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INDIANAPOLIS,
Indiana. (September 21, 2006)
- Against all odds, and through
breast cancer treatment, Cindi Hart
continues to be a competitor and
a role model coach to young athletes.
Everyday Hart demonstrates to young
speed skaters and cyclists that
"all obstacles can be overcome"
with a positive attitude, attainable
goal setting, courage and resilience
through adversity.
It
is for this reason that Hart was
selected by the National Council
of Youth Sports (NCYS) as the recipient
of the 2006 Hershey's STRIVE National
Coach of the Year Award.
Hart
is a successful cyclist and speedskater.
She founded the IndySpeed Sports
Club which focuses on Olympic cycling
and speedskating. Hart integrated
Special Olympics Indiana athletes
into the IndySpeed Sports Club.
This move gave the Special Olympics
athletes a sense of membership and
accomplishment and an expanded social
outlet. It also gave the IndySpeed
athletes a look at diversity, helping
them adapt to their differences,
as well as enjoy these special people
as individuals.
Hart's
expertise and ability to bring out
the best in her student athletes
has taught athletes of all levels
the life skills of compassion, perseverance
and discipline.
"Cindi
Hart is an inspiration to young
and old alike as well as a great
example of someone helping to make
the world a better place,"
says one of her nominators Cynthia
Nicks.
STRIVE
stands for Sports Teach Respect,
Initiative, Values and Excellence
and the award honors adult leaders
for their "heartfelt passion,
enthusiastic commitment and contagious
spirit to help kids succeed in youth
sports activities." This year,
NCYS will present Hershey's STRIVE
Awards to one national administrator,
one local administrator, one volunteer
and one coach. Honorees were nominated
by team members, parents or colleagues
and judged by a panel of NCYS officials.
Sally
S. Johnson, NCYS Executive Director,
noted that the lack of recognition
for outstanding adult leaders involved
in youth sports prompted the NCYS
to create the awards.
"We
felt it was time to honor America's
hometown heroes on a larger stage
and to give them the praise they
deserve," Johnson said. "Many
of these individuals devote countless
hours each week, all while juggling
full-time careers, families, and
other commitments."
Hart
will be honored on Saturday, October
21st during the Special Olympics
Indiana Fall Classic. The STRIVE
event is hosted by the NCYS and
The Hershey Company. During the
celebration, Hart will receive a
check for $2,500, which she has
announced will be donated to the
IndySpeed Sports Club.
Other STRIVE winners
In
addition to Coach of the Year, the
three other STRIVE Award winners
for National Administrator, Local
Administrator and Volunteer include:
Jon
Butler, Executive Director of Pop
Warner Little Scholars, was selected
as the Hershey's STRIVE National
Administrator of the Year. Butler
has led this national youth football,
cheer and dance organization in
setting high standards for academic
and athletic achievement. He is
a strong proponent that young athletes
can excel both on the playing field
and in the classroom. Pop Warner
Little Scholars is the largest youth
football, cheerleading & dance
program in the United States. More
than 360,000 young people (ages
5-16), 37,000 coaches and one million
parents and volunteers are involved
in the program in 41 states and
several countries. Pop Warner is
the only national youth sports organization
that requires minimum scholastic
achievement to participate.
Neil
Parmenter of Des Moines, Iowa was
selected as the 2006 Hershey's STRIVE
Local Youth Sports Administrator
of the Year. For more than three
decades, Neil Parmenter has given
countless volunteer hours to youth
athletics. He has served as coach,
board member, officer, player agent,
tournament director, commissioner,
volunteer, and administrator for
multiple sports including the Beaverdale
Little League, the Parochial Football
League, and the Iowa and national
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). The
father of eight children, Parmenter
has fulfilled about every volunteer
position in connection with ice
hockey, swimming, soccer, softball,
water polo, golf, baseball, football,
and basketball programs. His supporters
say, "For Neil youth sports
are a labor of love."
