National High School Spirit of Sport Award: Colorado Cheer Coach Puts Individual Ahead of Team Championship
Tammy Dufford, cheerleading coach at Evergreen (Colorado) High School, and her freshman cheerleader, Megan Bomgaars, are the 2008 national recipients of the NFHS "National High School Spirit of Sport Award."
The "National High School Spirit of Sport Award" was created by the NFHS to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the spirit of sport that represents the core mission of education-based athletics.
Entering her first year as cheerleading coach at Evergreen last fall, Dufford opened the door for Bomgaars, an incoming freshman with Down syndrome, to try out for the cheerleading squad. Not only did Bomgaars try out, she made the team.
As the competitive part of the season approached, Bomgaars' mother said she would understand if Dufford withheld Megan from tournament events because it could affect the team's chances of winning. Dufford and the rest of her team said that Megan was a member of the team and that meant every game and every tournament, so she continued with the team all the way to the state championship.
After placing third at the Jefferson County league meet and winning the small varsity division in regional competition, Evergreen finished 12th at the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) State Spirit Championships in early December and received the award for good sportsmanship. Megan was lifted to the top of the final formation to a thunderous standing ovation from the 8,000 in attendance at Denver Coliseum. While other cheerleaders with Down syndrome have participated in cheerleading at local Colorado schools, CHSAA officials said this was the first occurrence at the tournament level.
"This is an exceptional story and one that embodies all that is good and right about high school sports," said Robert F. Kanaby, NFHS executive director. "Placing the individual above the team's pursuit of winning championships is a perfect example of the spirit of sport. Coach Dufford, Megan and the rest of the Evergreen cheerleading team are to be congratulated for their great act of sportsmanship."
In addition to the selection of Dufford and Bomgaars as the national winners, the National High School Spirit of Sport Award Selection Committee chose seven other individuals for section awards. Following are the 2008 National High School Spirit of Sport section winners:
Section 1 - Connor David, student-athlete, King Philip Regional High School, Wrentham, Massachusetts.
Section 2 - Diane Dennis, coach, Churchland High School, Portsmouth, Virginia.
Section 3 - Leah Dorsett, student-athlete, Crossville (Alabama) High School.
Section 4 - Curt Bladt, coach, Harlan (Iowa) Community School.
Section 5 - Josh Jones, student-athlete, Omaha (Nebraska) Central High School.
Section 6 - Tammy Dufford, coach, and Megan Bomgaars, student-athlete, Evergreen (Colorado) High School.
Section 7 - Porter Ellett, student-athlete, Wayne High School, Bicknell, Utah.
Section 8 - Eric Ragan, student-athlete, Lander (Wyoming) Valley High School.
Nominations were generated through NFHS-member state associations and reviewed by the NFHS National High School Spirit of Sport Award Selection Committee composed of state association staff members. While the national winners were honored July 6 at the NFHS Summer Meeting in Washington, D.C., section award winners were recognized within their respective states.
