Central High School was announced as a co-recipient of the 2015-16 James River District Sportsmanship Cup with Cumberland High School on Oct. 18.

Wallace Owen, Central Athletics Director, noted this honor is awarded annually by the Athletic Director’s Council to the district school best exhibiting overall sportsmanship in all sports and activities.

“I am very proud of our coaches and student-athletes for displaying exceptional sportsmanship during the 2015-16 year,” he said. “We also recently were awarded a ‘Stay in the Game’ award from the (Virginia High School League).”

As the VHSL website states, the Stay in the Game Award is presented annually to schools which had no player or coach ejections for the school year.

“These awards indicate that our coaches are teaching appropriate life-lessons to our athletes in addition to ‘Xs and Os.’” Owen said.

This is the sixth time Central has won the district Sportsmanship Cup, having received it previously for the 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 school years.

“We as an athletic department place great emphasis on representing our school and community in a positive way,” Owen said.

He said the cup will be on display at Cumberland for six months, and then Central will gets its chance to display it.