With the sports year drawing to a close, the drive for excellence and perseverance in campus athletics over the last four years will be commended.

The 3rd annual Senior Sports Recognition Night will honor athletes and their families in Ground Zero at 7 P.M., May 12.

“I’m excited about going to the awards ceremony,” Ryan Brunn, ’08, said. “It’s a chance for my class and I to get recognition for all our hard work, in sports, over the past four years.”

The ceremony will include dessert, as well as video and award presentations.

Athletes who have played a varsity sport, competed in a sports program for four years or three-year varsity lettermen will be honored.

“We will be handing out awards to athletes who lettered in a sport for four years,” Chris Schultz, athletic director, said. “The Tri-Athlete Award, which goes to those seniors who lettered in three different varsity sports, will also go to a select few.”

In spirit of a campus tradition, the senior male and female Athlete of the Year Award will be given out this year. Originating with the booster club along with the FC administration in 1999, the award became a way to honor a specific senior for their prowess on the court, field or arena as well as in the classroom.

Carson Belmont and Hillary Kell were the last seniors to be awarded “Athlete of the Year” in 2005. The athletic administration discontinued the award in 2006, however, after an unanimous vote by the FC coaches, the honor will be reinstated.

Both senior athletes of the year will receive a plaque and $250 in scholarship money. Their names will also be sewn on a commemorative banner on the west wall of the gym.

Each coach had the option of nominating an athlete for the award by April 21, and the candidates were narrowed down by the FC coaches.

“While the award’s main purpose is to highlight athletic ability and achievement, we also considered other factors,” Schultz said. “School involvement, participation, character, leadership, and Christian attitude are also criteria for the award.”

Other requirements include: participation in a minimum of two varsity sports, and a GPA of 3.0 or above.

With several multi-sport athletes, putting in quality performances in their final year, the senior class can expect to be well represented.