San Diego's high school athletes honored
- 06-13-2007
- By Tom Shanahan, Hall of Champions
The night's best advice came from Charger Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman, who spoke of preparing for college athletically and academically.
He was the keynote speaker at the first San Diego Prep Athletes Awards Gala hosted by the Hall of Champions and the Union-Tribune that honored the 2006-07 school year's best high school athletes on June 13 at the Town and Country Resort.
But the best line of the night came from El Camino High junior Nelson Rosario, honored as the Male Athlete of the Year along with La Costa Canyon senior Whitney Sisler, the Female Athlete of the Year.
After Rosario received his trophy and posed for a photo with Merriman, he thanked his teammates, coaches and family and then spoke to Merriman.
"Mr. Merriman, if I make it to the NFL and you're not retired, please don't hit me too hard," he said to laughs from the audience.
Rosario and Sisler were among 28 male and female athletes of the year and 54 athletes of the month honored for the fall, winter and spring sports seasons.
Two other awards presented before an audience of 350 were the Male Coach of the Year, Helix's John Singer, and Female Coach of the Year, Scripps Ranch's Ronnie Olsen.
Singer directed the Highlanders to the Grossmont South League title, the CIF San Diego Section Division I title, the San Diego Section's overall No. 1 ranking and a semifinal berth in the Southern California Regionals.
Olsen won the CIF San Diego Section Division II title in girls volleyball in the fall and directed the Falcons' boys team to a CIF Division II runner-up finish in the spring.
Rosario was honored as a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and track and field. He was a first-team All-CIF pick and is one of the West Coast's top wide receiver recruits. In track season, he became the first San Diego boy to sweep the high jump, long jump and triple jump at the CIF finals. At the CIF state meet, he was the runner-up in the long jump and placed fifth in the high jump.
Sisler was the CIF state champion in the high jump and broke a 30-year-old section record when she won the CIF San Diego Section title with a leap of 5-feet, 11-inches. She also was an All-Palomar League soccer player that earned a scholarship to Cal Poly.
"I've competed at the state meet, and I've never been as nervous as I am right now," Sisler said. "I really like competing and I really like pressure, but I'm uncomfortable getting an award for it. I'll just thank the coaches who got me here and my teammates and above all my parents."
Merriman's advice to the athletes was to be prepared to become a student of the game at the college level.
"I've only been out of high school for five years, so I still remember the experience and I'm happy to be here," Merriman said. "You'll be pulling your hair out with all the things you have to do when you get to college with classes, study halls and practice. You have to just take it one day at a time. On the field, the court or the rink, you've got to become a student of the game. That's what I'm still learning in the NFL, even though I've been in the league two years. My rookie year I was wondering, 'How am I going to play (Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle) Willie Roaf, who has so much knowledge from playing in the league 14 years. I'm still gaining knowledge. Study the game and just take it one day at a time."
Pictures from the San Diego Prep Athletes Awards Gala
Click here for list of athletes honored
READ ABOUT SHAWNE MERRIMAN
