SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — Abbey Brown (Middletown High School) and Lingxiang Hu (San Francisco International High School) were named the recipients of the prestigious CIF Spirit of Sport Award for the 2019-20 winter sports season. The two statewide winners will receive an award, a patch, and a $1,000 scholarship.
The CIF Spirit of Sport Award recognizes student-athletes who have demonstrated the 16 principles of Pursuing Victory with Honor, are active in school and community service and exhibit leadership qualities. The principles of Pursuing Victory with Honor are the operating principles of the CIF and have been adopted by the 1,606-member high schools throughout the state.
“These recipients reflect the positive elements of Pursuing Victory with Honor, reinforcing the value of education-based athletics,” said CIF Executive Director Ron Nocetti.
Additionally, the CIF selected a boy and girl winner from each CIF section, in each of the 10 sections for each season of sport, from all submitted applications to receive $500. A list of all winter 2019- 20 section recipients follows.
Abbey Brown is a three-sport athlete and team captain at Middletown High School (CIF North Coast Section) participating in basketball, volleyball, and tennis. Additionally, she has been a part of the ASB Leadership program all four years, volunteers at the school’s summer basketball camp and is a youth basketball referee.
“It doesn’t take wearing the jersey to show pride for your school,” states Brown. “The passion for the love of the game comes from the heart of both players and fans alike. The magic is what creates the ‘Spirit of Sport’ and makes participating in sports so enjoyable.”
Lingxiang (Alan) Hu is a two-sport athlete at San Francisco International High School (SFIHS) as captain of the basketball and cross country teams. He is also the Director and Treasurer of the SFI Peace Club and volunteers his time supporting students in math and P.E. at James Lick Middle School.
“Ultimately, my basketball career taught me about sportsmanship and how to live out my school values of ‘learn together, challenge yourself, and create change’,” stated Hu. “No matter on or off the basketball court, I set them as my personal rules. In any competition, I respect my teammates and opponents. I try my best to achieve my goals.”
Winter Spirit of Sport Section Winners
Central – Jewelia Maniss (Porterville) Basketball & Joseph Ruddell (Morro Bay) Basketball
Central Coast – Camila Barranco-Origel (Aptos) Wrestling & Alexander Hoang (San Jose Yerba Buena) Basketball
L.A. City – Dylan Tran (Granada Hills) Soccer
North Coast – Isabella Engler (San Anselmo San Domenico) Basketball & Nicholas Moseley (Pittsburg) Basketball
Northern – Blake McLean (Bigg) Basketball
Sac-Joaquin – Breanna Marshall (Vacaville Will C. Wood) Soccer & Nicolas Ilardi (Ripon) Basketball
San Diego – Jessica Chapin (Francis Parker) Soccer & Miles Williams (Francis Parker) Basketball
San Francisco – Julia Patrice Garcia (ICA Cristo Rey Academy) Wrestling
Southern – Skylar Sherfey (Whittier Christian) Basketball & Saul Ortuno (Santa Ana) Soccer
