Osborne to Present Benedictine Awards at Mount Michael

      Congressman Tom Osborne will speak at the second annual Mount Michael Sports Night on Sat., Feb. 4 at Mount Michael Benedictine School in Elkhorn. Osborne will present the 2006 Benedictine Awards which honor the contributions of volunteer coaches of elementary and junior high sports programs in the state of Nebraska. This year’s winners are David Probst of Fremont, Rich Kmiecik, George Roshone, Bill Kingston, and Troy and Sharon Gerhardt of Omaha, and Ruth Hagemann of Elkhorn. For tickets or further information, call 289-2541, Ext. 1203.

     The winners were chosen from many nominated by the public across the metro area.

      Recipients must be volunteer coaches on the elementary or junior high level for five years or more, non-compensated for their coaching, and exhibit a love of sports and of encouraging youth to make the most of his or her talents. The Benedictine Awards are given in memory of long-time Mount Michael coach, Jim Kane.

     David Probst of Fremont coached boys and girls soccer, baseball, and football for twenty-one years. Often coaching boys and girls teams in the same season, Probst emphasized teamwork and gave equal playing time to all. He now officiates in the parochial league.

     Rich Kmiecik of Omaha, who has coached baseball, basketball, and football, has contributed over thirty years of volunteer service to youth sports in Omaha and Bellevue. He started the intramural basketball league at St. Bernadette School in Bellevue where he served as Athletic Director for many years.

    George Roshone of Omaha started volunteer coaching in college thirty years ago as a baseball coach and continues to share his talents with local youth. Considering Coach Jim Kane his mentor, Roshone teaches boys at St. Bernard’s Grade school the fundamentals of basketball, respect, and self-control.

     Known for his caring attitude toward players with a focus on improvement rather than wins and losses, Bill Kingston of Omaha has coached baseball, basketball, and track as a volunteer at St. Margaret Mary’s for the past sixteen years. A narcotics/homicide officer for the Omaha Police Department for twenty-five years, Kingston is now preparing for a career in education.

     Ruth Hagemann of Elkhorn, a volunteer coach of girls basketball and softball since 1980, is dedicated to helping young girls learn the fundamentals of sports. Her love of coaching began when she served four summers as a counselor at Camp St. John at Mount Michael where she was instructed in basketball fundamentals by Coach Kane.

     Long involved in youth sports activities, Troy and Sharon Gerhardt of Omaha, responded to death of their 12-year-old son, Bryce, by starting and sponsoring the Bryce Gerhardt Memorial Basketball Tournament, for middle school boys and girls in 2001. The tournament has grown to 54 teams and more than $40,000 from tournament proceeds has been donated to the Harley Collins Foundation, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Omaha Community Foundation, and to the Millard Education Foundation.