Stamford, CT – Stamford Public Schools’ (SPS) is proud to announce that Stamford High School has been named a 2020-2021 CIAC Michaels Cup “Class Act” Sportsmanship recipient. SHS is among a select group of high school athletic programs from across the state to be awarded the honor. This is the second consecutive year that SHS has received the award. The committee commended the SHS athletic department in a statement: “The committee was impressed with the work you are doing to foster good sportsmanship within your athletic program especially during the pandemic.” The award will be officially presented at the Virtual CIAC Sportsmanship Summit scheduled for January 2022.
Earlier this month, the SHS athletes and coaches also earned the CIAC’s 2021 Fred Balsamo Sportsmanship Award. This is the first year of this award, with only four schools in the entire state given the honor in its inaugural year. The prestigious award is given to a school that demonstrates outstanding sportsmanship and provides an enjoyable experience for students in athletics.
“We are so honored to be the only Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (FCIAC) school to win both The Michaels Achievement Class Act Cup and the Fred Balsamo Sportsmanship award this year!” said SHS Athletic Director, Chris Passamano. “Being selected for these two awards recognizes our SHS student athletes’ greatness both on and off the field.” In recent years, SHS added a community service component to their athletic program. In addition to competition on the field, every SHS athletic team participates in civic engagement and community outreach through the SHS UKnighted Nation initiative. Each year, SHS sponsors a Pink Out celebration in support of Stamford Health’s “Paint the Town Pink” campaign. Earlier this week, members of the SHS Baseball team volunteered their time at Stamford’s Bethel A.M.E. Church to help wrap gifts and prepare for the organization’s Annual Toy Giveaway.
“The SHS community recognizes that a student’s passion for athletics can drive classroom achievement as well as hone the skills needed to succeed in a global workforce” said
Stamford High Principal, Matt Forker. “Chris has done a great job inspiring the entire school community. These awards recognize our dedication to sportsmanship and our commitment to offering our students unique learning experiences that promote student growth and engagement.”
