Trumpets sounded as the athletes gathered together in the domed Coliseum for a night of accolades, distinctions and wreaths of glory for the Gladiators of Italy High School. The Italy Athletic Booster Club held a banquet on Monday night and with a feast fit for a king, the students enjoyed both their meals and honors bestowed upon them.

Club president, Becky Milligan, welcomed friends, family, faculty and members of the school board to the annual event. Coaches Robert Sollers and Craig Bales introduced the seniors to the crowd. Eighteen of the twenty three graduating athletes were present for the honors and strolled through the tunnel with their escorts. The tunnel was given to the athletic department from Gladiator alumni Keith Davis who was on hand as well.

SENIOR ATHLETES
Desmond Anderson
Meredith Brummett
Jeff Claxton
Dan Crownover
Ross Enriquez
Jaleecia Fleming
Lauren Geralds
Oscar Gonzalez
Justin Hayes
Zachary Hernandez
Megan Hopkins
John Isaac
Cori Jeffords
Bryan Michael
Lexi Miller
Joshua Milligan
Jonathan Nash
Francisco Perez
Ivan Roldan
Aaron Thomas
Donald Walton
Courtney Westbrook
Drew Windham

A new presentation for the Booster Club this year was Fan of the Year and there were two. Italy High School alumni Bobby Itson was awarded posthumously and son, Aaron Itson and family, received the honor in a bittersweet moment of tears. Close friend, Karen Mathiowetz, was on hand to describe Bobby’s enthusiasm for the Gladiators. She said that he could be easily found at the field of whatever sporting event was current, in any temperature and gladly would express his admiration for his beloved Gladiators. He was a true fan in every sense of the word.

Ms. Bertie Bell was the next honoree. She received a Gladiator t-shirt, a basket of goodies, special sign for her yard and a special parking place next to the entrance gate at the football field and dome. Be watching next football season to see Ms. Bertie’s excitement for the Old Gold and White. She never misses a game-football or basketball. Coach Bales said with a smile, “She bleeds gold.”

Uptown Cafe owner, Doris Mitchell, received special recognition from the Booster Club, for backing the Gladiators every chance she could. Mitchell was honored for “always feeding us,” said presenters Zach Hernandez and Courtney Westbrook. The athletes enjoyed the time spent at the Uptown Cafe and many meals Ms. Mitchell has cooked.

The Italy Athletic Booster Club, along with their continued support of all IHS athletics all year long, awarded 11 deserving seniors $1,000.00 scholarships that the club raised over the year. Over a 3 year period, the Booster Club has awarded a total of $23,000 scholarships for Italy athletes. Different fundraisers, concession stand and t-shirt sales helped raise the funds for these athletes to continue their education. Each selected senior will go to a college or a technical school in the fall of 2010. Recipients were:

• Oscar Gonzalez
• Zach Hernandez
• Megan Hopkins
• Cori Jeffords
• Lexi Miller
• Josh Milligan
• Jonathan Nash
• Ivan Roldan
• Aaron Thomas
• Courtney Westbrook
• Drew Windham

IHS alumni Josh Howard, a previous scholarship recipient, spoke of keeping the Booster Club alive. Comparing the club to a baseball team, Howard reminded everyone how it takes the whole team to keep the rewards reciprocating year after year. After asking the audience to stand if they were a future Gladiator, a huge response came from young athletes-future recipients of the Club’s scholarships. Howard said there was a danger of ending the Italy Athletic Booster Club next year due to lack of willingness to help from the parents and general support. He requested parents and Italy citizens stand behind and back our future Gladiators by participating in the Booster Club.

Principal Tanya Parker was pleased to announce the winners of the Academic Awards. They were Lexi Miller and Josh Milligan. Other special awards are as follows:

• Keith Davis Award*-Jaleecia Fleming and John Isaac
• Jimmy Davis Award*-John Isaac
• David Henderson Award*-Josh Milligan
• Lady Gladiator of the Year*-Drew Windham
• Gladiator of the Year*-John Isaac

Behind every sport, is the underlying support of the cheerleaders. The Varsity Cheerleaders keep the audience upbeat and backed our teams to the finish. Sponsor Clover Stiles introduced the squad and the mascot and each received a bouquet, a special thanks for their hard work.

