Award Of Excellence

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association salutes the 33 schools that met the criteria to be named recipients of the Award of Excellence in 2020-21.

The award promotes and recognizes the efforts and achievements of schools in the areas of sportsmanship, ethics, integrity, leadership and character. For the second straight year, schools and athletics administrators experienced additional challenges in 2020-21 with the COVID-19 pandemic to account for guidelines, accommodations and schedule changes.

The recipients of the Award of Excellence, presented to high schools that have verified they have met each of the award’s criteria, are:
 

Two of the 33 schools, Baraboo and Stoughton, are receiving the honor for the fifth time in the five years since the award’s inception. Five of this year’s recipients are being presented with the award for the fourth time, including Brookwood, Fort Atkinson, Kimberly, The Prairie School and Watertown. Nine schools are receiving the recognition for the first time.

Recipients will be presented the Award of Excellence at the fall Area Meetings, which will be conducted in-person, and will be recognized for the achievement on the WIAA website and at the 2022 Annual Meeting.

1. If your athletic program has met all the criteria outlined below during the school year which has just concluded, gather the required signatures at the bottom of this document and submit the completed form via the WIAA webpage under “School Directory – Forms – Award of Excellence” prior to the deadline.

2. Your school will receive a certificate of recognition for the Award of Excellence at the WIAA Area Meeting

3. Your school will be recognized for this achievement on the WIAA website, social media and at the WIAA Area and Annual Meetings

ALL CRITERIA BELOW APPLY TO THE SCHOOL YEAR 2022-23:

• Athletic Director conducted regular occurring meetings with a Captain’s Club/Team Leadership Council/Etc.– sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity is on the agenda and is discussed
   
• Athletic Director conducted regular occurring meetings with coaches - sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity is a topic that is on the agenda and is discussed
   
• Athletic Director does due diligence in striving to achieve staff compliance with all WIAA coaching requirements (i.e. rules video, exam, officials’ rankings)
   
• Athletic Director conducted at least one informational meeting with student-athletes and their parents - sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity is a topic that is on the agenda and is discussed
   
• Athletic Director attended conference meetings - sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity is a topic that is on the agenda and is discussed
   
• Athletic Director maintains and updates all information in the WIAA School Directory annually
   
• Coaches and student-athletes attended a sportsmanship summit/leadership conference/etc.
   
• There was school representation at 1 of the 7 WIAA Fall Area Meetings
   
• There was school representation at WIAA Annual Meeting in April
   
• Athletic Director made the student body aware of sportsmanship initiatives through school assemblies, announcements, posters, etc.
   
• Three or more athletic teams gave back to their school or community through volunteerism
   
• Athletic Director has taken the Free NFHS Sportsmanship course
   
• Three or more head coaches have taken the Free NFHS Sportsmanship course
   
• Athletic program had no coach ejections at any level
   
• Athletic program had no coach or player assault of an official at any level
   
• Athletic director nominated/submitted a boy and/or a girl for WIAA Scholar Athlete recognition (either for local or state level recognition) 

• Athletic director or designee submits the online season Schedule/Results Verification Form by the established deadlines for all bracketed team sports (baseball, basketball, football, hockey, soccer, softball, volleyball)

• Athletic director or designee completes and submits the accurate enrollment count on the Enrollment Form by the established deadline

• Athletic director or designee completes and submits the accurate data on the online Sports Participation Form by June 30

• Athletic director or designee submits the completed online Fan Ejection Form within three days following the event the ejection occured, requiring a fan to miss the next competition