NFHS Spirit of Sport Award

The NFHS “National High School Spirit of Sport Award,” seeks to recognize individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive spirit of sport that represent the core mission of education-based athletics. The award may be given in recognition of a specific act or for an activity of longer duration.

The award can be given to an individual who has gone beyond the normal everyday expectations of assisting others within the school or community. It could also be given to an individual who has overcome some sort of adversity or challenging circumstances.  The recipient can be a coach, athletic administrator, administrator, trainer, student-athlete or any others associated with the school or the school’s athletic program.

In the instance of a student, that student must be in good academic standing within his or her respective high school. Among the qualifying criteria that will be used are the student’s grade-point average, the activities in which he or she is involved, and community involvement. Candidates should also possess similar positive character traits, such as a high level of integrity and ethics.

The NFHS divides the nation into eight geographical sections. The states in Section 4 are Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Nominations for this award are generated through NFHS member state associations and reviewed by the NFHS Spirit of Sport Award Selection Committee composed of state association staff members.

The following have been nominated as Indiana's representatives for the National High School Spirit of Sport Award:

2008-09 - Columbia City girls soccer team  
2009-10 - Allison Hostetler, Fairfield HS
2010-11 - Whitko and Rochester girls basketball teams
2011-12 - Alysia Bennett, Sullivan HS
2012-13 - Noah James, Boonville HS
2013-14 - Virgil Ferguson, North Posey HS
2014-15 - Lucas Vervynckt, Plymouth HS
2015-16 - Matt Runyon, Brownsburg HS
2016-17 - Caroline Kavanaugh, Perry Meridian HS
2017-18 - Robby Muse-Myers, Lebanon HS
2021-22 - Landis Sims, South Central (Elizabeth) HS
2022-23 - Jacob Bush, Mishawaka HS