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Hershey's
STRIVE Award Program
Ron
Komornik
Coach of the
Year
Kempsville
Pony Baseball
KHS
Home Run Club
Virginia
Beach, Virginia
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
Sally S. Johnson, Executive Director
National Council of Youth Sports
772-781-1452
youthsports@ncys.org
RON
KOMORNIK RECOGNIZED AS HOMETOWN
HERO
IN NATIONAL AWARDS PROGRAM
Dedicated coach making a positive
difference in youngsters lives
 VIRGINIA
BEACH, VA. (December 18, 2007)
- Ron Komornik has given countless
volunteer hours to youth sports
and community involvement. For his
efforts, Komornik is being honored
by the National Council of Youth
Sports (NCYS) as the 2007 Hershey's
STRIVE Coach of the Year.
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 a national administrator, a volunteer,
a coach, and two local administrators.
Honorees were nominated by team
members, parents or colleagues and
judged by a panel of NCYS officials.
Komornik
first began coaching boys basketball
in 1998 for the YMCA. He also coached
basketball from 1999-2006 for the
Kempsville Recreation Department.
Since 1999 he has served the Kempsville
Pony Baseball leagues as coach,
player agent, field and groundskeeper.
Simultaneously, Komornik coached
baseball for the Amateur Athletic
Union (AAU) Tidewater Drillers,
the AAU Virginia Heat, the Larkspur
Middle School and the Kempsville
High School JV and Varsity teams.
Presently, Komornik is an assistant
coach for the Kempsville High School
Fall Varsity baseball team and plans
to coach Upward Basketball in Virginia
Beach this winter.
He
teaches baseball and basketball
with respect, discipline and perseverance
with the goal of improving a youngster's
self-worth and self-esteem. Komornik's
effect on others is warm, caring
and infectious. His testimonials
are a tribute to the positive difference
one can make in the life of a child.
"He treats every player as
amazing individuals while leading
each one to great achievements as
a unified team," said team
parent Janet Carter.
Ron
Komornik has had an enormous impact
on children coaching youth ages
7-17. He is a coach, a friend, a
mentor both on and off the field.
He literally brought along one young
player from being the last one picked
at the beginning of the season to
the one making the winning hit and
being presented the game winning
championship ball.
Not
only has Komornik been coaching
youth sports for nearly 10 years,
but he has also volunteered more
than 5,600 hours to other community
and church-related activities.
"I
wouldn't trade these coaching experiences
for any amount of money," Komornik
said. Also, I would not have been
able to do any of this without the
loving support of my wife, Terry."
Sally
S. Johnson, NCYS Executive Director,
noted that the lack of recognition
given to outstanding adult leaders
involved in youth sports prompted
NCYS to create the STRIVE awards
four years ago. "Honoring America's
hometown heroes on a national scale
gives them the praise they deserve,"
Johnson said. "It is awe-inspiring
to pay tribute to these exceptional
individuals who devote countless
hours each week, all while juggling
full-time careers, families, and
other commitments."
Komornik
will be honored on Tuesday, December
18th during halftime at the Kempsville
High School basketball game. The
STRIVE event presentation is hosted
by the NCYS and The Hershey Company.
During the celebration, Komornik
will receive two checks totaling
$2,500 which he has announced will
be donated to Kempsville Pony Baseball
and KHS Home Run Club.
Other
STRIVE winners
In
addition to Coach of the Year, the
other STRIVE Award winners for National
Administrator, Local Administrator(s),
and Volunteer of the Year include:
Mark Griffin, founder/president
of Play Rugby based in New York
City, New York is the Hershey's
STRIVE National Administrator of
the Year. Griffin has pioneered
a completely new and unique youth
sports education program using a
non-contact "flag" version
of rugby as an effective tool for
boys and girls in urban area schools
and after-school programs across
America. Griffin brings more than
23 years as passionate player, coach
and administrator to his position
at Play Rugby. He is committed to
strengthening youth character, academic
commitment and helping them build
a diverse range of social, moral
and physical competencies needed
to succeed in life. Play Rugby encourages
kids to have fun, improve their
fitness and learn a new game while
developing ten core values including
teamwork, leadership, discipline,
respect, and responsibility.
Amy Skeen of Chicago, Illinois will
be honored as one of the Hershey's
STRIVE Local Youth Sports Administrator's
of the Year. Skeen serves as Executive
Director of Girls in the Game, a
program that incorporates both multi-sport
and quality fitness opportunities
with comprehensive health and nutrition
education. Girls in the Game is
committed to enabling girls to try
a variety of new sports and develop
healthy habits in a safe and supportive
environment. Skeen leads by example
mentoring staff and coaches who
provide individual attention and
serve as positive role models while
improving the health and overall
well-being of girls.
George
Waldbauer of the Suffolk County
New York Police Athletic League
(PAL) will also be honored as the
Hershey's STRIVE Local Youth Sports
Administrator of the Year. PAL aspires
to make a youngster's first experience
with the police officer a positive
one by keeping at-risk kids off
the streets and out of trouble in
supervised athletic activities.
