Forney Softball Team Selected as Section 6 Recipient of NFHS Spirit of Sport Award

Date: Mar 14, 2019
Category: General Information

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Forney High School Softball Team has been selected as the Section 6 recipient of the “National High School Spirit of Sport Award” by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

The National High School Spirit of Sport Award was created by the NFHS to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the spirit of sport that represent the core mission of education-based athletics.

A few days before the Forney High School softball team was to play a three-game series against Mansfield Lake Ridge in the 2017 University Interscholastic League (UIL) Class 5A Region II semifinals, an unspeakable tragedy beset the team.

As teammates left a dinner party, 14-year-old freshman outfielder Emily Galiano was fatally injured when she was struck by a vehicle driven by one of her teammates.

Understandably, team members were devastated by the tragic loss of their teammate. The softball field became a sanctuary for the girls – a place where they could mourn and honor their fallen sister.

At the end of the season, the team decided to dedicate the entire 2018 season to Galiano, to make it to the state tournament, and to win the school’s first softball state championship in her honor. The team’s motto would be “Play for Em.”

Following an 8-6 start, Forney won its next 23 games and advanced to the UIL Softball State Tournament. During the playoffs, Forney defeated defending champion The Colony in the area round, won two close games by the score of 4-3, and experienced some miracle plays.

The Jackrabbits advanced to the state finals against Richmond Foster. In that title game, leftfielder Caroline Tedder made a game-saving catch against the outfield fence to give Forney the game and the state title. At home plate, Emily’s twin sister, Madison, was presented the championship trophy. Returning home to Forney, the entire team made one more stop to visit Emily. Madison placed the state gold medal on her sister’s tombstone as the promise to her sister was fulfilled.

The Forney softball team continues to play in Emily’s honor, holding fundraisers for the PlayforEm Foundation, a charitable foundation focused on helping make the world a better, happier place. In the foundation’s first year, $9,000 in scholarships were awarded to 12 graduating seniors from Forney High School.

 

About the Award

The NFHS divides the nation into eight geographical sections. The states in Section 6 are Texas, Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and New Mexico.

Nominations for this award were generated through NFHS member state associations and reviewed by the NFHS Spirit of Sport Award Selection Committee composed of state association staff members.

While the national winner will be recognized June 29 at the NFHS Summer Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana, the section winners will be recognized within their respective states and will receive awards before the end of the current school year.

 

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About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.9 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications for high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches, speech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org.

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