The Alexandria Sportsman’s Club honored four Ireton athletes and presented another a $2500 scholarship at their 55th annual banquet at the Westin Hotel in Alexandria Tuesday night. Bishop Ireton’s Ryan Fannon served as master of ceremonies for the 12th consecutive year as the Club honored a number of varsity athletes from the City’s four high schools.
A traditional swimming powerhouse, the Cardinals swept the awards for male and female swimmers of the year. US Air Force Academy-bound Angus MacDonald was the Club’s choice for the men’s award while junior Saskia Kroesen was the pick for the women. Both swimmers were involved in school record-setting performances this season, Kroesen undefeated in dual competition. MacDonald was a gold medal winner at the Catholic Nationals in Philadelphia this winter and will swim for the Falcons in Colorado Springs next year.
Rower Thaddeus Babiec, headed for Boston University with a rowing scholarship, was Ireton’s first rower honored by the Sportsmen for his superb performance with the Cardinals varsity 8+ boat. Babiec had the unusual distinction of medaling in all four events he entered in the MidAtlantic ERG Sprints at TC Williams High School this winter, from the sprint events to the grueling endurance races. At 6′ 4″ his size and strength made him not only a valued member of the Ireton basketball team, but the prototypical rower.
UConn will be the next stop for Ireton’s final award winner, senior Janet Tela of Alexandria. The MVP of the 2010 girls lacrosse team, Janet leaves Cambridge Road with the school record in goals scored in a career, assists in a career, and total points for a career. Cracking the St Stephens stranglehold on City girls lacrosse honors, Tela was selected not only first team, all-WCAC, but also the Conference’s player of the year, a first for Ireton since Kari Morrison in 2005.
Jacob Manley, a three-sport athlete for Bishop Ireton, was one of three City athlete’s presented with a $2500 scholarship. A superior student with a cumulative grade point above 4.0, Manley was recognized for his leadership in athletics but also in the school in the Club’s award decision. The senior from Queen of Apostles School will head to Charlottesville next fall to attend the University of Virginia. In his acceptance remarks, he assured the Club he will make “good use” of their generous scholarship at Virginia.
The University of Alabama’s Sal Sunseri, an assistant coach for the national champion Crimson Tide in 2010, was the evening’s featured speaker. He spoke emotionally about the importance that he places, and top notch organizations place, on people who will represent the “name and brand” on the jersey. From his days at Pitt as a player to his time coaching for the Carolina Panthers and now with Alabama, Coach Sunseri emphasized representing yourself, your family, the team, the university, and eventually your employer in a manner that brings credit to yourself and to those that choose to have you represent them. He told the student/athletes they should make goals for themselves. He said he had four, some of which he accomplished, one he didn’t. He related that his mother found his list years later and noted his final goal was to always make his parents proud of him. With tears of pride welling in his eyes, Sunseri told the audience his mother called him some time ago and told him that he most certainly did achieve his final goal; they could never have been prouder of their son, Sal.
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