The Cincinnati Enquirer just dropped some news that’s gonna shake up the high school sports scene, introducing a brand-new weekly feature: The Spirit Award. This ain’t your usual MVP trophy, folks.
The Wild Rules Behind Cincinnati’s New Spirit Crown
So what even *is* this Spirit Award? We’re talking about recognizing cheerleaders, dance team members, and their whole squads. It’s not about touchdowns or slam dunks, but about embodying qualities like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. They gotta be uplifting their squads, the student body, and everyone around them. Think about it: that’s a whole different kind of hustle.
And get this: fans and friends from the schools actually get to vote! Just like those ‘athlete of the week’ polls, there are two ballots every week: one for individuals, one for teams. But here’s the catch: only coaches can drop those nominations. They can nominate their own crew or shout out another team. It means the coaches are the gatekeepers to this new honor, which is pretty cool, right?
What Does It Take to Win This Thing?
For the squads, it’s all about how they come together. We’re talking teams that help each other out, work hard, and just get things done right. They gotta show some serious virtue when dealing with or serving others. Did they exceed expectations to put together something special for the school? Were they acknowledged for some other honorable reason? That’s the kind of stuff that gets you on the ballot.
This isn’t about scoring points; it’s about building community, making the atmosphere electric, and truly living that ‘spirit’ life. On Friday, September 11, 2026, we saw first responders bowing their heads, flags flying, bands playing, and choirs singing at games like Wyoming versus Indian Hill and Simon Kenton versus Beechwood. That vibe, that energy? That’s what these awards are trying to capture.
This new Spirit Award is a bold move, shining a spotlight on a part of high school sports that often gets overlooked. It’s early days for this feature, but you gotta wonder who’s gonna step up and grab these honors next week. This could really change the game for how schools recognize the backbone of their sideline energy. Keep your eyes peeled, because these awards are just getting started.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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