New York, NY (November 4, 2011) – Susan Mayberrry, a youth coach and teacher from Overland Park, Kansas and Carlos Umana, a teen athlete from El Paso, Texas, were honored by the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids and Major League Baseball (MLB), with the second annual Commissioner’s Play Healthy Awards. The award recipients were recognized during the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids’s annual gala at The Waldorf=Astoria on Tuesday, October 18.
Judged by a panel of parents, coaches and industry professionals, Mayberry and Umana were selected as part of a nationwide competition for their commitment to fair and drug-free competition. Winners were chosen based on their spirit of teamwork, dedication and leadership on and off the playing field.
Mayberry, coach of the Basehor-Linwood High School girls’ softball team and a health and physical education teacher, devotes herself to her students and athletes. With her guidance and team’s persistence, they earned the 2010 State 4A Champions title. She emphasizes the value of academics and volunteering, and is personally dedicated to keeping her athletes and pupils healthy. This commitment drove her to partner with the high school’s drama teacher and local substance abuse agencies to produce a play about the effects of drug and alcohol abuse.
A baseball fan and a regular spectator of his town’s semi-pro baseball league, Umana is also a star basketball player on the Mountain View High School and Boys & Girls Clubs of El Paso- Janacek Unit teams. He passionately believes that playing sports can motivate any teen to stay away from drugs and alcohol, and has taken the initiative to support and educate other teens within his sport and community. Umana was part of the first Boys & Girls Clubs of El Paso Teen 2 Teen City Wide Summit where he presented a session on drugs and alcohol awareness. Through this positive work and involvement, he has shown superior leadership.
“Coach Susan Mayberry and Carlos Umana represent shining examples of coaches and teen athletes that not only compete while playing healthy, but also spearhead educational efforts about the cause,” said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. “We are working with the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids to continue spreading the important message of healthy play to athletes and coaches across the country.”
“It is our honor to recognize Susan and Carlos for not only being outstanding role models for their teams, but also within their communities,” said Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. “MLB continues to be an extraordinary, steadfast partner in The Partnership’s work on behalf of parents and children. We are excited to commend these individuals for the impact they are making by encouraging others that healthy sport can lead to great success.”
The winners received a trip to New York City for themselves and one special guest, two tickets each to the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids’s 25th Anniversary Gala, a $1,000 gift card and a commemorative plaque presented by Major League Baseball Charities. Both winners will be featured prominently on drugfree.org.
The Commissioner’s Play Healthy Awards are a culmination of both organizations’ comprehensive nationwide efforts, including the Play Healthy website, to educate families on the risks of steroids and performance-enhancing substances and to recognize youth coaches and student athletes who embody the spirit of teamwork and healthy, drug-free competition. Major League Baseball has supported the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids’s message over the last several years with more than $42 million in media exposure and grassroots initiatives to build awareness for the perils of performance enhancing drug and steroid use.
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About the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
Ninety percent of addictions get their start in the teenage years. the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids is dedicated to helping families solve the problem of teen substance abuse. Bringing together renowned scientists, parent experts and communications professionals, this public health nonprofit translates research on teen behavior, parenting, addiction and treatment into useful and effective resources at drugfree.org. Its You Are Not Alone campaign is dedicated to supporting families of the 11 million teens and young adults who need addiction treatment, while the organization’s community education programs reach families at the grassroots level. the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids mission to help parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children depends on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and the public sector. We are thankful to SAG/AFTRA and the advertising and media industries for their ongoing generosity.