By By Austin Bishop/The Meridian Star
Dec. 26, 201
A new award has been created to spotlight the area high schools and junior colleges that show the most interest in having their schools' sports news published in The Meridian Star.
Beginning with the upcoming calendar year, The Meridian Star will acknowledge the work of the schools that show the greatest effort in this area with the Participation Award.
The award will be based on a point system devised by East Mississippi Group regional sports director Austin Bishop. Points are awarded when schools report the results of their various activities and are taken away when they do not. Such things as calling in the results of games not staffed by The Meridian Star, nominating athletes for the all-area teams, sending in schedules and rosters in a timely manner, and keeping the sports staff updated on canceled or postponed games will be taken into consideration.
The details of the points system will be mailed out to the heads of school and athletic directors of each of the 45 high schools and junior colleges in The Meridian Star coverage area this week.
The competition begins on Jan. 1, 2002 and ends on Dec. 31, 2002, with the winner being formally announced in early January of 2003.
The top five teams will be acknowledged, with the winner receiving a plaque and the other four being presented certificates. A permanent plaque, listing the year-by-year winners, will be displayed prominently in the sports department of the Meridian Star.
The Participation Award is the highest honor a school can receive from the sports department of The Meridian Star.
The standings will be posted on the scoreboard page of The Meridian Star at least once each month so coaches, players, fans and supporters can see how their schools are faring.
Monthly winners will also be acknowledged, but the big winners will be based on the full 12 months and all sports in which the schools field a team.
A separate Participation Award will be presented to the top non-school athletic group, as well.
The type of groups eligible for this award are The State Games of Mississippi, the Meridian Youth Soccer Organization, the Meridian Swim Association, area boxing clubs, area race tracks, the Meridian Athletic Association, any of the youth or adult baseball and softball leagues in the area, the area golf courses and country clubs and any other sports-related groups.
The details of this competition will be released in January.
Eligible Schools
The following 45 high schools and junior colleges are eligible to compete for the 2002 Participation Award to be presented by The Meridian Star. If your school is not listed and you feel it should be, please contact East Mississippi Group regional sports director Austin Bishop at 693-1551, ext. 3234.
Bay Springs
Central Academy
Choctaw Central
Choctaw County
Clarkdale
East Central Community College
East Mississippi Community College
Enterprise
Forest
Heidelberg Academy
Heidelberg High
Jones Junior College
Kemper Academy
Kemper County
Lamar
Leake
Livingston
Louisville
Meridian Community College
Meridian High
Nanih Waiya
Neshoba Central
Newton Academy
Newton County
Newton High
Northeast Lauderdale
Noxapater
Noxubee County
Patrician Academy
Philadelphia
Quitman
Sebastopol
Scott Central
South Choctaw Academy
Southeast Lauderdale
Southern Choctaw High
Sumter Academy
Sumter County
Sylva-Bay Academy
Union
Wayne Academy
Wayne County
West Lauderdale
Winston