Palmerton High School's football team may have had a so-so season in the won-loss column; it wound up ranked 212th in the state and 5,073rd in the United States, but it was tops in its class when it came to sportsmanship.

The Blue Bombers team won its first-ever Eastern Pennsylvania Football Officials Association sportsmanship award, and we join with their admirers in congratulating the team, coaches and fans.The award is presented annually to the team that best exemplifies the spirit of the sport through its attitude, demeanor, respect for opponents, coaches and officials and how graciously it accepts victory or defeat.Since the award began in 1989, when Pocono Mountain won, Northwestern Lehigh has won it four times - 1995, 2009, 2013 and last year - and Northern Lehigh has won twice - 1992 and 2005.Palmerton finished the 2016 season with a 6-6 record, including a 5-5 mark in the Colonial League. The Blue Bombers won their first post-season playoff game, beating Minersville, 40-7 before being defeated by Schuylkill Haven, 42-7.In accepting the award, head coach Chris Walkowiak said it would not have been possible without the dedication of the players and coaches who demonstrate on a continuous basis "our solid core values, such as commitment, discipline, attitude, accountability and respect.""We hold ourselves to high standards both on and off the field," he said. He noted with pride how the players decided to wear dress shirts and ties to away games. Walkowiak explained that the game of football teaches team members many life lessons. "It is with these lessons that we are trying to teach our players to become better students and community members," he said.Holding the trophy emblematic of the award while their coach made the acceptance remarks were senior co-captains Jared Mooney and Mike Stasko.We are impressed with the acknowledgment that these young men and their coaching staff received through this award. We believe that fair play and respect for an opponent and game officials are qualities that make up the way football is supposed to be taught starting at the youngest levels. Moreover, these qualities should not get lost in the desire to win.The Palmerton team pays its community rent as good citizens by volunteering to help at the annual 5K Thanksgiving run and at the annual Veterans Day parade.Much has been written and said about whether sportsmanship is dead.Winning is not everything, and it is certainly not the only thing, despite what legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi said.In a sports culture where greed often drives the machinery, the Palmerton High School football team has shown that it stands out from the crowd and can be a shining example to all of us.By Bruce Frassinelli |

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