The Central Coast Section (CCS) of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) has announced that Bellarmine College Prep is a recipient of the 2021-2022 Winter Season Scholastic Championship Team Awards for Wrestling.
“The student-athletes involved have achieved distinction in the classroom, and at the same time, have committed themselves to participation in interscholastic athletics,” noted Toni Marin, CIF Central Coast Section assistant administrator, in the announcement. “Their academic performance is yet another indication that such athletic participation enhances classroom activities.”
These awards, instituted by the CCS Board of Managers in 1985, recognize the top five varsity teams from each CCS sport with the highest collective grade-point-average (GPA) of all teams competing in that sport during that season of competition. Bellarmine’s varsity wrestling team members had a collective GPA of 3.436.
“All accolades go to this year’s group of student athletes who have been committed, steadfast, and focused through a very difficult and uncertain period of time,” noted Scott Benson, Bellarmine faculty member and wrestling head of program. “Their loyalty to one another, to the team and to Bellarmine, along with their commitment to excellence in all endeavors, has allowed them to persevere through many difficult obstacles. They really are a special bunch of kids and highly deserve this honor.”
Kevin Saldivar ’04, Bellarmine’s director of athletics, echoed the praise for these student-athletes. “Our wrestlers this season have embodied the definition of perseverance and flexibility. With the cancellation of meets, weeks of practice, weekly COVID testing and the everchanging landscape of wrestling during COVID, their commitment and dedication to Bellarmine wrestling has been astounding. These life lessons learned throughout the pandemic have carried over into the classroom in earning the CCS Scholastic Team Award and will serve them far beyond the four walls of the wrestling room. Go Bells!”