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The College Basketball Experience at the Sprint Center was the site of the 8th Annual Sonic/GABL Honors Program. Nearly 400 people were in attendance at this new venue for the program.
The Foundation showed its appreciation to members of the corporate partner program. Shawnee Mission Medical Center and Dick's Sporting Goods were recognized as Business Partners. US Bank, Briley Sonic Group, Unisource Document Products and Select Photo-Graphics were recognized as Champion Partners.
The coaches, players and fans of the 2011 sportsmanship team winners were recognized. A total of 12 of the 18 teams selected for this honor were represented at the program. Previously, the coaches and team members received trophies.
The GABL Court of Honor was established to recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves through service to GABL and have been a positive influence to the youth of our community. The 2011 class is the Briley Family Sonic Group. Briley Sonic has been a Champion Partner of the Foundation for seven years. The partnership includes title sponsorship of the GABL Scholarship Program, the GABL Golf Classic and the GABL Honors Program. The Briley Family's generosity helps GABL provide financial assistance for participants of its programs and recognition of those who provide service to the Foundation and the youth of our community. Over the last 7 years, GABL with Briley Sonic's help, has provided over 600 scholarships totaling over $60,000.
Shawnee Mission Northwest boys basketball coach Ben Meseke received the Marcus Priddy Award. This award recognizes a current coach (youth, high school or college) who is making a positive difference in the lives of his or her players. Meseke has been a head boys basketball coach for 34 years. In 13 years at Shawnee Mission Northwest, he has recorded more wins than any other coach of the Cougars and has taken his teams to four state tournaments. At Hayden High School in Topeka, Meseke's teams went to 13 state tournaments and won six state championships. Ben has been named Kansas Coach of the Year three times by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association and was inducted into the Association's Hall of Fame last summer.
Patti Phillips is the 2011 recipient of the GABL "Making a Difference" Award, which is given to an individual who has made a positive difference in the lives of youth, serves the community in a positive manner and promotes the values of athletic participation. Phillips served as the executive director of the Women's Intersport Newtwork for Kansas City (WIN for KC) from 1999 to 2010. In keeping with the mission of providing female role models for girls, WIN for KC activities included instructional clinics and reading challenges offered in conjunction with women's collegiate and professional sporting events held in Kansas City. Camp WIN, a week-long girls sports camp that empowers girls by introducing them to a variety of sports and fitness activities, became an annual sell-out and grew to two sessions. Under Patti's leadership the annual WIN for KC Luncheon, which celebrates National Girls and Women in Sports Day, became the largest celebration of its kind in the country.
Click Here for Additional Information and the 2011 Photo Gallery
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