CIAC Sportsmanship Event a Hit with EGHS Athletes

Four East Granby High student-athletes participated with representatives from high schools across the state Thursday in the annual Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Sportsmanship Conference held at the Aqua Turf Banquet Facility.

Seniors Caroline Eastman, Kyle Bowers, Sean Rosenberger and Anna Glassman were chosen to attend the event, which began at 7:45 a.m. and ran through a luncheon, Michaels Achievement Cup presentations by CIAC executive director Karissa Niehoff and addresses by keynote speaker Harvey Alston and CIAC assistant directors David Maloney and Paul Hoey.

Eastman participates in soccer and track. Bowers runs cross country in the fall and plays basketball in the winter. Rosenberger plays soccer and track. Glassman runs cross country and indoor track, and plays softball in the spring.

The East Granby student-athletes also participated in breakout sessions where they interacted with peers from other schools on problem-solving in regard to issues such as sportsmanship, respect, teamwork, healthy lifestyles and community service.

The students were accompanied by EGHS athletic director Bob Paskiewicz.

Glassman and Bowers said they were captivated by Alston’s messages and enjoyed working together with student-athletes from other schools.

“I felt it was absolutely phenomenal,” Glassman said. “I’m very passionate about things like that. I’m not a typical teenager who may say it was just a chance to get out of school.

“I was honored and happy when Mr. Paskiewicz asked if I wanted to come. When I got there and saw it was so fabulously put together, it was even more pleasing. Harvey Alston was amazing. He captured everybody’s attention.”

They attended a seminar conducted by students who attended the New England Student Leadership Conference, followed by a dissertation from Niehoff explaining the CIAC’s sportsmanship standards, expectations and ratings used to generate data that gauges the effectiveness of the sportsmanship program.

Alston, an educator, former high school football coach and author of the book, “Be the Best,” spoke of individual responsibility, integrity and dignity and how they relate to the development of leadership skills.

“I thought it was a fantastic program. I really believe in that type of stuff,” Bowers said.  “I thought the whole presentation captured what sports is all about and how sportsmanship should be portrayed through school sports.

“I was great meeting some new people who feel same way and had an interesting story relating to the same topic. [Alston] was fantastic. He really got through to everyone. I didn’t see anyone dozing off. He really knew how to get the message across.”

Following the luncheon, Niehoff made the presentations of the Michaels Achievement Cup, an award that recognizes the state’s best athletic programs as judged by a committee of representatives from CIAC, Connecticut Association of Athletic Directors and the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance using criteria that evaluate sportsmanship and participation along with five other categories.

East Granby was one of five recipients among the state’s Class S schools.

Paskiewicz, who submitted East Granby’s application, was pleased that the small schools get recognized.

“Teams are recognized in the media by winning. The smallest guys on the block can’t win all their games but we’re still trying to develop skills, and the skills we try to develop are the things the committee looks at,” he said. “We have a high participation rate and the busiest kids get the best grades because they know how to plan their day. …

“We really we won something here that’s better than just winning a game.”

Glastonbury High School was named the overall winner. Fifteen other schools were also cited.

Fred Balsamo, the CIAC’s Michaels Achievement Cup program director, said, “The program has always emphasized far more than just winning. Schools are places of learning. Sports provide a form for children to learn about the principles of participation, which provide life lessons learned early for the future – sportsmanship, fair play, integrity, teamwork, graciousness and humility.”

The Michaels Achievement Cup was the brainstorm of Roy Michaels, owner of Michaels Jewelers, in 1979. Financing is sustained under a perpetual grant from the Michaels Jewelers Foundation.

“For 135 years Michaels has benefited from our endeavors in the jewelry business,” semi-retired CEO John Michaels said. “We are honored to be able to give back, and what better way than to recognize excellence in our youth and their participation in athletics, emphasizing sportsmanship and participation. It’s our privilege to be able to join CAS-CIAC in motivating and rewarding excellence in athletics thru the CIAC recognition program.”