News Release
February 9, 2007
Smiley Middle School Claims Girls' And Boys' Basketball Championships
The Smiley Cougar Girls' Basketball team outran the Rachel B. Noel Cobras last night in front of a large crowd at the Thunderdome to earn the title of Middle School Basketball Champions for 2007. The Noel Cobras battled hard and displayed some impressive defense against the Cougars. Eventually the Smiley Cougars outlasted the Cobras for the win.
The boys' championship was a hard fought battle with both teams showing impressive dribbling and passing skills. Both teams came into the contest with undefeated records. Smiley took an early lead and never relinquished the lead. The Morey Mustangs made a number of runs at the Cougars but Smiley's inside presence was too much for the Mustangs to overcome.
On hand for the event were Deb Dowling, director of Community Relation for Kroenke Sports, and Doug Fulton of Kroenke Sports.
The Denver Nuggets/Colorado Avalanche Prep League has been a success since its inception in 1997. By creating a sports league (volleyball, basketball, soccer, cross country, baseball, softball and flag football) for boys and girls in 22 DPS middle schools, more than 3,000 middle school students who maintain a C average or better in each class participate in 1,560 games in the league annually. The existence of this academic requirement helps students develop good study habits and appreciate the importance of maintaining good grades in order to have the privilege of playing organized sports.
The participating middle schools are: Centennial, Grant Ranch K-8, Grant, Hamilton, Henry, Hill, Horace Mann, Kepner, Kunsmiller, Lake, Martin Luther King Jr., Merrill, Moore K-8, Morey, Noel, Park Hill K-8, Place, Randolph, Rishel, Skinner, Slavens K-8 and Smiley.
The League is funded primarily by grants from the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche Community Funds, funds of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, and the Denver Public Schools Foundation.
The Denver Nuggets Community Fund and the Colorado Avalanche Community Fund are both funds of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, a charitable organization located in Chicago, Illinois. These two funds have together made grants totaling more than $1.5 million to the DPS Prep League since 1998. Through its Communities Program, the McCormick Tribune Foundation plays a significant philanthropic role in the metro Denver area. Since 1991 the Foundation has granted more than $130 million to area nonprofit organizations.
For more information, contact the Athletics Department at 720-423-4244.