHO SHOWS UP EVERY DAY WITH EFFORT, INTEGRITY, AND READY TO SUPPORT ALL, THE CULTURE OF MY PROGRAM AND THE BALANCE OF ATHLETICS AND ACADEMICS IS SO SPECIAL, AND I
WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR HOW I TRULY REPRESENTED CHAPARRAL AS A WHOLE. EMERSON SPRINKLE
EMERSON EXEMPLIFIES THE TRUE SPIRIT OF A STUDENT-ATHLETE, SHARED HER COACH GREG GILMORE, DESCRIBING HER AS EXCEPTIONALLY TALENTED, FIERCELY COMPETITIVE, AND DEEPLY COMMITTED TO HER TEAM'S SUCCESS. MR. JOHNSON ECHOED THAT SENTIMENT, NOTING EMERSON'S DISCIPLINE, TEAMWORK, AND CHARACTER, AND HOW SHE CONSISTENTLY INSPIRES BOTH TEAMMATES AND CLASSMATES THROUGH HER SPORTSMANSHIP AND PERSEVERANCE. EMERSON WILL CONTINUE HER SOCCER CAREER AT BOISE STATE
UNIVERSITY, WHERE SHE PLANS TO COMPETE AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL WHILE EXPLORING HER ACADEMIC INTERESTS. REFLECTING ON THE LEGACY SHE HOPES TO LEAVE, EMERSON SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A SELFLESS LEADER, SOMEONE WHO
ALWAYS PUT THE TEAM AND OTHERS BEFORE THEMSELVES, I WANT TO LEAD IN A CHRIST-LIKE WAY, WITH COMPASSION, HUMILITY, AND LOVE, WHILE ALSO BEING DETERMINED AND GRITTY ON AND OFF THE FIELD. MOST OF ALL, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OTHERS AND ENCOURAGING
THEM TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES. CORINNE HAYES QUIET LEADERSHIP AND CONSISTENCY DEFINE CORINNE HAYES' IMPACT ON CHAPARRAL SWIM & DIVE. A TWO-YEAR CAPTAIN, CORINNE HAS
BEEN A STEADY PRESENCE IN AND OUT OF THE WATER, ENCOURAGING HER TEAMMATES AND HELPING DRIVE THE TEAM'S SUCCESS AT PRACTICES AND MEETS. HER COACH, DOMINIC ZIOLEK, SHARED THAT CORINNE HAS BEEN AN INVALUABLE LEADER WHOSE EXAMPLE HAS PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THE CONTINUED SUCCESS OF THE
PROGRAM. MR. JOHNSON ADDED, CORINNE DEMONSTRATES EXCELLENCE IN BOTH ACADEMICS AND ATHLETICS, PRAISING HER DISCIPLINE, PERSEVERANCE, AND QUIET CONFIDENCE THAT INSPIRE THOSE AROUND HER. CORINNE WILL CONTINUE HER
SWIMMING CAREER AT THE DIVISION I LEVEL AT ST. BONAVENTURE UNIVERSITY WHILE STUDYING BIOLOGY. REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, CORINNE SHARED, I WOULD LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR BEING A HARD WORKER, SWIMMING FAST, AND BEING A GOOD CAPTAIN AND TEAMMATE.
MADDIE JENKINS COMPETITIVE DRIVE AND ACCOUNTABILITY HAVE DEFINED MADDIE JENKINS' BASKETBALL CAREER AT CHAPARRAL. AS A TEAM CAPTAIN AND LEADING SCORER, MADDIE CONSISTENTLY SET THE TONE THROUGH EFFORT, RESILIENCE, AND POSITIVITY.
HER COACH, CORY WHITE, SHARED THAT MADDIE MOTIVATES HER TEAMMATES EVERY DAY, BALANCING STRONG PERFORMANCES ON THE COURT WITH DISCIPLINE AND FOCUS IN THE CLASSROOM.
