HIGH-SCHOOL

Pender wins NCHSAA Commissioner's Cup Award

Jackson Fuller StarNews Staff
Pender athletic director Matt Davis and the entire Patriots' athletic department was honored by the NCHSAA Tuesday as Commisioner's Cup Award winners. [StarNews File Photo]

The Pender High School Athletic Department was honored by the N.C. High School Athletics Association as a Commissioner's Cup Award Winner Tuesday. It was the fourth time in the past five years the Patriots won this award.

The Commissioner's Cup is an award based on community service. Schools had their team or teams identify a need within the community and create a plan to conduct the service project. They then submitted a one-minute video of the project to explain how the team served, the impact of the project on the community, the number of people served, the theme of the project and photos or video from the event.

Winners will each receive a $1,000 stipend for their respective team or school athletic program.

"Obviously we're extretemly pleased with being recognized and doing what we've done," said Pender athletic director Matt Davis. "It's one of the objectives I put out in the department as a whole, to give back to the communtiy and use our platform in a positive way that will live on past whatever we do on the field."

Pender participated in service projects throughout the year to help its community. What started out five years ago with one team and one project, has grown into seven teams completing nine service projects. 

When Hurricane Florence struck eastern North Carolina, many were left stranded. Pender’s boys and girls cross country teams were instrumental in preparing their gym to serve as a shelter which served 200 fulltime residents before being relocated.

Coaches and athletes came in and setup over 200 cots, cleared classrooms and provided support for the Red Cross in building ramps for shower access, doing laundry for residents and interacting with those utilizing the shelter. 

Other community service projects included assisting with the Springfest Fun Run, preparing one thousand sandwiches at the Blueberry Festival, collecting donations for school supplies in Stuff the Bus with CIS, packing 17 boxes for Operation Christmas Child, running a food drive for hurricane relief, serving 700 plates at the Blueberry Pancake Breakfast, and working at ACCESS of Wilmington at Carolina's Classic, a basketball game focused on inclusion of athletes with disabilities.

The other seven schools who were honored by the NCHSAA Tuesday were Rosewood, Union Academy, Mount Pleasant, North Henderson, Person, Independence and Panther Creek.