The New York State Public High School Athletic Association Inc. this week named Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School as one of NYSPHSAA’s 2021-22 Scholar-Athlete School of Excellence Award winners.
To earn the School of Excellence Award, 75% of a school’s varsity teams must qualify and receive the Scholar-Athlete Team Award, and Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School accomplished this goal.
The 15 Herkimer teams that won the Scholar-Athlete Team Award were:
- Baseball
- Girls Basketball
- Girls Bowling
- Cheer
- Boys Cross Country
- Girls Cross Country
- Field Hockey
- Boys Soccer
- Girls Soccer
- Softball
- Boys Indoor Track
- Girls Indoor Track
- Boys Outdoor Track
- Girls Outdoor Track
- Girls Volleyball
NYSPHSAA announced both its School of Excellence and School of Distinction Award winners on Wednesday, Aug. 3. There were 86 schools in the state that earned the School of Distinction Award and 148 that earned the School of Excellence Award – including only Herkimer and West Canada Valley in the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES region.
The purpose of the School of Distinction and School of Excellence Awards are to unite varsity coaches in challenging their teams to achieve a statewide academic honor, according to NYSPHSAA’s announcement.
“The School of Excellence and School of Distinction Awards highlight the best student-athletes in New York state”, said Dr. Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA executive director, in NYSPHSAA’s announcement. “For 234 member schools to be honored for their commitment to academics as well as athletics is a testament to the outstanding leadership and student-athletes we have in this state.”
Herkimer and other School of Excellence winners will be awarded a plaque at their local athletic director workshop this fall, according to NYSPHSAA.
