FWCD Earns Seven SPC Sportsmanship Awards

ATHLETICS

Fort Worth Country Day earned seven sportsmanship awards – four team and three individual – from the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC), the athletic conference FWCD has belonged to since 1966. Team awards went to the field hockey and boys volleyball teams (coached by Paige Farris Chisholm ’87 and Patrick Powers ’05) and the softball and boys tennis teams (coached by DeAnn Hall and Sil Azevedo) for the spring season. FWCD is the only SPC school to earn four team awards in the 2021-22 year. Individuals who earned sportsmanship accolades were Brailey Connor ’22 (field hockey captain), Liz Hazelton ’22 (girls basketball captain), and Davis Ryder ’22 (softball captain).

Brailey Connor ’22 (Field Hockey Captain)

Always committed to the best in sportsmanship as a league, SPC spent the last few years working on a way to honor those individuals and teams in the conference that were particularly exemplary in their respect for the games they played and the competitors they faced. 2021-22 was the first year the honors have been voted on and awarded.

The SPC has two Sportsmanship Awards. One SPC Sportsmanship Award is given to an athlete from each SPC school who displays integrity and good sportsmanship. Those awards are chosen by their respective schools. A team award is presented to a team that stands above the others in their display of integrity and good sportsmanship during the season. These awards are voted on by SPC coaches and given for each sport in each zone (or 3A/4A, when applicable) to the school with the most votes.

Naomi (Liz) Hazelton ’22 (Girls Basketball Captain)

“We take it for granted that our players, coaches, and fans will demonstrate exemplary sportsmanship. It’s important to recognize our athletes and teams who go above and beyond, even though good sportsmanship is an expectation. We should be exceptionally proud that we are the only SPC school to have four teams honored,” said Leigh Block, Director of Athletics.

“Our student-athletes and coaches compete the right way and win with humility and lose with grace – that other competitors recognize this is very gratifying.”

Davis Ryder ’22 (Softball Captain)

FWCD coaches set high standards of excellence for their student-athletes. “In addition to the players and teams, it is important to note the dedication of the coaches,” said Head of School Eric Lombardi. “The recognition that we were exemplary competitors says a lot about our coaches and our players. And, of course, there are the fans: Our players benefit so much from their presence and enthusiasm. All of us can be very proud of these award-winning Falcons being recognized by our peers.

“Our school’s commitment to sportsmanship evolves from our cherished core values and mirrors our commitment to performance. We should always be aiming high,” he continued. “Win or lose, though, we are always striving to be thought of as that school, the one that competes to win with the respectful players and fans.”