Eagle Award Winners Announced: Winter Basketball Season, 2016-17

The winter sports season is optional at Graland and includes basketball, yoga and sports conditioning. Eagle Awards are given only in competitive sports and several athletes were recognized on Tuesday for the 2016-17 basketball season. 

For this honor, coaches select players who have demonstrated the following characteristics: respect, sportsmanship, dedication, positive attitude, discipline, good skill development and working knowledge of the sport, commitment, leadership, effort and inspiration. 

Congratulations!

 

Coach Robert Romero

About this team: "What is needed for a team? You need numbers… check.  You need ball handlers… got them! You’ve got to have shooters, rebounders and passers… check, check. Most importantly, you need Eagle spirit.  This year’s Sixth Grade Boys 'Green' team had all of this and more!   What defines your season?  The wins? No. The loses? No. The most points or the most playing time? Nope. The journey? YES! In our first game of the season, we traveled to St. Mary’s Academy and played tenaciously.  The first win is the hardest to get at this level.  The last game of the season was against Stanley British School, and this team played with a lot of enthusiasm.  The last win will be remembered. The team worked hard in practice and had fun.  5-0 was the final results for the 'Green Team.'”

 

Eagle Award: JC Turner
The coach says, "This year's Eagle Award is being given to a young man who possesses an excellent work ethic, an outstanding determination and a positive attitude.  He always gave 100% at every practice, was a true team player, and quietly did his job, both on and off the court.  He is a natural talent, and was one of our team’s best rebounders.  It gives me great pleasure to honor JC Turner with this year’s Eagle Award."  

 

Coach Dick Kinney
About this team: "Highly competitive, tenacious on defense, abundant fast breaks, timely jump shots, raw potential exhibited, and won the statistical battle in almost every category.  This is the summary of a successful basketball season.  Each player become more confident and more skilled as the season progressed.  Congratulations to each team member for their efforts and quality play."

Eagle Award: Michael Ryan
The coach says, "This season’s Eagle Award recipient did an amazing job learning the game of basketball.  He arrived, on time, every day ready to practice.  He listened to constructive advice on how to improve his basketball skills, and, during practice he worked on hitting the shots he was likely to use in a game situation.  At both ends of the court he was always in the fight for the rebound.  His blue collar work ethic was evident in practice and during games.  Because of his quality efforts, he improved in all facets of the game.  He represented himself, his team, and his school with the highest standards.  It is a great pleasure to award the Eagle Award to Michael Ryan."

 

Coach Ann DeBoe
About this team: "This sixth grade girls basketball team was nothing short of amazing. They began the season with little to no experience with most having to step out of their comfort zone and learn completely new and complex skills, offensive and defensive positioning and strategies and plays. Each girl took it upon herself to take on each task with a sense of purpose, absorbed the instruction and embraced the opportunity to learn. With a combined record of 8-5, we were very proud of these three teams and all that they accomplished!"

Eagle Award: Malia Schuler
"Her commitment to excellence, willingness to take risks, fierce resilience, attention to detail of movement, kind and supportive spirit, joyful demeanor are just some of Mannings’ signature qualities. She is most-often the first on the court and the last to leave, ensuring all equipment is put away and she never leaves without a 'Thank you, coach.' When players on other teams were absent and that team needed an extra player, Malia exuberantly, enthusiastically and pretty much going through the wall and driving the bus herself, took on the extra games. A promising career in the game of basketball, it is my pleasure to present the Eagle award to Team Graland to Malia Schuler."

 

Coach Bambi Mayo
About this team: "Watching these young girls progress throughout the season was such a pleasure.  It was great to see them come together as a team and really grow as basketball players."
 

Eagle Award: Lauren Frankmore
The coach says, "This team's Eagle is a natural leader. She is extremely enthusiastic and incredibly thoughtful and encouraging toward others. She worked hard in every practice and was extremely valuable on defense. I am delighted to give this year’s Eagle Award to Lauren Frankmore."

 

Coach Jenn Adams
About this team: "This year’s Sixth Grade Girls 'Eagle' team enjoyed a fantastic season!  The hard-work, dedication and skill growth from each player was amazing, and helped lead us to an impressive 3-0 record. I want to say 'thank you' to each member of the 'Eagle' team… thank you for never quitting… even when we trailed our opponents, each one of you fought hard right up to the final buzzer. Thank you for your positive attitude, thank you for your desire to improve every day, and thank you for making this an incredibly fun season. It was an honor to be your coach!"

Season highlights: "In our game against Alexander Dawson, we were down 8-9 with 5 seconds left, when Lela Street swished a basket to put us ahead 10-9, then our amazing defense stopped the ball to win the game! We ended the season undefeated, 3-0."

Eagle Award: Coco Hunt
The coach says, "Coco Hunt, your commitment to our team was most admirable, your skill development in the game of basketball was stellar, and your personal character is unparalleled.  Your positive work ethic, outstanding leadership, and mature demeanor are just a few of your outstanding qualities … qualities that made you an invaluable asset to our team this winter.

 

"You are an example of persistence in excellence, and you play basketball with a lot of heart. You are a role model in every sense, and I admire you for so many reasons… your amazing athletic talents, your dedication to the team and how you handle yourself both on and off the court.  The respect you give your opponent’s, your teammates, yourself and the game of basketball does credit to us all.

 

"Coco, I commend all your efforts and thank you for your tremendous sportsmanship.  It gives me great pleasure to present you with The Eagle Award."

