Two Harrisburg coaches recognized by Town

Mayor Tim Hagler and the Harrisburg Town Council congratulated two Harrisburg football coaches Monday for recent awards recognizing their efforts on and off the field.

Coach Vance Pender and Coach Mike Boteilho from the Harrisburg Cowboys were recently named recipients of the Mecklenburg Optimist Club Pop Warner Doc Martin Sportsmanship Award. Named for Doc Martin -- a founder of the Mecklenburg Optimist Club who started Pop Warner football in the Charlotte area -- the award honors those football coaches who exhibit excellent sportsmanship within their respective organizations. Recipients are nominated by their divisional peers.

Wishing congratulations to Pender and Boteilho, Mayor Tim Hagler called sportsmanship "the golden rule of sports" and said both coaches "have an exemplary representation of the approach and manner of what sportsmanship looks like on and off the field."

As he recognized the men at Monday's Town Council meeting, Hagler added, "The lessons that you have taught our children about sportsmanship will facilitate their growth in high school, college, and beyond. The greatest characteristic of sportsmanship is heart, which you both have exhibited many times over and we want to thank you for all you do in our community."

The Mayor and Town Council also recognized Coach Pender for being named a member of the Carolina Panther Youth Football Coach of the Week, Class of 2010. A full article about Pender's award can be found here.