CHAPARRAL AD MR. JOHNSON DESCRIBED MADDIE AS A FIERCE COMPETITOR WHOSE LEADERSHIP, WORK ETHIC, AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS SET A HIGH STANDARD FOR HERSELF AND THOSE AROUND HER. MADDIE IS COMMITTED TO PLAY BASKETBALL AT PARK UNIVERSITY IN GILBERT, ARIZONA, WHERE SHE PLANS TO STUDY POLITICAL SCIENCE. REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO
BE REMEMBERED FOR, MADDIE SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR ALWAYS BEING ONE OF THE HARDEST WORKERS, IN BASKETBALL AND IN THE CLASSROOM, AND AS A LEADER WHO LED BY EXAMPLE TO PUSH MY TEAMMATES AND MYSELF TO BE OUR BEST AT EVERY PRACTICE AND GAME.
JENNA BALLER I KNOWN JENNA SIN SHE WAS -- SINCE SHE WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.
JENNA BALLER'S LEADERSHIP AT CHAPARRAL HAS BEEN FELT FAR BEYOND THE VOLLEYBALL COURT. AS A STANDOUT ATHLETE AND STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT, SHE HAS REPRESENTED THE WOLVERINE COMMUNITY WITH PRIDE, INTEGRITY, AND HEART. MR. JOHNSON RECOGNIZED JENNA FOR HER FOCUS, DETERMINATION, AND
LEADERSHIP, NOTING HOW HER CHARACTER AND WORK ETHIC REFLECT THE VERY BEST OF CHAPARRAL. HER COACH, AMANDA WEST, DESCRIBED JENNA AS SOMEONE WHO LEADS WITH BOTH STRENGTH AND HEART, BRINGING A STEADY, CALMING PRESENCE WHILE COMPETING WITH GRIT AND TREATING EVERYONE
WITH KINDNESS AND RESPECT. JENNA IS COMMITTED TO PLAY VOLLEYBALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO AND HAS BEEN ACCEPTED INTO THE SCHOOL OF DIETETICS. REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, JENNA SHARED, I WOULD LOVE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR THE LOVE AND PRIDE I HAVE IN
BEING A CHAPARRAL WOLVERINE, I AM PROUD OF THE FRIENDSHIPS AND MEMORIES THAT WERE MADE ALONG THE WAY, AND OF WHAT OUR TEAM ACCOMPLISHED WHEN WE PLAYED WITH INTEGRITY AND FOR EACH OTHER.
LET'S GIVE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE CHAPARRAL HIGH SCHOOL WINNERS.
♪♪
♪♪ LET'S GIVE WARM WELCOME TO OUR WINNERS FROM DOUGLAS COUNTY HIGH
SCHOOL AND MESA MIDDLE SCHOOL.
BEFORE WE GET TO THE BRILLIANCE OF OUR DOUGLAS COUNTY FEEDER AREA WINNERS, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR HIGHLANDS RANCH HIGH SCHOOL AND CRESTHILL MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNERS TO QUIETLY START MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE ON-DECK AREA. THANKS. AND, IT'S TIME. LET'S START BY CELEBRATING OUR WINNERS FROM MESA MIDDLE SCHOOL.
ANNABELLE NASLUND ANNABELLE NASLUND MADE A STRONG IMPACT ON THE MESA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK PROGRAM AS A LEADER IN THE LONG JUMP AND TRIPLE JUMP, QUALIFYING TWICE FOR THE DISTRICT TRACK MEET. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR CORY FRYE SHARED THAT ANNABELLE'S CONSISTENCY AND LEADERSHIP HELPED DEFINE HER AS AN
EXEMPLARY STUDENT-ATHLETE WITHIN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. JUMPS COACH GARRETT WEST ADDED THAT ANNABELLE QUICKLY MADE HER MARK BY QUALIFYING FOR DISTRICTS AND PLACING AMONG THE TOP COMPETITORS, NOTING THAT HER WORK ETHIC SET THE TONE FOR THE ENTIRE JUMPS GROUP. HE ALSO PRAISED HER WILLINGNESS TO HELP TEAMMATES IMPROVE,
DRIVEN BY A GENUINE DESIRE TO SEE EVERYONE AROUND HER SUCCEED. REFLECTING ON HER EXPERIENCE, ANNABELLE SHARED, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I LEARNED FROM PARTICIPATING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS WAS THAT TRYING AND FAILING IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN NOT ATTEMPTING AT ALL, AND THIS WILL HELP ME IN HIGH SCHOOL TO
BUILD NEW CONNECTIONS, SKILLS, AND GAIN MORE EXPERIENCE. ELLIE ORTIZ ELLIE ORTIZ IS A VERSATILE STUDENT-ATHLETE WHO PROUDLY REPRESENTED MESA MIDDLE SCHOOL IN BOTH TRACK AND BASKETBALL, CONSISTENTLY BRINGING ENERGY AND
COMPETITIVENESS TO EVERY TEAM SHE JOINED. BASKETBALL COACH MEGAN SCHEMBRI SHARED THAT ELLIE IS KNOWN FOR HER POSITIVE ATTITUDE, STRONG WORK ETHIC, AND SELFLESS TEAMWORK, NOTING THAT SHE CONSISTENTLY PUTS HER TEAMMATES FIRST AND EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF SPORTSMANSHIP.
