St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School received an “award of excellence” given to Tennessee schools by the TSSAA “in recognition of the high ideals of ethics and integrity in the teaching and promotion of citizenship and sportsmanship.” SAS was one of nine schools chosen for the award from among more than 700 Tennessee public and independent schools.

The award is part of the TSSAA A.F. Bridges Awards program, which includes awards for School System Administrator of the Year, Principal of the Year, Athletic Director of the Year, Female Coach of the Year, Male Coach of the Year, Official of the Year, and Contributor of the Year.

This year’s honorees were announced on Monday, Nov. 9, in Nashville. Athletic Director Rob Zeitler accepted the award of excellence on behalf of the school, which is given to schools with no reported unsportsmanlike conduct marks.

“The SAS athletic program emphasizes 10 specific values: trust, discipline, integrity, positivity, dedication, work ethic, respect, honesty, grit, and kindness,” Zeitler said. “These values mirror the spirit of the A.F. Bridges award– ‘just do what’s right’–by communicating how athletes are expected to represent themselves, their schools, their families, and their communities.

“Whether a team finishes a match with a winning score, we know that keeping these principles at the forefront of our game plan is a different but equally important win.”

In addition to the award of excellence, SAS Head of School Karl Sjolund was named principal of the year in TSSAA District 4. Nominations are made by a Citizenship/Sportsmanship Committee in each athletic district, and the final selection is made by a State Selection Committee.

“Being nominated for this award is an honor in itself,” Sjolund said. “At SAS, I see both the subtle and the extraordinary impacts school athletics have on students every year. Our student athletes carry these values with them into other parts of school life and long after they leave our campus.”

A.F. Bridges, a long-time teacher and coach in Tennessee, was the TSSAA’s first executive secretary.