04/05/2007: "SJC Girls: 2,3 & 4 In Sportsmanship"

It is worth noting when a school receives an award for sportsmanship, and it is truly newsworthy when all of the school districts in a county rank in the top four, out of a total of twenty three northwest schools, as displaying sportsmanship in all aspects of the game.

Bob Phalan is a member of the Northwest Board of Basketball Officials, which represents high school girl’s basketball officials in our area. In addition to their normal job of officiating games, they also rate schools on their display of sportsmanship. At the end of a game, the three officials get together, and rate not only the teams, but also the coaches, the fans, and the athletic director.

Mr. Phalan wrote in to say he was “pleased to see that the island schools placed very highly on the sportsmanship award ballots of the officials”. The area served by the Northwest Board include schools from Coupeville to Blaine, and from Concrete to the San Juan islands. This works out to approximately 600 games that were rated in the last year

Phalan pointed out that “Of the twenty three schools Orcas placed 2nd, Lopez 3rd & Friday Harbor placed 4th. They were separated by mere hundredths of a point. This is a testament to the dedication of the coaches and athletic directors of each school in San Juan County in the focus they place on sportsmanship”. He added that “As a parent, fan and official of the game, I want to thank each of them.” ”