Belgreen, Red Bay among the 94 AHSAA School Sportsmanship Award winners for 2025-26
On Wednesday, the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) announced its annual School Sportsmanship Award winners, given to schools which go through the entire year without a fine or ejection. Among the 94 schools that earned that distinction for the 2025-26 year were Belgreen High School and Red Bay High School.
“We are extremely proud of the emphasis placed on sportsmanship with AHSAA member schools,” said AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon said in a press release. “While we are not perfect, we continue to strive to provide a sportsmanship model we all can be proud of.”
Given the number of athletic events in a year and the number of student-athletes, coaches, and spectators involved, Harmon added that a season without any ejections is an “amazing accomplishment.”
“This is a tribute to the administrators, faculty, coaches, parents—and, of course, the student athletes. Each school’s leadership and commitment are to be commended,” Harmon said.
The AHSAA School Sportsmanship Program was instituted by former Executive Directors Dan Washburn and Steve Savarese and the AHSAA Central Board of Control 19 years ago, beginning with the 2007-2008 school year. Since the program’s inception, 422 high schools have reached the Sportsmanship School goal at least once. Belgreen High School has achieved the feat 10 times and Red Bay High School has earned the award eight times.
“These schools’ emphasis has positively impacted all our member schools in a positive way as indicated by a significant reduction in the number ejections and fines since the Sportsmanship program was first implemented in 2007,” Harmon said. “It is important to note that 99 percent of our 175,000 student-athletes and more than 10,000 coaches annually are not involved in any unsportsmanlike act.”
The AHSAA and the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association (AHSADCA) will honor the schools earning the Sportsmanship banner with a luncheon scheduled for Friday, July 24, during the 30th annual Summer Conference at the Montgomery Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center. Principals and athletic directors of each school will be recognized.
Ten of the schools recognized will receive a $1,000 grant from the AHSADCA. Since 2008, $152,000 has been distributed to 138 different schools. This year’s grant recipients will be announced and the checks presented to the principals at the luncheon.