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2019 Honors


Dave and Kelly Tines and Gary Brown among Honorees

at the 2019 Sonic GABL Honors Program



Dave and Kelly Tines, founders of West is Best Scholarship Program, Gary Brown, long-time Eclipse girls basketball coach, and Rich Hunter, GABL Senior Executive Director, were among the honorees at the 2019 Sonic GABL Youth Sports Foundation Honors Program. The program was held Tuesday, March 26 at the Thompson Barn (formerly the Lenexa Conference Center). 

 

Dave and Kelly Tines were awarded the “Making a Difference” Award. This award is given to individuals who have made a positive difference in the lives of youth, serves the community in a positive manner and promotes the values of athletic participation.  Dave and Kelly Tines have served as coach and team mom for youth football, baseball, lacrosse and basketball teams and worked with students involved in Scouts.  In 2012, they started the West is Best Scholarship Fund with the hope that all interested students in the SM West area would be able to participate in afterschool activities, regardless of financial status. Since its inception, 775 scholarships totaling over $72,000 have been awarded as well as outreach programs to assist SM West families with sporting and Scout equipment, reduced price physicals and the Viking-palooza Family Fun Fest.

 

Gary Brown was the 2019 recipient of the Marcus Priddy Award. This award is named in honor of the late Shawnee Mission West girls basketball coach and GABL summer league staff member. It recognizes a current coach (youth, high school or college) who is making a positive difference in the lives of his or her players.  Coach Gary has coached girls and boys youth basketball for over 30 years.  He began with coaching his own daughter in the late 1980s and has been coaching with the Eclipse Basketball Club for over 15 years.  He currently serves as the club’s Recruiting Coordinator. He spends countless hours on the phone checking up on current and former players, advising them, coaching them, building their confidence, and listening to them.  About 25 supporters, including family, current and former players and coaches, attended the event to support him.

 

Rich Hunter was recognized with the first GABL Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his 30 years of service as a volunteer coach for 6 years and area director for three years until his company, Sports Management Associates, assumed management responsibilities of the Great American Basketball League (GABL) in 1995. Over the last 25 years, GABL has grown from a winter league for 2,200 boys in the Shawnee Mission School District to a year-round  program for over 8,000 boys and girls throughout Kansas City.

 

The 4th Annual Mark Cahill CHIPPA Award for Officiating Excellence, is presented to an official who meets the CHIPPA Criteria of Communicate, Hustle, In Position, and Positive Attitude.  The award is named for Mark Cahill, a multi-sport official and GABL Court of Honor member who passed away in 2015.  This year’s recipient was Ted Allen. Ted officiated at the youth, high school and college level in multiple sports for 30 years.  

 

The GABL Court of Honor was established in 2003 to recognize those who have distinguished themselves through service to GABL and have been a positive influence on the youth of our community. The class of 2019 Court of Honor included Jim Walsh, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Rich Hunter. Jim served on the GABL Board for 4 years, including two years as secretary-treasurer.  Dick’s Sporting Goods has been a supporter of GABL through the corporate sponsor program since 2003 and has supported  many programs offered by GABL.


2018 Honors


Sonic’s Briley Family and Rocky Lamar among Honorees

at the 2018 Sonic GABL Honors Program

 

 

Sonic’s Briley Family, long-time GABL and youth sports supporter, and Rocky Lamar, MidAmerica Nazarene University men’s basketball coach, will be among the honorees at the 2018 Sonic GABL Youth Sports Foundation Honors Program. The program will be held Tuesday, March 27 at 7 p.m. at the Thompson Barn (formerly the Lenexa Conference Center). 

 

The Briley Family is being awarded the “Making a Difference” Award. This award is given to individuals who have made a positive difference in the lives of youth, serves the community in a positive manner and promotes the values of athletic participation.  Through their family’s support of multiple youth sports organizations over the years, including 3&2 Baseball, Midwest Sports and GABL, they have definitely made a difference in the lives of youth throughout the metro Kansas City area.

 

Rocky Lamar is the 2018 recipient of the Marcus Priddy Award. This award is named in honor of the late Shawnee Mission West girls basketball coach and GABL summer league staff member. It recognizes a current coach (youth, high school or college) who is making a positive difference in the lives of his or her players.  Coach Lamar has coached at MidAmerica Nazarene University since 1986. His generous positive energy and exemplary instruction have built many lasting relationships.  The legacy is evidenced by the roster of his summer basketball camps – many of whom are children of former students and players who have stayed in touch for decades.