MR. FRYE RECOGNIZED ELLIE FOR HER COMMITMENT TO MULTIPLE SPORTS AND HER DEDICATION TO MESA'S ATHLETIC PROGRAMS. REFLECTING ON HER EXPERIENCE, ELLIE SHARED, I LEARNED THAT PERSEVERANCE IS KEY WHEN IT COMES TO ACHIEVING THINGS, BECAUSE IN LIFE THINGS WILL NOT ALWAYS BE EASY, AND YOU NEED PERSEVERANCE TO REACH YOUR
GOALS. EMMA STUBBS EMMA STUBBS IS A DEDICATED MULTI-SPORT STUDENT-ATHLETE WHO REPRESENTED MESA MIDDLE SCHOOL IN BOTH VOLLEYBALL AND TRACK, CONSISTENTLY BALANCING EFFORT, TEAMWORK, AND COMMITMENT. MR. FRYE HIGHLIGHTED EMMA'S
STRONG WORK ETHIC AND TEAM-FIRST MENTALITY, NOTING HER RELIABILITY AND POSITIVE PRESENCE WITHIN THE MESA COMMUNITY. TRACK COACH DIANE BACHE SHARED THAT EMMA CONSISTENTLY PUSHES HERSELF TO IMPROVE AND LEADS THROUGH EXAMPLE, ALWAYS WILLING TO ENCOURAGE TEAMMATES, OFFER ADVICE, OR STEP IN WHEREVER SHE
IS NEEDED. COACH BACHE ADDED THAT EMMA'S POSITIVE ATTITUDE, TEAMWORK, AND DRIVE MAKE HER AN EXCEPTIONAL MEMBER OF THE PROGRAM. REFLECTING ON HER GROWTH, EMMA SHARED, I LEARNED TO TREAT PRACTICE LIKE COMPETITION AND COMPETITION LIKE PRACTICE, SO I
CAN STAY FOCUSED, LESS STRESSED, AND PROUD OF HOW HARD I TRIED. KYNLEIGH SISON
VANESSA TAMAS VANESSA IS AN INSPIRATION NOT JUST FOR HER ATHLETIC TALENT, BUT FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND CHARACTER, SHARED FLAG FOOTBALL COACH VICTOR DOMINGUEZ, NOTING HER IMPACT AS A CONFIDENT, STEADY PRESENCE WHO HELPED UNITE AND LEAD AN ALL-GIRLS TEAM WITH HEART. MESA AD MR. FRYE ADDED THAT VANESSA'S VERSATILITY ACROSS VOLLEYBALL AND FLAG FOOTBALL REFLECTS HER WILLINGNESS TO
COMPETE, LEARN, AND CONTRIBUTE WHEREVER NEEDED. HER PASSION FOR MULTIPLE SPORTS AND COMMITMENT TO HER TEAMMATES MAKE HER A STRONG REPRESENTATIVE OF MESA MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS. REFLECTING ON HER EXPERIENCE, VANESSA SHARED, IN FLAG FOOTBALL I LEARNED TO BE A LEADER BY
BEING THE GIRLS QUARTERBACK, AND IN VOLLEYBALL I LEARNED THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE ON MY TEAM WHO ARE REALLY GOOD AND CAN HELP ME IMPROVE MY SKILLS. LET'S GIVE A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR MESA MS WINNERS. [ APPLAUSE ]
WE ARE ALSO HAPPY TO HONOR OUR 5 AMAZING DOUGLAS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL WINNERS. AUDREY PHILLIPS THERE'S A WARMTH AND STEADINESS AUDREY PHILLIPS BRINGS TO DOUGLAS COUNTY'S CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK PROGRAMS THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR DIANE SHUCK SHARED THAT AUDREY IS NOT ONLY
AN INCREDIBLE COMPETITOR, BUT EQUALLY AS KIND AS THE DAY IS LONG, ADDING THAT HER CONSTANT SMILE - EVEN DURING LONG-DISTANCE RUNS - MAKES THE PROGRAM BRIGHTER. HEAD COACHES JAKE SWORDS AND LAURIE RICE DESCRIBED AUDREY AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF BOTH
