Local stars come up aces in Glendale

GLENDALE — In the classroom and out on the athletic fields and courts, there’s the responsibility of performing to a high standard.
For a group of local high school and junior college student-athletes, they’ve been taught by their teachers and coaches the traits of integrity and sportsmanship.
The second annual Athletes with Character and Ethics Awards, sponsored by the Glendale Character and Ethics Project, celebrated many of the high-caliber student-athletes from Crescenta Valley High, Glendale and Hoover and Glendale Community College on Wednesday night at the Alex Theater with respect to the project’s theme standards of strong moral character, sportsmanship, integrity and responsibility.
“I think it’s a great honor because it says a lot about our community and it highlights the importance of great integrity and character,” said Crescenta Valley High softball pitcher and Stanford-bound Erin Ashby, who picked up the award for Scholastic Female Athlete with Character and Ethics. “It’s such an honor to be chosen and it allows me to carry on what it means to be a good person.”
Fifteen awards were handed out. Each school reeled in at least one award.
Glendale Community College collected six awards. The tennis program was tabbed as the Male Team with Character and Ethics and Coach Bob MacKay was named the Coach of a Male Team with Character and Ethics.
“When you strive to win, you strive to win championships,” MacKay said. “When you win a sportsmanship award, it just goes above that.
“Our team exemplifies what sportsmanship is about and that’s exactly what we did all year.”
Meagan Knight of Hoover was named the Female Athlete with Character and Ethics after starring on the girls’ volleyball team.
Hoover Coach Charles Min said Knight excelled on the court and in the community teaching the sport to younger students potentially interested in beginning a career of their own.
“She’s always been an amazing person,” Min said. “She goes out there and does a lot of things outside of volleyball.
“She works with the elementary school students and I’ve heard a lot of good things about her in the classroom.”
Glendale boys’ basketball Coach Steve Snodgress, who was named the Coach of a Male Team with Character and Ethics, said he’s relished the opportunity to coach student-athletes for an extended period of time.
“I’ve always considered it a privilege to be somebody’s basketball coach,” Snodgress said. “I try to tell my athletes that the only difference between you and your opponent is the uniform.”
The Male Athlete with Character and Ethics was given to Crescenta Valley water polo player and swimmer Josh Chi, while Hoover track and field athlete Andrew Le was named the Scholastic Male Athlete with Character and Ethics.
Crescenta Valley girls’ water polo coach Pete Loporchio was named the Coach of a Female Team with Character and Ethics, while his team was named the Female Team with Character and Ethics.
The Crescenta Valley boys’ soccer team was handed the Male Team with Character and Ethics award.
Glendale college’s Karen Rosas, who recently won two track and field state championships, won the award for Female Athlete with Character and Ethics. Women’s golf Coach Greg Osbourne won the award for Coach of a Female Team with Character and Ethics and the golf team was also named the Female Team with Character and Ethics.
Glendale college baseball player Scott Hong was named Male Athlete with Character and Ethics.
The Spirit Award with Character and Ethics went to Hoover teacher William LeClear.