With hazing in high school athletics on the rise, everyone associated with sporting agrees it is vital to instill in students basic principles of good sportsmanship to ensure every athlete in Georgia and across the nation competes in a safe and secure environment.

For that reason, the EMCs in Georgia, including Diverse Power, are proud to announce the winners of the 2015-2016 Georgia High School Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Awards, including both LaGrange High School and Callaway High School in LaGrange.

“Sportsmanship is an essential element in the mission of education-based athletics,” says Gary Phillips, Georgia High School Association (GHSA) executive director. “Good sporting behavior involves important values that influence the behavior of productive citizens. The GHSA appreciates the efforts of Georgia’s EMCs to support and recognize schools that have excelled at good sportsmanship.”

Since 2006, Diverse Power and other EMCs in Georgia have sponsored the Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award to encourage positive sporting behavior and honor high school programs that adhere to the fundamental values of respect, fairness, honesty and responsibility.

The award recognizes not only student athletes but fellow students, school staff, parents and event spectators, thereby becoming not only a school honor, but a community honor as well.

“Schools such as LaGrange and Callaway are worthy of recognition,” says Diverse Power President/CEO Wayne Livingston. “They routinely exhibit sportsmanship across a variety of sports with good sportsmanship exhibited by students, parents and adult volunteers, coaches, spectators and sporting officials.”

Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Awards are presented annually by EMC representatives during fall athletic events and school assemblies to GHSA-member high schools in 48 regions and six classifications. LaGrange High was the Region 1, Class 5-A winner while Callaway High won the honor in Region 5, Class 3-A.

Photo Captions: 1. Diverse Power Member Services and Marketing Coordinator Ken Pope presents LaGrange High staff and student with the Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award. (Yolanda Stephens photo) 2. Diverse Power’s Ken Pope presents the Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award to Callaway High School Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Pete Wiggins at an October game. (Steve Landry photo)