PROGRAMS FOR 4 YEARS, SERVING AS A CROSS COUNTRY CAPTAIN AND RANKING TOP-10 ALL TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY IN THE 800M AND THE 4X800M RELAY. OFF THE TRACK, AUDREY BALANCES A RIGOROUS ACADEMIC LOAD WHILE MAINTAINING A 4.2 GPA AND WILL ATTEND NORTHERN ARIZONA
UNIVERSITY IN THE HONORS COLLEGE, PLANNING TO MAJOR IN SECONDARY EDUCATION OR CRIMINAL JUSTICE. REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, AUDREY SHARED, I HOPE TO BE REMEMBERED AS SOMEONE WHO MADE TRACK A SUPPORTIVE AND WELCOMING SPACE, MORE THAN TIMES OR MEDALS, I
HOPE I'M REMEMBERED FOR THE POSITIVITY, UNITY, AND ENCOURAGEMENT I BROUGHT TO THE TEAM. MARIIA DYKALENKO HARD WORK AND HEART HAVE DEFINED
MARIIA DYKALENKO'S JOURNEY WITH DOUGLAS COUNTY FLAG FOOTBALL. MRS. SHUCK DESCRIBED MARIIA AS THE ULTIMATE TEAMMATE, PRAISING HER POSITIVITY, LEADERSHIP, AND WILLINGNESS TO GUIDE YOUNGER ATHLETES WITH WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING. HER COACH, NATE KOPENHAFER, SHARED THAT MARIIA LIVES TO
OUTWORK HER COMPETITION, NOTING HER COMMITMENT TO ZERO-HOUR WEIGHTS, CLUB FLAG FOOTBALL, AND BALANCING WHAT FEELS LIKE A FULL-TIME JOB OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. MARIIA PLANS TO ATTEND COLLEGE, CONTINUE PLAYING FLAG FOOTBALL, AND PURSUE STUDIES IN ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN.
REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, MARIIA SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION I PUT INTO MY TEAM, AND FOR THE COMMITMENT, EFFORT, AND PASSION I HAVE HAD - AND CONTINUE TO HAVE - FOR FLAG FOOTBALL. KENDALL PAUL
SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP DEFINE KENDALL PAUL'S IMPACT AT DOUGLAS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL. HER COACH, LAUREN BORGMIER, SHARED HOW PROUD THE PROGRAM IS TO HAVE KENDALL, DESCRIBING HER AS A FOCUSED, QUIET LEADER WHOSE STRENGTH SHOWS THROUGH HER ACTIONS AND KINDNESS BOTH ON AND
OFF THE MAT. MRS. SHUCK ADDED THAT KENDALL'S LEADERSHIP EXTENDS BEYOND ATHLETICS THROUGH HER ROLE AS AN AMBASSADOR FOR CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL COLORADO, WHERE SHE USES HER VOICE TO UPLIFT OTHERS AND INSPIRE YOUNG PEOPLE TO CHASE THEIR DREAMS. KENDALL WILL ATTEND ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, MAJOR IN BIOCHEMISTRY, AND PLANS
TO TRY OUT FOR THE CHEER TEAM. REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, KENDALL SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A POSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING TEAMMATE, SOMEONE OTHER ATHLETES CAN TALK TO AND TRUST.
