JJ SAYS: Everyone deserves to be recognized

Every player deserves to have his/her moment.|

Sunday evening I sat, eyes closed, behind the wheel of my parked car as I listened, transfixed, to the final minutes of a drama unfolding in the freeze of Minnesota. I tried to visualize the action as two stunned audio announcers tried, and failed, to overcome their own emotions, and describe the drama.

It wasn’t until the late news that I finally saw the incredible play that finally climaxed the wildness that not even the great journalist Grantland Rice could have adequately portrayed in words.

For those who have been so enraptured with the tweeting trivia oozing from the White House, let me only say that the Minnesota Vikings defeated the New Orleans Saints, 29-24, in a professional football game of some significance. Consult your teenager, neighbor or pet for more information.

The reason I had an audio rather than visual portrait of the game was that I was in the parking lot at Lucchesi Park prior to attending the Casa Grande High School football awards banquet. I don’t attend many of these celebratory events believing they are truly meant for players, coaches and parents. They are a way for those closely involved in whatever sports that is on the agenda to celebrate the hard work triumphs and turmoil that went into the season. Every team in every sport has such a season-ending affair. They range from the full-fledged catered dinner to a simple dessert. They can run long as every coach and every player on every team from freshmen to varsity is introduced.

But, they are important. Most of the players put a lot of time, effort, energy and passion into their sport with no recognition, save from their coaches and peers. Freshmen and junior varsity players in every sport, not just football, work hard to improve themselves and their teams. Often they hurt, either from soreness or, unfortunately, from injuries.

On only one night - the night of the awards ceremony - do they get recognized. At the Casa dinner, like at all sports dinners, only the varsity players get individual recognition. I know it would be tedious and run the evening extra long, but personally, I would like to see every player on the freshmen and junior varsity teams at least mentioned by name.

I enjoyed seeing the Casa Grande varsity players introduced individually, as has long been the procedure at Casa football dinners, and having their position coaches say a bit about each. Every player deserves the acknowledgment.

Of course, not every player is created equal, and the Gauchos, like all teams, had their standouts.

On the varsity, the award winners were Kenneth Fitzgerald, Offensive Player of the Year; Adam Lopez, Defensive Player of the Year; Braeden Chadwick, Lineman of the Year; and Jack Leonetti, Most Valuable Player. Special awards went to Zian Kovack, CJ Strong Award named in honor of cj Banaszek; Ian Misfud, Kehn Hahn Memorial Coaches’ Award; and Mathew Hart, James Forni Memorial Gaucho Award.

Honored from the junior varsity team were Morgan Morarity, Lineman of the Year; Miguel Robertson, Offensive Player of the Year; Nick Cook-Markovich, Defensive Player of the Year; Kobe Krnaich, Most Valuable Player; and Julian Gaona, Gaucho Award.

Freshmen award winners were Shamus Edens, Offensive Player of the Year; Pete Marston, Lineman of the Year; Aedan Offermann, Defensive Player of the Year; Dominic Giomi, Most Valuable Player; and Cameron Ross, Gaucho Award.

They took home the trophies, but anyone who strapped on the pads deserves recognition just as does everyone who swings a bat or a racquet, spikes a ball, drives to the hoop, pins an opponent, kicks a ball or handles a stick.

Not everyone deserves a trophy, but everyone deserves to be recognized.

(Contact John Jackson at johnie.jackson@arguscourier.com).

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