GHSA Announces Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award Winning High Schools for 2008 Submitted by webmaster on Mon, 08/11/2008 - 1:44pm.

Georgia High School Association (GHSA) and Georgia Electric Membership Corporation (GEMC) today announce the 37 GHSA-member high schools that will receive the 2008 GEMC Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award honoring exemplary sportsmanship demonstrated during the 2007-08 school year.

“We congratulate these high schools for their outstanding sportsmanship,” said Dr. Ralph Swearngin, GHSA Executive Director. “School-based athletics should be an extension of the classroom in providing lessons that last for the student’s lifetime. Sportsmanship is really nothing more than good citizenship expressed in athletic events, and that is an important life lesson.”

Sponsored by GHSA and Georgia’s EMCs, the Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Awards program was introduced in 2006 to honor GHSA-member schools that exhibit outstanding sportsmanship. The awards program is designed to promote sportsmanship by honoring those who do it well, reinforcing GHSA’s philosophy: “Student athletes, coaches, spectators, and all others associated with high school activities programs should adhere to the fundamental values of respect, fairness, honesty and responsibility.”

The program honors student athletes along with fellow students, school staff, parents and game spectators, making the award not only a school but a community honor.

The Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Awards are presented annually to GHSA-member high schools in the 40 regions in all five classifications. Region GHSA secretaries select winners based on sportsmanship demonstrated during the year.

Representatives from the EMCs will present sportsmanship trophies to winning high schools within their service territories at presentations during fall athletic events. Winners of the 2008 GEMC Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Awards include:

Region Winners

1-AAAAA Houston County High School 3-AAAAA Savannah Arts High School 4-AAAAA Hiram High School 5-AAAAA Murray County High School 6-AAAAA Sprayberry High School 7-AAAAA North Forsyth High School 8-AAAAA Brookwood High School