JYLIAN CABRAL MOVING ON. JULIZA RAMIREZ KNOWN TO HER TEAMMATES AS JUJU, JULIZA RAMIREZ LEADS WITH CONFIDENCE, CARE, AND CONSISTENCY BEHIND THE PLATE. HER COACH, CURT WILLIAMS,
DESCRIBED JULIZA AS AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADER AND TALENTED SOFTBALL PLAYER, HIGHLIGHTING THE WAY SHE MENTORS YOUNGER ATHLETES AND INSPIRES CONFIDENCE THROUGH HER WORDS AND ACTIONS. MRS. SHUCK ADDED THAT JULIZA EXCELS BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY, BALANCING RIGOROUS COURSEWORK WITH HIGH-LEVEL
COMPETITION WHILE DEMONSTRATING STRONG GAME IQ, RESILIENCE, AND POISE UNDER PRESSURE. JULIZA PLANS TO PLAY SOFTBALL IN COLLEGE AND MAJOR IN CRIMINAL
JUSTICE WITH THE GOAL OF BECOMING AN FBI AGENT, AND REFLECTING ON HER JOURNEY, SHE SHARED HER DESIRE TO CONTINUE GROWING THROUGH THE GAME SHE LOVES WHILE LEADING OTHERS WITH CHARACTER AND PURPOSE. LET'S GIVE OUR CHAPARRAL HS WINNERS A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [ APPLAUSE ]
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IT'S OFFICIAL WE ARE AT OUR FINAL FEEDER AREA FOR TODAY'S CEREMONY. PLEASE JOIN ME IN CELEBRATING OUR WINNERS FROM CRESTHILL MIDDLE SCHOOL. CRESTHILL MIDDLE SCHOOL EVIE GOPLEN LEADERSHIP SHOWS UP IN HOW YOU TREAT PEOPLE, AND EVIE GOPLEN DOES THAT EVERY DAY AT CRESTHILL. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR JOE WAHL
SHARED THAT EVIE TRULY EMBODIES WHAT A CRESTHILL STUDENT-ATHLETE IS ALL ABOUT, NOTING HER MANY LEADERSHIP ROLES, HER WILLINGNESS TO HELP PEERS ON AND OFF THE COURT, AND THE HIGH EXPECTATIONS SHE HOLDS FOR HERSELF AND HER TEAMMATES. COACH HEATHER WIIDAKAS ADDED THAT EVIE LEADS BY EXAMPLE IN
EVERYTHING SHE DOES, CALLING HER THE TEAM'S BIGGEST ENCOURAGER ON THE VOLLEYBALL COURT AND A STUDENT WHO REPRESENTS CRESTHILL WITH GRACE IN FRONT OF PARENTS, STAFF, AND OTHER SCHOOLS. REFLECTING ON WHAT SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, EVIE SHARED, I HAVE LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAMWORK. TEAMWORK IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO BE COORDINATED AND HAVE A WELL
WORKING TEAM. IN LIFE, IF YOU CAN'T WORK WELL WITH A TEAM YOU WON'T GET VERY FAR. LOTS OF THE GIRLS ON MY TEAM ALWAYS LEAN ON EACH OTHER, AND THAT CONNECTION AND TRUST IS REALLY IMPORTANT. GEONA WHITE GENOA WHITE MAY BE SOFT-SPOKEN,
BUT HER IMPACT IS FELT EVERYWHERE SHE GOES. MR. WAHL DESCRIBED GENOA AS SOMEONE WHO LEADS QUIETLY BUT POWERFULLY, SHARING THAT SINCE SEVENTH GRADE SHE HAS GROWN INTO A STEADY LEADER WHOSE CALM ENERGY AND WORK ETHIC SET THE TONE ON THE COURT AND AROUND
SCHOOL. COACH MARK WAKEFIELD ECHOED THAT SENTIMENT, SAYING GEONA SPEAKS VOLUMES WITHOUT USING WORDS AND IS SOMEONE STUDENTS AND TEAMMATES NATURALLY LOOK UP TO FOR HER POSITIVE PRESENCE. REFLECTING ON HER MIDDLE SCHOOL
EXPERIENCE, GEONA SHARED, MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A PLACE TO THRIVE THROUGH BELIEFS AND ACTIONS, AND SPORTS HELPED ME DISCOVER MY ATHLETIC ABILITY. HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS BRING NEW OPPORTUNITIES, AND HAVING A SOLID FOUNDATION FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL HELP MAKE ME STRONGER AND READY FOR NEW BEGINNINGS. MICA MCGINNIS
