By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

Liberty High School won the Class 5A Section 3 Florida High School Athletic Association’s Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Award.

The Chargers, led by Athletic Director Scott Birchler, will receive $500 and a plaque.

Spring Hill Springstead was the Class 5A overall winner.

Each year the award is presented to one school in each classification whose total sports program best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship by its coaches, players and spectators.

Birchler said Liberty had zero unsportsmanlike conduct ejections from contests, and received two exceptional sportsmanship reports from game officials.

“We have coaches who lead by example and set the trend, and our kids know what is expected of them,” Birchler said. “Now we just have to decide what to do with the money. We’re thinking of offering scholarships.”

St. Cloud was the Class 5A overall winner twice, in 1995-96 and 1996-97.

The sportsmanship program was implemented during the 1990-91 school year. The award is named for FHSAA Commissioner Emeritus Fred E. Rozelle.