 

The 3rd annual Mark Cahill CHIPPA Award for Officiating Excellence, is presented to an official who meets the CHIPPA Criteria of Communicate, Hustle, In Position, and Positive Attitude.  The award is named for Mark Cahill, a multi-sport official and GABL Court of Honor member who passed away in 2015.  This year’s recipient is Mike Harmon. Mike has officiated at the youth, high school and college level in multiple sports for 33 years.  

 

The GABL Court of Honor was established in 2003 to recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves through service to GABL and have been a positive influence on the youth of our community. The individual being inducted in 2018 is Dan O’Dell.  Dan served on the GABL Board for 5 years and was instrumental in the transformation of GABL from a league to a Foundation.

 

In order to recognize current coaches in the GABL winter program who are making a positive difference in the lives of our youth, GABL has established the new designation of “Coach of Character”, awarded each year to one girl’s and one boy’s coach.  Parents and coaches nominated over 50 winter program coaches to receive the Coach of Character designation.  Those selected for 2018 were:  Kara Boshart, 4th grade girls, and Justin Titus, 5th grade boys.

2017 Honors

Jeff Briley and Mark Quandt among Honorees

at the 2017 Sonic GABL Honors Program

 

  

Jeff Briley, long-time GABL and youth supporter, and Mark Quandt, youth basketball coach, were honored at the 2017 Sonic GABL Youth Sports Foundation Honors Program. The program was held Tuesday, March 28 at the Thompson Barn (formerly the Lenexa Conference Center). 

 

Jeff Briley was awarded the “Making a Difference” Award. This award is given to an individual who has made a positive difference in the lives of youth, serves the community in a positive manner and promotes the values of athletic participation.  Jeff is a former GABL board member, officer, coach, 3v3 program director, KidHoops program founder, former KU Alumni national president and community and church leader.

 

Mark Quandt was the 2017 recipient of the Marcus Priddy Award. This award is named in honor of the late Shawnee Mission West girls basketball coach and GABL summer league staff member. It recognizes a current coach (youth, high school or college) who is making a positive difference in the lives of his or her players.  Coach Quandt coached his own boys as youth and now has returned to the coaching ranks, with one of those sons, to coach teams in the GABL program for the past 4 seasons.

 

The 2nd annual Mark Cahill CHIPPA Award for Officiating Excellence, was presented to an official who meets the CHIPPA Criteria of Communicate, Hustle, In Position, and Positive Attitude.  The award is named for Mark Cahill, a GABL Court of Honor member who passed away in 2015.  This year’s recipient was Don Fazio.  Don has officiated at the youth, high school and college level in multiple sports for 44 years.  

 

The GABL Court of Honor was established in 2003 to recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves through service to GABL and have been a positive influence on the youth of our community. Those individuals inducted in 2017 were Frank Dodd and Mark Quandt.

 

Frank Dodd has been involved with GABL for nearly 20 years as a coach for 12 years with two sons and as a GABL board member for six years.  Mark Quandt, in addition to receiving the Marcus Priddy Award, was inducted into the Court of Honor due to his service to coaching and officiating since 1995. 

 

In order to recognize current coaches in the GABL winter program who are making a positive difference in the lives of our youth, GABL has established the new designation of “Coach of Character”, awarded each year to one girl’s and one boy’s coach.  Parents and coaches nominated over 75 winter program coaches to receive the Coach of Character designation.  Those selected for 2017 were:  William Gray, 4th grade girls, and Sean Thompson, 4th grade boys.


2016 Honors

 

Sean Reilly and Lane Green Among the Honorees

at the 2016 Sonic GABL Honors Program



 

 

 

 

 

Sean Reilly, St. Thomas Aquinas High School boy’s basketball coach, and Lane Green, current Blue Valley School District athletics director, were among the honorees at the 2016 Sonic GABL Youth Sports Foundation Honors Program. The program was held Thursday, April 21 at the Thompson Barn (formerly the Lenexa Conference Center).  Several new awards were presented during the Program this year.

 

Lane Green was awarded the “Making a Difference” Award. This award is given to an individual who has made a positive difference in the lives of youth, serves the community in a positive manner and promotes the values of athletic participation.  Lane has served as athletic director at SM East High School, Olathe North High School, Olathe School District and currently is Director of Athletics and Activities and Director of School Administration in the Blue Valley School District.  He serves on boards for the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, Kansas Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and has been a Champions of Character program presenter for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics since 2009.