NO? WE LOVE YOU. SOFIA NICKOLOFF CONSISTENCY AND EFFORT DEFINE SOFIA NICKOLOFF. MR. WAHL SHARED THAT SOFIA'S WORK ETHIC AND LEADERSHIP LIFT THE ENTIRE CRESTHILL COMMUNITY, HIGHLIGHTING HER ABILITY TO LEAD
BY EXAMPLE IN CROSS COUNTRY, BASKETBALL, AND TRACK WHILE SUPPORTING TEAMMATES AND SHOWING RESPECT ON AND OFF THE FIELD. COACH KURT SLOTHOUBER ADDED THAT SOFIA'S TOP-LEVEL SPORTSMANSHIP, INTENSITY IN PRACTICE, AND FOCUS ON IMPROVEMENT MAKE OTHERS WANT HER ON THEIR TEAM AND TRUST HER LEADERSHIP. REFLECTING ON HER JOURNEY, SOFIA SHARED, MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS
HAVE TAUGHT ME ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAMWORK THROUGH ALL THINGS, EVEN BEYOND SPORTS. WORKING IN A TEAM LEADS TO MORE GROWTH AND IS ULTIMATELY MORE FUN. THEY ALSO TAUGHT ME THAT WITH ENOUGH TRAINING, I CAN DO ANYTHING I PUT MY MIND TO.
SOPHIA HOHENSHELT SOPHIA HOHENSHELT'S PRESENCE ELEVATES EVERY SPACE SHE ENTERS. MR. WAHL SHARED THAT HER TALENT, LEADERSHIP, AND WILLINGNESS TO HELP OTHERS MAKE HER A POWERFUL EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CRESTHILL STUDENT-ATHLETE, BOTH ON THE COURT AND ACROSS CAMPUS.
COACH SEAN HAYES ADDED THAT SOPHIA MADE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE BASKETBALL PROGRAM BY PUSHING TEAMMATES IN PRACTICE, LIFTING CONFIDENCE DURING CLOSE GAMES, AND BEING JUST AS DEPENDABLE IN THE CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP. REFLECTING ON WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS HAVE TAUGHT HER, SOPHIA SHARED, I BELIEVE THAT
PARTICIPATING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS TAUGHT ME INVALUABLE LESSONS ABOUT LEADERSHIP, FRIENDSHIP, EMPATHY, STRATEGY, AND SELF-BELIEF, LESSONS THAT WILL SHAPE MY HIGH SCHOOL JOURNEY AND MY LIFE BEYOND SCHOOL. LET'S GIVE A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR CRESTHILL MS WINNERS.
[ APPLAUSE ] WE ARE ALSO HAPPY TO HONOR OUR 5 AMAZING HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL WINNERS. STARTING WITH TATUM BIKULCIUS
SHE'S NOT HERE? SYDNEY DAVIS SYDNEY DAVIS LEADS WITHOUT EVER NEEDING THE SPOTLIGHT. MR. EVERETT DESCRIBED SYD AS SOFT-SPOKEN, DEPENDABLE, AND ALWAYS READY TO DO WHATEVER IS ASKED, CALLING HER AN EXCEPTIONAL TEAMMATE WHO TRULY EMBODIES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A FALCON. HER COACH, DAVID SAPIENZA, ADDED
THAT SYDNEY IS THE KIND OF ATHLETE EVERY COACH HOPES FOR - TIRELESS, RELIABLE, AND SELFLESS - WHILE CARYN JAROCKI SHARED THAT HER BALANCE OF TALENT, GRIT, AND KINDNESS MAKES HER A HUMBLE EXAMPLE FOR YOUNG STUDENT-ATHLETES. SYDNEY PLANS TO ATTEND UNIVERSITY TO STUDY FLIGHT SCIENCE AND PURSUE A CAREER AS A
PILOT. REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, SYDNEY SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS SOMEONE WHO WORKED HARD EVERY DAY, SUPPORTED AND ENCOURAGED OTHERS, PUT THE TEAM FIRST, AND REPRESENTED MY SCHOOL WITH PRIDE, HEART, AND COMMITMENT.
