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Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest
• 2019-20 Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest Results – District Winners
National Winners Announced for the 2019-20 CoSIDA Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest
Stanford's David Kiefer takes third straight National Story of the Year honor. Read the winning entries from the seven category winners as well as Kiefer's story of the year.
by Jeffrey Bernstein, NYU Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information, Chair, CoSIDA Fred Stabley Writing Contest Committee
A total of 337 entries were submitted for this year's edition of the CoSIDA Fred Stabley, Sr. Writing Contest. And, after every entry had been read by a minimum of three judges, seven submissions were moved forward as National winners. Congratulations to these top writers for 2019-20!
National Story of the Year
Athlete Profile: David Kiefer (Stanford University, Executive Editorial Producer), District 8, "
I am Jaimi"
National Category Winners
Athlete Profile: David Kiefer (Stanford University, Executive Editorial Producer), District 8, "
I am Jaimi"
(runner-up:
Jimmy Robertson, Virginia Tech)
Coach/Administrator Profile: Craig Craker (Northwest Nazarene, Director of Athletic Communications), District 8, "
Faith and Love: Rushes Ready to Celebrate First Christmas as a Family"
(runner-up:
Jim Sheahan, Bard College)
Event Coverage: Justin Lafleur (Lehigh University, Sports Communications Senior Assistant Director), District 2, "
21st Annual Adopt-a-Family Brings Extra Meaning in 2019"
(runner-up:
David Kiefer, Stanford)
General Feature: Kyle Wright (Indiana University East, Associate AD/SID), District 5, "
Globetrotter: Red Wolf Makes World-Wide Impact on Mission Trip"
(runner-up:
Ryan Mosher, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University)
Blog/Interview: Jerry Price (Princeton University, Senior Communications Advisor/Historian), District 2, "
B-P-29"
(runner-up:
Gene McGivern, University of St. Thomas)
Historical Feature: David Kiefer (Stanford University, Executive Editorial Producer), District 8, "
A Whole New World"
(runner-up:
C. Kent Lowe, LSU)
Season Recap/Preview –
Joel Carlson (University of Montana, Director of Communications), District 7, "
Lady Griz to Universe: We Good?"
(runner-up:
Bryan Fyalkowski, Western Kentucky)
A five-judge panel then reviewed the seven finalists' entries, and for the third consecutive year Stanford University's David Kiefer's submission edged out the rest.
Kiefer's Athlete Profile entry – "
I am Jaimi" earned National Story of the Year honors. The feature focused on a first-person narrative from Jaimi Salone, a Stanford track & field student-athlete who describes her dealings with self-identification.
Kiefer also won in 2018-19 for "
Jaylen Jasper: My Story of Appreciation", and in 2017-18 for his submission "
A Reason to Smile."
"Our committee members and judges had the opportunity to read and review some of the best writing this profession has to offer," said Jeffrey Bernstein, NYU Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information and Chairman of the Stabley Writing Committee. "When you see this type of quality writing, it is not only a pleasure to be part of the process, but very reassuring to know that the art of the written word is alive and well."
Here is the breakdown of submissions for the seven writing categories:
Athlete Profile – 79
Coach/Administrator Profile – 29
Event Coverage – 66
General Feature – 67
Blog/Interview - 22
Historical Feature - 37
Season Recap/Preview - 37
Submissions were first judged at the district level, with the 61 winners advancing to the national level. A national panel of five judges, all Stabley Committee members, then chose the national winners as well as the National Story of the Year.
Judging criteria was based on:
- Flow/Organization
- Grammar/Punctuation
- Interesting/Original
- Focus/Clarity of Subject
Members of the 2019-20 Fred Stabley Writing Contest Committee were:
Jeffrey Bernstein (Chairman, NYU); Mike Falk (Co-Chair, Muhlenberg College); Barry Beal (The College of New Jersey); Joshua Cornwall (Agnes Scott College); Murray Evans (Oklahoma Christian University); Lance Franey (Whittier College); Joe Giustina (Lycoming College); Emily Loux (Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference); Paul Marboe (Penn State University); James McCumber (Bridgewater College); Miles McQuiggan (Bryant University); Andrew Mindemann (Covenant College); Greg Royce (Stevenson University); Casey Schermick (LIU-Post); Steve Sheridan (Union College); Drew Wilson (Averett University).
Also contributing as district judges were:
Steve Cox - Bridgewater College
Joe DiBari - Fordham University
Eric Etchison - Maryville College (TN)
Matt Fenton - Messiah College
Brett Ford - SUNY Geneseo
Jack Goodwillie - California Institute of Technology
Stan Green - Oklahoma Christian University (retired)
Dan Griffin - Kent State University
Wes Gullet - Greensboro College
Corey Jewart - Gettysburg College
Mike Kirk - University of Central Oklahoma (retired)
Owen Lukens - Mansfield University
Kirk McDonnell - Michigan Tech University
Neil Morgan - Biola University
Cyrill Parnam - Salisbury University
Taylor Powers - St. Francis University (PA)
Mark Robertson - University of Lynchburg
Len Skoros - Hofstra University
Nick Solari - Quinnipiac College
Marie Stroman - Middle Atlantic Conference
Kelly Thompson - Molloy College
James Wagner - Colonial States Athletic Conference
Will Wallace - Washington & Lee University
"So many dedicated Sports Information professionals were involved in this selection process, making sure that we identified the best of the best," Bernstein explained. "I appreciate all the input, time, effort, and support that all of our committee members and judges put forth to help recognize and celebrate these outstanding writers within our profession."
Click here to see a full listing of the 2019-20 district winners.