by Wade Steinlage, William Penn University SID/Chair of the Stabley Writing Contest Committee
A gripping piece about a lacrosse team coming together in time of heartache was named National Story of the Year as the 2012-13 CoSIDA Fred Stabley Sr. Writing contest winners have been announced.
Jerry Price of Princeton University took home the top award with his story entitled: “43 Brothers - A Men's Lacrosse Team Rallies Around Its Coach and His Son.” It topped a list of hundreds of entries as the contest was greatly elevated this year in large part to new online submissions.
“Jerry Price composed a wonderful story that leaves a person aching,” One national judge said. “His ability to come at the reader from different narrative views made for quite a read.”
Read Jerry Price’s national-winning entry.
After learning he won the award, Price said, “The easy work was writing the story. The hard work was done by the young men of the Princeton men’s lacrosse program, who saw that they had a responsibility to a boy going through something that no boy his age should ever have to and who accepted that responsibility wholeheartedly. And the hardest work was done by Princeton men’s lacrosse coach Chris Bates, whose extraordinary courage, dignity and perseverance in the face of this horribly unfair tragedy I have the highest respect for and will never forget.”
“I am sorry this story ever had to be written, but I hope it serves as a reminder of the unending spirit of the entire Bates family, the support they received from 43 men’s lacrosse players at Princeton University and of course the gigantic heart of Ann Bates herself. I am very honored to win this award,” Price added.
Six other awards were claimed at the national level as well with the ‘Princeton of the West’ claiming Event Coverage. David Kiefer of Stanford University won for “Luck, Teammates Excel Under NFL Spotlight”.
Read David Kiefer’s winning national event entry:
Keene State College’s Stuart Kaufman was the winner in the Athlete Profile category for his entry “Mastrangelo Follows Trail Back to Keene State.”
Read Stuart Kaufman’s Athlete entry:
Joe Seil of Nazareth College earned Coach/Administrator Profile & Historical Feature of the Year laurels. Seil’s story was entitled “A Lot of Gutsy Kids”.
Read Joe Seil’s Coach/Administrator Profile & Historical Feature entry (pages 22-23):
http://issuu.com/nazareth-college/docs/connections-winter-2012-2013?e=4096965/2588693
Alex Podlogar, formerly of Fayetteville State University, headlined the Blog/Interview contest for “Dreams, Good Friends and Decisions – What Fayetteville State Has Meant to Me”, while Pacific University’s Blake Timm won the Season Preview/Recap race for “Taking Another Step with Experience on Their Side.”
Read Alex Podlogar’s winning Blog entry.
Read Blake Timm’s Preview entry.
Read and view Nathan Bural’s Story With Video entry:
The popularity of the Stabley Writing Contest continues to expand. The 2012-13 contest drew 525 total entries, nearly 200 more than last year, which was double the total from 2011. The General Feature category led the way with 119 stories submitted. Submissions were first judged at the district level with district winners advancing to a national committee.
The 2014 contest will include entries written from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013. More details on the 2014 contest will be announced at a later date.
2013 Fred S. Stabley Sr. Writing Contest Results
NATIONAL WINNERS
Story of the Year
Jerry Price (Princeton University, N.J.) District 2, “43 Brothers - A Men's Lacrosse Team Rallies Around Its Coach and His Son”
Athlete Profile
Stuart Kaufman (Keene State College, N.H.) District 1, “Mastrangelo Follows Trail Back to Keene State”
Event Coverage
David Kiefer (Stanford University, Calif.) District 8, “Luck, Teammates Excel Under NFL Spotlight”
Coach/Administrator Profile & Historical Feature
Joe Seil (Nazareth College, N.Y.) District 1, “A Lot of Gutsy Kids”
Blog/Interview
Alex Podlogar (Fayetteville State University, N.C.) District 3, “Dreams, Good Friends and Decisions - What Fayetteville State Has Meant to Me”
Season Preview/Recap
Blake Timm (Pacific University, Ore.) District 8, “Taking Another Step with Experience on Their Side”.
