Awards
Len Everett Sportsmanship Award
The Len Everett Sportsmanship Award was established in 1984 by the Greater Richmond Aquatic League (GRAL) to honor the memory of a man who was instrumental in the founding and structuring of the league. Leonard Everett, from Hungary Creek Recreation Association, stood for the highest ideals of fair competition and good sportsmanship. A plaque is awarded every year to one club in each division whose swimmers, coaches, and parents have best exhibited these qualities. The GRAL Board Representative from each team submit their first and second choice for this award. The choices must come from within the voting team’s same division, and the voting team cannot include itself. Only teams that have voted are eligible to win. The votes are tallied and awards are announced at the annual championship meet. Note that this award was not presented in 2020 or 2021 due to virtual meets.
Recipients of Len Everett Sportsmanship Award
Len Everett Coaching Excellence Award
The purpose of the Greater Richmond Aquatic League is to promote the sport of summer swimming and to provide an opportunity for young people to compete against others of similar ability in an atmosphere of fair play, good sportsmanship and safety. This mission is accomplished each year by the coordinated efforts of many people. It is the coach, however, who has the greatest opportunity to fulfill this mission and who ultimately has the greatest impact on the experience each swimmer has in our league.
The GRAL Excellence in Coaching Award is voted on by the league’s coaches. It is designed to recognize the effort of our most outstanding coaches. Its purpose is to inspire coaches to strive for excellence in the job they do at practices, meets, and all activities in which he or she is involved. Because the role and tasks of coaching a team rarely falls upon the shoulders of a single individual, this award is given to the coaching staff that best exemplifies the mission and high standards which GRAL seeks to achieve.
Some of the criteria that is considered when voting includes the coaching staff’s effectiveness and display of:
Fair play and good sportsmanship
Technical knowledge and skill development
Knowledge of league rules and regulations and adherence to the spirit and intent of the rules
Willingness to help others
Respect for other coaches, officials, parents, and individual swimmers
Professional demeanor and attitude at all times
Simply put, this award is one in which a coach’s peers recognize and express their appreciation for a job well done. Former recipients of the Coaching Award are:
The Excellence in Coaching Award was established in 2006. At the end of each Season, each Club's Coaching Staff shall cast a single first and second place vote and each Club’s Board Members or Parent Reps also cast a vote. A Club cannot vote for themselves. If a Coaching staff does not cast a vote, that staff shall not be eligible to win this award. At Champs, the winning Coaches are recognized and presented with an award for their efforts. Note that this award was not presented in 2020 or 2021 due to virtual meets.
Len Everett Scholarship
The Greater Richmond Aquatic League (GRAL) Leonard Everett Scholarship may be awarded to one or more graduating high school seniors who have participated in a GRAL member club aquatics program for no less than five consecutive years.
Character Qualities: The scholarships are awarded to swimmers who demonstrate dedication to the sport of swimming and loyalty to the athlete’s GRAL team. The scholarship winners continuously strive to make the most of his/her abilities, vigorously pursue his/her goals and dreams, and compete in a way that sets high personal and teammate standards. The scholarship winners lead by example and demonstrate that hard work and dedication may lead to new levels of personal accomplishment. The winners represent the best of what swimming is all about in the Greater Richmond Aquatic League.
Winners of the scholarship will have demonstrated the following qualities, primarily through their involvement in GRAL aquatics, but also in school and community: dedication, determination, integrity, leadership, scholarship, service, and sportsmanship.