Waldbauer has been Executive Director
of PAL for 26 years. The program
has grown and now serves over 29,000
boys and girls many of whom would
have no sports in their lives without
PAL. He led the extraordinary effort
to build a state of the art multi-sports
complex for players and families
to enjoy. His supporters say, "For
George, it's all about the kids
and his community."
Hatti
Hartman of Austin, Texas was chosen
as the Hershey's STRIVE Volunteer
of the Year. Hartman was recognized
for her contagious spirit of enthusiasm,
her unparalleled ability to organize
and communicate, and her unquestionable
integrity. The Oak Hill Youth Sports
Association community agrees, "It
would take ten people to wear all
the various hats that Hatti Hartman
wears each and every day."
She is a motivator, a doer, and
the one who "pinch hits"
whenever and wherever the need arises.
'Hart'man is the humble heart of
the volunteer-run sports league.
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EDITOR'S
NOTE: For more information about
Ron Komornik, the Hershey's STRIVE
Award or NCYS, please contact Sally
S. Johnson, NCYS Executive Director
at 772-781-1452 or youthsports@ncys.org.
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STRIVE WINNER RON
KOMORNIK |
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| NCYS Hershey’s STRIVE
Award’s 207 Coach of the Year is Ron Komornik of Virginia Beach,
Virginia. On display is the elegant hand-engraved crystal award, two
checks totaling $2,500 to Kempsville PONY Baseball and KHS Home Run
Club, and plenty of Hershey candy bars. |
Komornik’s supporters
say Ron is absolutely incredible with the kids. He has an enormous
heart, is firm, controlled, encouraging, positive, instructional,
warm and caring. He commands respect and treats every played on his
team as an individual yet leads them to great achievements as a
unified team. |
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| National Council of
Youth Sports Executive Director Sally Johnson presents Ron
Komornik’s as the NCYS Hershey’s STRIVE Award Coach of the Year. Ms.
Johnson also announced that U.S. Congresswoman Thelma Drake (VA-2nd)
had the flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in Coach Komornik’s honor.
Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine sent his best wishes and United
States Senator John Warner honored Ron with a Congratulatory letter. |
Mayor Meyera Oberndorf presented Coach Komornik with Proclamation
and further declared December 18th as Ron Komornik Day! Kempsville
Councilman Harry Diezel was also in attendance. The Mayor noted
Komornik as an outstanding individual who has made a significant
contribution to the pursuit of sports excellence, individual
involvement, value and opportunity as a leader and a hero in his
community.
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Virginia State Delegate Robert Tata was in attendance to present
Coach Komornik with a Proclamation honoring him for being a
respected mentor and acknowledging him for the positive difference
one can make in the life of a child. |
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(<-- Photo at Left)
Principal Shay Paisley of the Kempsville High School sends a message
for advocating sports as the conduit through which children learn
important life lessons, values, compassion and good ethics. It is
the relationship between sports skills and life skills that provide
our young athletes with the fundamentals they need to succeed both
on and off the playing field. |
| Kempsville PONY Baseball
President Frank Albero expresses his appreciation to Mr. Komornik.
PONY Baseball headquarters sent a Proclamation and a Letter of
Congratulations was sent to Ron from Dick Witt PONY
Baseball/Softball’s East Zone South Region Baseball Director. |
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| PONY Baseball team
parent Janet Carter nominated Ron Komornik for Coach of the Year!
Carter’s nomination cited the enormous impact Coach Komornik has on
her son’s success as an individual and an athlete. Carter says Ron’s
abilities to teach respect, discipline, and perseverance with the
goal of improving a person’s self-worth and self-esteem is
infectious. |
National Council of
Youth Sports (NCYS) Executive Director presents the Coach of the
Year STRIVE Award to Ron Komornik. From fields and groundskeeper to
nearly ten years of being an exceptional baseball and basketball
coach, Ron touched the lives of tens of thousands of young people,
coaches, volunteers and administrators who have admired his
determination and courage of conviction to the vital role youth
sports play in a safe, more wholesome society. |
A humble and emotional
overwhelmed Ron Komornik proudly accepts his award as NCYS’
Hershey’s STRIVE Award Coach of the Year.
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(L-R) Terri Komornik shares the moment with her husband Ron
congratulating him on his special honor as Coach of the Year!
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The “voice of Kempsville”
serves as Master of Ceremonies as the dignitaries await their time
to pay tribute to their hometown hero.
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Kids were yelling loud
and proud with their STRIVE megaphones. Give me an S, T, R, I, V, E.
Now that’s something to shout about! STRIVE: Sports Teach Respect,
Initiative, Values, and Excellence. |
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| Over 600 students and
community supporters were in attendance to celebrate a night when
Ron Komornik and the Kempsville Chief’s basketball team were
victorious! |
Komornik’s STRIVE award
was presented December 18th during half-time at the Kempsville High
School Chief’s basketball game.
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| 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, U.S.
Youth Soccer Association,
United States Olympic Committee,
and Boys & Girls Clubs
of America.
To learn more about the NCYS
visit www.ncys.org.
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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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