 

Coach Ann DeBoe

Eagle Award: Adie Williams
The coach says, "It goes without saying that on every team, there is that one person who rises above adversity, takes risks beyond anyone’s imagination, has a willingness and determination to excel and learn skills beyond expectations, steps out of their comfort zone and is willing to play any position at any given moment.  Adie, it is all of these reasons, along with your fervent commitment, compassion, discipline, support of EVERYONE, dynamic hustle both in practice and in games, sportsmanship and respect that earns you this year’s Eagle Award. Congratulations!"

 

Coach Dan Barklund

Eagle Award: Bo Turnage
The coach says, "The Eagle Award in Seventh Grade Boys Basketball goes to a very deserving young man, Bo Turnage. Bo embodies every aspect of the Eagle Award, as he constantly sets a positive example for his teammates and opponents to strive and reach. Bo has an infectious love for the game, and managed to both be focused and full of joy on the practice court. Early in the season, our team struggled a bit with some chemistry issues.  Bo took it upon himself, along with another teammate, to come to my room, and helped brainstorm some solutions that, in turn, balanced our lineups and personalities. In practice, I knew I could leave Bo in charge of practicing plays with his squad while I worked with other players. Bo was also a selfless leader -- he never complained about coming off the bench because he knew it was best for the team. He also worked to improve his skill set this winter. Early in the season I told him he could help the team by improving his 3-point shot. In our last 3 games, he made a combined 4 three pointers. In a conversation with an opposing coach after a game, he noted that #55 was "a feisty little guy I wouldn't mind having on my team". Indeed, Bo demonstrated a blue collar work ethic that lifted everyone around him. It was the first time in my coaching career that my 4'7" point guard was our 2nd leading offensive rebounder and shot blocker! Please join me in congratulating Bo Turnage on a job well done."

 

Coach Tera Malyszko and Coach Jorge Chavez
Season highlights: Undefeated, 10-0 record. Kept all opponents to 12 or fewer points.

Eagle Award: Cate Lord
Coaches say, "While our team consisted of many solid players, there was one player that stood out as an athlete with natural ability, strong work ethic, and a leadership style that was quiet, yet had a strong presence. On the court, this player quietly did her job, not for the recognition, but to meet and exceed expectations set by herself, her coaches and her team.  The players and coaches looked to this person to run our new Triangle offense and to lead the team on the court.  She did this with ease and confidence.  She didn’t let a press or aggressive player shake her. In basketball terms, she had 'ice in her veins.' She was an unselfish teammate, always willing to pass the ball if a better shot was available. Defensively, she was usually busy collecting steals from the other team for a layup. She always came to practice and games with a positive attitude, good sportsmanship, and gave full effort especially running those 9 35 sprints. She is a dedicated teammate that was respectful of her teammates and coaches both off and on the court.  This year’s Eagle Award goes to Cate Lord."

 

Coach Robert Romero and Coach Todd O’Malley

Season Highlights: “The team finished 11-1, with our one loss against Boulder Country Day School. We had a ‘Super Bowl 51’ replay against St. Mary’s Academy. Our team was down 16 points in the third quarter. The boys really stepped it up, and tied the game at the final buzzer, sending the game into overtime, where we ended up victorious by four points!”

Eagle Award: Weston Wolkov
Coaches say, "This year’s Eagle Award recipient is someone who is a true gentleman both on and off the basketball court. An outstanding leader, his dedication and loyalty to the team, combined with his natural athleticism, positive attitude and coachability make him an asset to the program. Congratulations, Weston Wolkov."

From Coach Hecht, Grades 6-8 Sports Conditioning:
"I'd like to give special acknowledgement to 12 students who chose to participate in the sports conditioning class during both the fall and winter terms.  The 'O.G.'' or Original Group:

"In sixth grade, Jack Bentfield, Addie Godfrey, Sam Oberlin, Harrison Roth, Dash Twarogowski, and Chet Wheeler.

 

 "In seventh grade, Charles Dye, David Gebremedhin, and Aidan Patterson.

 

“In eighth grade, Josiah Davis, Emery Pardun, and Douglas Ross.

 

"There are roughly 600 muscles in the human body, each one with an energy potential waiting to be developed and utilized.  Can you imagine what would happen when these muscles unleash their potential when coordinated?  You move faster.  You jump higher.  You throw farther.  You're more efficient. 

 

"Strength improves recruitment patterns and overall coordination.  Speed improves power development, reaction times and reflex arcs.  Metabolic conditioning improves maximal endurance.  Mobility and stability improves balance.  Flexibility improves torque velocities.  Functional movement insures that the entire body is working effectively in all directional planes. And recovery and regeneration allows you to do it all again the next day.  As a result, performance improves significantly.

 

"I applaud these students for choosing the sports conditioning class during an optional season.  They could have spent their time doing something else.  Instead, they chose to lift, sprint, jump, stretch, flex, squat, extend, rotate, strain, heave, launch, push, pull, drag, throw, and crawl, knowing they would later be sore, and they did it for fun...Or as Josiah would say, "Oh, Joy!"

 

"They surprised themselves.  They set personal records, and then broke them.  By the end of our time together, they all said the same thing - "I remember when this weight was heavy, and now it feels so light."  I'll tell you a little secret...the weight didn't change, you did.  You became stronger.

 

"So remember the magic formula - improved strength and speed improves coordination which improves skills, which improves performance.  It all starts with strength & speed. Strength & speed."