Banquet honors Bandera athletes

Hosted by the Bandera Athletic Club on May 2, The Bandera ISD Spring Sports Banquet drew a crowd of over 300 parents, athletes, and coaches.

The event was a good time for dressed up coaches to meet parents and shake hands as everyone enjoyed Bill Miller barbeque.

The students clustered together in their teams laughing and talking as the dinner began Dressed in church clothes, the athletes could see the end of school just a few weeks away. Seniors looked out wistfully from the stage knowing this was the last athletic event of their high school careers.

Athletic Director Joel Fonte-not-Amedee opened the banquet with some brief remarks, then Bandera High School senior Hannah Edwards led the blessing.

The first awards presented were the Academic Athlete of the Year. Hannah Edwards and Mathew Staton were selected as the Academic Athletes of the Year.

Then each of the coaches of spring sports presented their teams to the audience and gave each team member a certificate to commemorate the occasion. The coaches recounted their seasons, selecting high points to share with the audience.

Many thanked the parents and community for supporting their team. Some singled out the district facilities staff for the excellent job that they did on keeping the athletic fields in top shape. Some chose to thank the BISD Athletic Booster Club and President Ray Salazar for their support. They all included Athletic Department Secretary Carol Teich in their comments as the person who had taken good care of the teams throughout the year.

As the athletes went forward and lined up on the stage, the coaches praised their dedication, hard work and athletic prowess. The students smiled and giggled as their coaches recounted humorous situations that marked their season, any low points immediately forgotten.

At the end of the evening, Brooke Ashcraft and Joel Fonte-not-Amedee presented the overall awards to the students. The Super Bulldog Award, which documents students who lettered in four or more sports, was awarded to Hannah Edwards and Ethan Brown. Brown is a two-time winner of the Super Bulldog Award.

The Bulldog Heart Award was presented to Summer Haby and Luke Barnett for their leadership. A senior, Barnett, will play football for McMurry University in Abilene next year.

The Male Athlete of the Year Award went to state bound hurdler Tyler Moore. Hannah Edwards and Maci Morrison, both participants in multiple sports, shared the Female Athlete of the Year Award.

As the evening ended, the crowd strolled out into the cool evening. The students were more subdued than they were to begin with, while the parents chatted amiably about the evening. Another year of Bandera Athletics had come to a close.