Story With Video
Nathan Bural (Tarleton State University, Texas) District 6, “Wearing 96 - Remembering Zach Shaver”
DISTRICT WINNERS
District 1
General Feature
Stuart Kaufman (Keene State College, N.Y.) “Inspirational Message Keeps Keene State Men’s Lacrosse Team Focused”
Event Coverage
Stuart Kaufman (Keene State College, N.Y.) “Keene State Men Stun No. 1 Middlebury 77-76”
Blog/Interview
Brian Bohl (Hofstra University, N.Y.) “Two-Sport Athlete Krista Thorn Helps Pride to First-Place Start”
Season Preview/Recap
Ben Badua (Amherst College, Mass.) “Men at Work”
Story With Video
Brian Bohl (Hofstra University, N.Y.) “Hofstra Honored Before Mets Game”
District 2
Athlete Profile
Matt Muzza (United States Naval Academy, Md.) “Brigid Byrne: Running in Her Mother’s Footsteps”
Event Coverage
Ira Thor (New Jersey City University, N.J.) “31 and Done: NJCU Snaps 31-Game NJAC Losing Streak as Ashley Vazquez Drains Two Foul Shots in Final Seconds to Beat Rowan”
Coach/Administrator Profile & Historical Feature
Corey Jewart (Gettysburg College, Pa.) “Memorable MAC Moments with Bob Kenworthy ‘59”
Blog/Interview
Jerry Price (Princeton University, N.J.) “The Man of the Hour”
Season Preview/Recap
Dave Vatz (University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Md.) “Despite Valiant Effort, UMES Falls to Nebraska 3-0 to Close Out 28-Win Season”
Story With Video
William McDaniel (University of Charleston, W.V.) “Men’s Basketball Wins Eighth-Straight”
District 3
General Feature
Jim McCurdy (Barry University, Fla.) “Volleying for Venezuela”
Athlete Profile
Kyle Serba (North Carolina Central University, N.C.) “High Jumper Hits High Notes on Social Media”
Event Coverage
Alex Podlogar (Fayetteville State University, N.C.) “Fayetteville State Captures 2nd Straight CIAA Bowling Championship”
Coach/Administrator Profile & Historical Feature
Jim Junot (Virginia Union University, Va.) “Gilbert Fraser: A Light Too Quickly Extinguished”
Season Preview/Recap
Robert Carnes (Georgia State University, Ga.) “Sun Belt Championship Highlights Successful Season”
Story With Video
Jeremy Rosenthal (College of Charleston, S.C.) “Cougars Victorious Over Coastal Carolina 56-38 in Home Opener”
District 4
General Feature
Sean Cartell (Southeastern Conference, Ala.) “Embedded: A Weekend with SEC Football Officials”
Athlete Profile
Bobby Lee (Albion College, Mich.) “Brewer Lifts Family, Albion with Game-Winning TD Catch”
Event Coverage
John Painter (University of Tennessee, Tenn.) “Vols Finish 6th at Stanford Regional”
Coach/Administrator Profile & Historical Feature
Joe Lofaro (University of Tennessee Martin, Tenn.) “Former AD Leads Movement to Eliminate Pacifier: First Signee Understands How Monumental Title IX Was”
Blog/Interview
Sean Cartell (Southeastern Conference, Ala.) “The Tuesday Take: Opening the Closed Society”
Season Preview/Recap
Joe Lofaro (University of Tennessee Martin, Tenn.) “UT Martin Women’s Basketball Team Not After Perfection, But Being the Best They Can Be”
Story With Video
Logan Smith (Walsh University, Ohio) “Walsh University Celebrates Title IX; Rosie (Giles) Hall”
District 5
General Feature
Matt Higgins (Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Minn.) “Saint Mary’s Lends a Hand to Former Hockey Player and Military Hero”
Athlete Profile
Bob Sakamoto (DePaul University, Ill.) “Magnificent Seven Prevails Against All Odds”
Event Coverage
Kyle Wright (Indiana University East, Ind.) “It’s Our Conference: Red Wolves Hold Off Pioneers for KIAC Tourney Four-Peat”
Coach/Administrator Profile & Historical Feature
Bob Sakamoto (DePaul University, Ill.) “Bruno’s Olympic Trilogy: Part Three--Personal Reflections”
Blog/Interview
Gene McGivern (University of St. Thomas, Minn.) “Gene’s Blog: The Power of Mount vs. the Power of Love”
Season Preview/Recap
Kyle Wright (Indiana University East, Ind.) “Little Things a Big Key to Red Wolves’ Success”
Pat McCabe (Saint Benedict, Minn.) “Top 12 of 2012 on 12/12/12”
Story With Video
Bob Sakamoto (DePaul University, Ill.) “Young’s Heroics Send Blue Demons Soaring”
District 6
General Feature
Wes Bloomquist (Angelo State University, Texas) “Fans-tastic: The Undefeated”
Athlete Profile
Debbie Copp (University of Oklahoma, Okla.) “Shepard Continues Late Father’s Legacy”
Event Coverage
Murray Evans (Oklahoma Christian University, Okla.) “With 5 All-Americans, OC Takes NCCAA Title in Dominating Fashion”
Coach/Administrator Profile & Historical Feature
Mike Kirk (University of Central Oklahoma, Okla.) “Back on Home Turf”
Blog/Interview
Debbie Copp (University of Oklahoma, Okla.) “#SoonersDownUnder”
Season Preview/Recap
Murray Evans (Oklahoma Christian University, Okla.) “Fall Season Becomes Priority for OC Men’s Golf in 2012”
District 7
General Feature
Joel Carlson (University of Montana, Mont.) “Soccer Seniors a Study in Perseverance”
Athlete Profile
Alex Helmbrecht (Chadron State College, Neb.) “McGhee Playing for Pride, Loyalty”
Event Coverage
Bryan Geelan (Simpson College, Iowa) “Simpson Beats Wartburg on Blocked PAT, Again”
Coach/Administrator Profile & Historical Feature
Joel Carlson (University of Montana, Mont.) “Finding Family in Missoula”
Blog/Interview
Allan Schmaltz (Chadron State College, Neb.) “A Season Through the Eyes of Allan Schmaltz”
Season Preview/Recap
Stephanie Pendrys (University of Sioux Falls, Ind.) “Men’s Basketball 2012-13 Season Preview”
Story With Video
Joel Carlson (University of Montana, Mont.) “How Tyler Adair Became a YouTube Sensation”
District 8
General Feature
Blake Timm (Pacific University, Ore.) “A Mission of Olympic Proportions”
Athlete Profile
Herb Benenson (University of California, Calif.) “Back from the Training Room”
Coach/Administrator Profile & Historical Feature
David Kiefer (Stanford University, Calif.) “You’ve Come a Long Way, Stanford”
Blog/Interview
Mike Safford (College of Idaho, Idaho) “Make it a Great Day”
Andrew Jobanek (Concordia University, Ore.) “Navy Spotlight - Video Interview with New Head Coach Isaac Frederick”
Story With Video
Jeremy Hawkes (Arizona State University, Ariz.) “The Man Behind the Facemask – Part One”
Jeremy Hawkes (Arizona State University, Ariz.) “The Man Behind the Facemask – Part Two”