 

Sean Reilly was the 2016 recipient of the Marcus Priddy Award. This award is named in honor of the late Shawnee Mission West girls basketball coach and GABL summer league staff member. It recognizes a current coach (youth, high school or college) who is making a positive difference in the lives of his or her players.  Coach Reilly has been the varsity boy's basketball coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School since 2002.  Prior to Aquinas, he coached at several area high school and colleges, including DeSoto High School, Johnson County Community College and Shawnee Mission North.  He serves as the Mission Coordinator for students at Aquinas.

 

A new award being presented this year was the Mark Cahill CHIPPA Award for Excellence in Officiating, presented to an official who meets the CHIPPA criteria of Communicate, Hustle, In Position, and Positive Attitude.  The award is named for Mark Cahill, a GABL Court of Honor member who passed away in 2015.  The inaugural award was presented to Brian Watson.  Brian has officiated at the youth, high school and college level and has served on the GABL Academy staff.   Brian also serves as principal at Tomahawk Elementary School in the Shawnee Mission School District after teaching at the elementary level for a number of years.

 

The GABL Court of Honor was established in 2003 to recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves through service to GABL and have been a positive influence on the youth of our community. Those individuals inducted in 2016 were Dennis Nicely and Aaron Miller.

 

Dennis Nicely, Vice President at Bank of Kansas City, has been involved with GABL for over 20 years as a GABL officer, board member, coach and official.  Aaron Miller has served as a part-time GABL staff member and instructor for GABL Academy programs for nearly 20 years.  He currently serves as Principal at Havencroft Elementary School in the Olathe School District. 

 

In order to recognize current coaches in the GABL winter program who are making a positive difference in the lives of our youth, GABL has established the new designation of “Coach of Character”.  For the inaugural program, one girl’s and one boy’s coach were identified to receive this designation.  Parents and coaches nominated 45 winter program coaches to receive the inaugural Coach of Character designation.  Those selected for 2016 were:  Kimberly Wittman, 7th grade girls, and Brandon Henry, 1st grade boys.

 

The GABL Youth Sports Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)-3 community service corporation. Its mission is to serve youth by establishing and supporting opportunities through sports that will make a positive lifelong impact on their physical, social and mental development. Currently, the Foundation’s significant program initiatives are the Great American Basketball League and the GABL Basketball Academy.  For more information about the foundation and its programs, call 913/236-8833 or go to www.gabl.net.  The GABL Offices are located at 15030 W. 106th Street, Lenexa, Kansas 66215.

 

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In 2004, GABL celebrated its 30th anniversary. In planning the 30th anniversary celebration, the Board of Directors thought it would be appropriate to begin a program that would raise awareness of the work individuals are doing in serving the needs of the youth and establish a stronger heritage and tradition for GABL.

With that in mind, the GABL Honors Program was launched and the inaugural awards were presented at the 30th Anniversary ceremony.  There were two primary objectives of the program:


First, to encourage an attitude of sportsmanship and awareness of the value of athletics in the development of young people and


Secondly, to recognize those individuals who have exhibited the ideals of sportsmanship and promoted the value of athletics to the youth of our community.

 
In 2005, the Briley Sonic Group became the title sponsor of the program as part of its champion level partnership with the Foundation. That relationship is in its 8th year.

 
The College Basketball Experience at the Sprint Center became the site of the program in 2011. Nearly 400 people were in attendance at this new venue. 

In 2013, The GABL Honors Program changed the site to the Thompson Barn in Lenexa, Kansas.

 
Traditionally, the Foundation has recognized members of its Corporate Partner Program and the winter program team sportsmanship award winners at the Honors Program. Three annual awards also are given: The Court of Honor, Marcus Priddy Award and "Making a Difference" Award. Go to the individual links for these awards for more information. To nominate individuals for these three awards, send information to Pam Broyles

 

The GABL Youth Sports Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)-3 community service corporation. Its mission is to serve youth by establishing and supporting opportunities through sports that will make a positive lifelong impact on their physical, social and mental development. Currently, the Foundation’s significant program initiatives are the Great American Basketball League and the GABL Basketball Academy.  For more information about the foundation and its programs, call 913/236-8833 or go to www.gabl.net.  The GABL Offices are located at 15030 W. 106th Street, Lenexa, Kansas 66215.

Great American Basketball League

15030 W. 106th St., Fax: 913-236-9188
Lenexa, Kansas 66215
Phone : 913-236-8833
Email : [email protected]
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