FBOA Sportsmanship Awards
As a means of encouraging sportsmanship in the area schools that the
Fruit Belt Officials Association serves, we bestow five
awards over the course of the school year.
Student Sportsmanship Award
Two of these awards are given to student-athletes. Both a male and female
senior athlete are selected for each school year.
Nominations come from athletic directors and coaches from our area schools
(Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties). Our sportsmanship committee narrows
the nominations to a list of finalists,
and winners are voted on by the membership at our spring general meeting. Winners receive a plaque
commemorating the achievement and all nominated athletes receive a
certificate.
Walt Lange Sportsmanship Award
The Walt Lange Sportsmanship Award is bestowed once annually to a
high school and for superior sportsmanship exhibited by
athletes, coaches and fans. As with our other sportsmanship awards, all
schools in Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties are considered. This award is named in honor of longtime FBOA
member Walt Lange, and nominations come from the general membership and are
voted on from the membership as well.
Denny Kniola Sportsmanship Award
The middle school version of our school sportsmanship award was renamed
in 2011 in honor of long-time official and athletic director Denny Kniola.
Denny was an FBOA member for many years and has been a huge supporter of
high school athletics for over five decades. He continues to officiate
occasionally when in the area. We salute Denny for his long-time devotion to
officiating, high school athletics and good sportsmanship.
2016-17 School Sportsmanship Awards
Michigan Lutheran MS/HS was honored with the
Walt Lange Sportsmanship Award
and Brandywine Middle School was honored with the Denny Kniola Sportsmanship Award again for 2016-17.
Congratulations to all the
student-athletes, coaches and supporters from these two schools whose consistent display of
sportsmanship earned them this award.
Herb Quade Coaches' Award
The Herb Quade Coaches' Award is given once annually to an area coach who
exemplifies sportsmanship by example to his/her student athletes. This award
is named in honor of longtime FBOA member, coach and athletic director Herb
Quade. A committee of FBOA members chooses seven candidates from sports the
association supports (boys' basketball, girls' basketball, baseball,
softball, football, volleyball and wrestling). One of these is chosen by a
vote of the membership for "Coach of the Year." Each nominated coach receive
a certificate and the winning candidate receives a plaque to commemorate the
achievement.
2016-17 Herb Quade Award
Coloma High School Varsity Baseball Coach Kevin
Vanpeteghem was recently honored with
the Herb Quade Coaches' Award for the 2016-17 school year.
Others nominated were Mike Welch, Varsity Softball Coach at
Buchanan; Josh Hood, Varsity Girls
Basketball Coach at Brandywine; and Mike Vota,
Varsity Baseball Coach at Niles. Congratulations to Kevin
and all the other nominated coaches.