Barbara
Tobias of West Seneca, New York
was chosen as the Hershey's STRIVE
Volunteer of the Year. Tobias was
recognized for her untiring volunteerism,
valued organizational skills, humble
work ethic, and ability to motivate
others within the West Seneca Youth
Hockey Association and her community.
She is the mom of three hockey players
and the adopted mother to a whole
team of boys and their siblings.
She is the association registrar,
travel team manager, Booster Club
president, hockey association board
member, as well as the voice of
the hockey moms.
# # #
EDITOR'S
NOTE: For more information about
Cindi Hart, the Hershey's STRIVE
Award or NCYS, please contact Sally
S. Johnson, NCYS Executive Director
at 772-781-1452 or youthsports@ncys.org.
ABOUT
The NCYS:
The
National Council of Youth Sports
(NCYS) comprises the who's who in
the youth sports industry. Its membership
represents more than 180 organizations/corporations
serving 52 million boys and girls
participating in organized youth
sports throughout the United States.
NCYS members include organizations
such as: Little League Baseball,
Pop Warner Football, American Youth
Soccer Association, United States
Olympic Committee, and Boys &
Girls Clubs of America. To learn
more about the NCYS visit www.ncys.org.
ABOUT The Hershey Company:
The
Hershey Company has long offered
successful fundraising programs
for youth in America. Its sponsorship
of the STRIVE Awards stems from
The Hershey Company's devotion to
helping children of all ages to
"Dream, Reach and Succeed"
in everything that they do. For
more information about The Hershey
Company and its fundraising programs,
visit www.hersheysfundraising.com.
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STRIVE
meets the IndySpeed Sports
Club in Indianapolis Indiana
on Saturday October 21st,
2006 to honor Cindi Hart
as NCYS’ Hershey’s
STRIVE Award for National
Coach of the Year.
Hershey’s
sponsorship of STRIVE stems
from the company’s
devotion to helping children
of ages Dream, Reach and
Succeed in everything they
do. On display is Hart’s
STRIVE trophy, a check for
$2,500, and lots of Hershey
candy!
Sally
Johnson, Executive Director
of the National Council
of Youth Sports presents
Cindi Hart her award trophy
as the NCYS’ Hershey’s
STRIVE Award’s National
Coach of the Year!
Everyday
Hart demonstrates to young
speed skaters and cyclists
that “all obstacles
can be overcome” with
a positive attitude, attainable
goal setting, courage and
with resilience through
adversity.
Debbie
Hesse, Executive Director
of Special Olympics Indiana,
pays tribute to Hart during
their Fall Classic competitions.
Cindi Hart of
Indianapolis Indiana shares
a proud moment with Joy
Mahoney, Public Relations
coordinator for Special
Olympics Indiana.
A woman with
a tenacious spirit and nonstop
enthusiasm, Hart herself
is an award winning athlete
and Olympic coach. Hart
addresses her cherished
young athletes and colleagues
with a motivational message
and thanks.
Hart integrated
Special Olympics athletes
into her IndySpeed Sports
Club program giving the
Special Olympics a sense
of membership and accomplishment
and an expanded outlet.
It also gave the Indy Speed
athletes a look at diversity,
helping them adapt to their
differences, as well as
enjoy these special people
as individuals.
David Kaplan nominated Hart
for the STRIVE award and
takes a moment to offer
a heartfelt message of praise
on her awe-inspiring accomplishments.
Surrounded by her family,
Hart was recognized for
her genuine humanitarian
spirit, grace, humility,
endless energy and a love
of life.
Sally Johnson, NCYS; and
Debbie Hesse, Special Olympics
Indiana are all smiles for
Cindi Hart—a true hometown
hero!
Members of the IndySpeed
Sports Club shows their
respect for the exceptional
dedication of a very special
woman, Cindi Hart, who gives
her all to all for the betterment
of a more wholesome society.
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