Destani Anderson
Beverly Barnhart
Jaleecia Fleming
Sierra Harris
Cori Jeffords
Lexi Miller
Kaitlyn Rossa
Drew Windham
Emily Stiles, mascot

Each coach introduced their teams and then awarded specific players Offensive Player, Defensive Player and MVP of the season.

FOOTBALL Craig Bales
Offensive Back-John Isaac
Offensive Line-Larry Mayberry
Defensive Line Backer-Ethan Simon
Defensive Line-Zach Hernandez
Overall Football MVP-Jasenio Anderson

VOLLEYBALL Andi Windham
Overall MVP-Cori Jeffords
Offensive MVP-Jaleecia Fleming
Defensive MVP-Drew WIndham

BOYS BASKETBALL Kyle Holley
Basketball Co-MVPs-John Isaac; Jasenio Anderson
Robert Lewis Memorial Award-Heath Clemons

GIRLS BASKETBALL Stacy McDonald
Offensive MVP-Jaleecia Fleming
Defensive MVP-Jameka Copeland
Overall MVP-Kaitlyn Rossa

POWERLIFTING Steve Coleman
Overall MVP-Kaytlyn Bales

TRACK Steve Coleman
Girl MVP-Kaitlyn Rossa
Boy MVP-John Isaac

CROSS COUNTRY John Lindsey
MVP-Kaitlyn Rossa

TENNIS Dana Hamby
Co-MVPs-Alyssa Richards; Drew Windham

GOLF Kyle Holley
MVP-Collin Westbrook

SOFTBALL Jennifer Reeves
Offensive MVP-Co-MVPs-Cori Jeffords; Alyssa Richards
Defensive MVP-Drew Windham
Overall MVP-Courtney Westbrook
Nancy Ferguson Carter Award-Meredith Brummett

BASEBALL Matt Coker
Offensive MVP-Ethan Simon
Defensive MVP-Jasenio Anderson
Overall MVP-Justin Buchanan
Loyd Davidson Award-Josh Milligan

This was a special occasion for IHS. So many wins for the school this year and each group had announcements. Varsity Basketball Coach Kyle Holley unveiled another banner to add to the collection of wins. An “Undefeated District Champs-Back-To-Back” adds to the legacy of the IHS athletes. Powerlifting coach, Steve Coleman announced Kaytlyn Bales achieved her personal best this year and competed at State, winning 3rd place. The Varsity Softball team went to Regional Quarter Finals with coach Jennifer Reeves. Another first this year was the development of JV teams for both softball and baseball. Coach Matt Coker took his Varsity team to a district championship. Coach Coleman announced John Isaac took 3rd in the State Triple Jump.

In keeping with the tradition with all the Athletic Banquets, a senior was chosen to explain what Gladiator tradition meant to her. Drew Windham reflected on the honors of the evening and began her speech,

“Jose Bergamin, a Spanish writer once said, ‘Tradition simply means that we need to end what began well and continue what is worth continuing.’ We have done that at Italy High School. The winning tradition which was established by our esteemed alumni has set in motion our perseverance for excellence. We, as Gladiators, know when we hit that field or that court, we are expected to give everything we have—expected to regret nothing.

When talking about tradition, my family is a good example. I am the 5th generation Windham to attend Italy schools and compete in Gladiator athletics. When my great-great grandfather was in school here, however, he was a Fighting Italian, the mascot had not changed to Gladiator yet. I know there are many of my classmates whose parents or grandparents graduated from Italy and they know the tradition of which I speak. We are from here; for the seniors of 2010, we ARE Italy, and I do believe we represented our school well.

I am not saying you must win every ballgame, every time. I am saying that this tradition that we speak of has to do with heart, the fight inside all of us to work hard and get better-to not let ourselves or our teammates down. That winning spirit is what the Italy tradition is all about. The fight inside of the Gladiator is what I speak of. The spirit instilled in us by our parents, our coaches, our heritage. We may leave the halls of Italy High School but I believe that what we have learned here will make us successful. I believe that the fight inside of us all which has been drilled and practiced in us, will endure forever.

I challenge you underclassmen, my underclassmen friends: Keep that spirit inside of you always, may the Italy tradition endure forever."