ISABELLA HOLLEY THERE'S A TOUGHNESS ISABELLA HOLLEY BRINGS TO EVERY SPORT SHE PLAYS - AND A KINDNESS THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE POWERFUL. MR. EVERETT JOKED THAT BELLA HAS A COLLISION QUOTA IN EVERY SPORT, SHARING THAT EVEN THOUGH
BRUISED AND BLOODY, SHE ALWAYS FINISHES THE JOB, ALL WHILE BRINGING GRIT, TEAMWORK, AND DETERMINATION TO EVERYTHING SHE DOES. HER COACH, MIKE HIX, ADDED THAT BELLA IS AS TOUGH AND INTELLIGENT ON THE FIELD AS SHE IS IN THE CLASSROOM, PRAISING HER PASSION FOR SUCCESS AND HER ABILITY TO APPROACH BOTH ATHLETICS AND ACADEMICS WITH THE
RIGHT MINDSET. BELLA PLANS TO PURSUE NURSING AND IS CURRENTLY DECIDING BETWEEN FLORIDA STATE, BOISE STATE, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. REFLECTING ON WHAT SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, BELLA SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A STRONG, DETERMINED WOMAN WHO LED WITH CONFIDENCE AND NEVER GAVE
UP, I HOPE MY IMPACT IS SEEN IN THE PEOPLE I HELPED GROW, NOT JUST THE GOALS I ACHIEVED. MATALLEY SADLER POSITIVE ENERGY FOLLOWS MATALLEY SADLER WHEREVER SHE GOES. MR. EVERETT SHARED THAT AS A CHEER CAPTAIN, MATALLEY BRINGS
ENTHUSIASM AND CONFIDENCE TO EVERYTHING SHE DOES, NOTING HER GROWTH AS A LEADER ACROSS MULTIPLE CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES - AND EVEN CREDITING HER WITH NAMING AN ALTER-EGO THAT NOW LIVES IN INFAMY AT HIGHLANDS RANCH. IN HER ROLE WITHIN STUDENT SENATE, MATALLEY HAS MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON SCHOOL
CULTURE. EVERETT ADDED THAT AS SOCIAL MEDIA CHAIR, SHE HELPED STRENGTHEN COMMUNICATION AND CONNECTION ACROSS THE RANCH COMMUNITY. MATALLEY PLANS TO STUDY NURSING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI. REFLECTING ON HOW SHE HOPES TO BE REMEMBERED, SHE SHARED, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS SOMEONE WHO WAS THERE FOR MY TEAMMATES
WHEN THEY NEEDED IT, WHO STAYED POSITIVE EVEN WHEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER NOT TO, AND WHO SHOWED THAT SHOWING UP AND PUTTING IN EFFORT REALLY MATTERS. NATALIE NEWTON SHE'S NOT HERE? WE LOVE YOU NATALIE.
LET'S GIVE OUR HIGHLANDS RANCH HIGH SCHOOL WINNERS A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE AS WE CONCLUDE THIS YEAR'S DCSD'S GIRLS & WOMEN IN SPORT CELEBRATION, I WANT TO REMIND EACH OF OUR WINNERS THAT TODAY
ISN'T JUST ABOUT SPORTS-IT'S ABOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP, RESILIENCE, AND THE REALITY THAT YOU ARE YOUNG WOMEN CHANGING THE GAME FOR EVERYONE WHO FOLLOWS. YOUR PASSION, DEDICATION, AND LEADERSHIP INSPIRE PROGRESS AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE WHO PLAYED A PART IN TODAY'S AMAZING CELEBRATION AND FOR THE REMINDER OF THE PURPOSEFUL WORK GOING ON HERE IN DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE OUR YOUNG WOMEN ARE TRULY TURNING BARRIERS INTO BREAKTHROUGHS AND PASSION INTO PROGRESS. THANKS AGAIN AND ENJOY THE REST
OF YOUR DAY. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL YOUNG WOMEN. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.