Laissez la sportivité de rouleau !

Brigade members Evelyn Austin and Becky Limback pictured with this week's award winners

St. Louis boasts the second-largest Mardi Gras celebration in the U.S. outside of New Orleans. However, when it comes to good sportsmanship, The Gateway City is second to none. This was certainly true when the Sportsmanship Brigade paid another a visit to "The J" on Saturday for 7u boys basketball. First, the Brigade focused on young Maxwell who you see in the picture above. Maxwell represents the intention of this teaching league. He listened to his coach and followed instructions to the letter - even when one of his teammates didn't necessarily want him to. There was a play where Maxwell's coach clearly told him to dribble the ball to the corner to set up a shot. Maxwell's teammate wanted him to pass the ball so he could take the shot. It took a lot of courage and focus for Maxwell to remain obedient to his coach. It's for this reason that the Brigade saw fit to reward him.

Coaches Kevin Kelley and Scott Hardwick set amazing examples for their respective teams. While each coach had his own particular style, both were very attentive to detail and treated the young athletes with respect. Each man could be seen encouraging his athletes during the game and calmly explaining and correcting mistakes. Kelley and Hardwick were easy selections for the Brigade this week. The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents and fans who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol