8th Annual "Champions of Character" Awards Banquet
June 11, 2012 - 6:00 pm
Emmet Country Fairgrounds Building

This awards banquet is an early summer highlight each year.  Outstanding athletes, coaches, parents and officials are recognized for their extraordinary efforts in “pursuing victory with honor” in area sports teams and programs.  Check the Past Award Winners tab for a list of our outstanding award recipients over the past 7 years.  You can help nominate potential Champions of Character award winners for this year.  Nomination forms and guidelines are available on the pull down tab.  Tickets cost $20 per person and can be purchased on this web-site or from any BTS Executive Board Member.

Continuing our tradition of outstanding speakers, this year’s  keynoter is Harold Slemmer, Executive Director of the Arizona High School Athletic Association.  Dr. Slemmer assumed leadership of the Arizona Interscholastic Association in 1999 after an extensive career in coaching, curriculum development, high school administration, and instruction at the high school and university level.  A dedicated, innovative educator, he is a sought after public speaker on a number of educational topics. He actively presents workshops for the “Character Counts” organization around the country. 

From 1990 to 1999, he was the inaugural principal at Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix. Under his leadership, Mountain Pointe received a number of awards, including recognition by Business Week for Instructional Innovation in Character Education, Redbook Magazine's America's Best Schools. Mountain Pointe was named an A+ Schools Recognition Semi-Finalist three times and the school's athletic achievements included numerous AIA awards.

Mr. Slemmer received his BA (1975), MS in physical education/athletic administration (1976), and Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership (1986) from Arizona State University where he competed in Division I football for the legendary coach, Frank Kush, playing on two teams ranked in the top ten nationally.

He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Tempe Diablo Administrative Award of Excellence (1997), the Distinguished Arizonan Award in 2001, and the North Central Accreditation Association's Circle of Excellence. In 2002, Slemmer's efforts to instill character development in high school sports and activities led to his appointment to the Arizona's Governor's Commission of Character Education.

Register Online for Awards Banquet: