The Game Changer Award is for prominent California-Bay athletes whose lives were shaped or changed by the influence and guidance of coaches and important people in their lives, and to recognize those people who helped the athletes get to where they are. Alum George Kontos has chosen his freshman baseball coach Chris Schwarz.
George Kontos started his baseball career right here in Niles West, and he hasn’t forgotten his roots. Schwarz expressed his surprise when selected for the award.
“I’m certainly honored by it but I think it says far more about George than me. He’s always been very good to us here at West. I’m so proud of the professional and citizen he’s become in the Bay Area,” Schwarz said. “I’m also surprised that he chose me. He had a number of truly outstanding coaches here at West including Garry Gustafson and Mitch Stern and Jeremy McCormick. I’m sure he’s had a lot of quality coaching at the other levels as well.”
Some of the other athletes chosen are honoring their college coaches, such as head coach of the Michigan State Spartans Tom Izzo, head coach of the Oakland Raiders Jack Del Rio, while others, like Kontos, are honoring their high school coaches. Penn State linebacker NaVorro Bowman is honoring his football coach, and Oakland pitcher Kendall Graveman is honoring his father.
Sophomore Andrew Le is proud of of what this means for Niles West as a whole.
“I think this means something to Niles West because George came from here, and where he is now is agreat achievement. For him to be one of the players there along other Great Bay athletes like Green and Bowman is a huge honor,” Le said.
Sophomore Luan Papraniku is also proud of Kontos and Schwarz.
“I think this a big deal because it’s being televised and people can see the mentors or people that greatly influenced their lives,” Papraniku said.
This is the third annual Coaching Corps Game Changer Awards. It will be taped Friday, Jan. 27 and will be aired on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 9:00 p.m on CSN Bay area for 90 minutes.
This is a big thing for Niles West, not just for the publicity, but also because of the knowledge that the coaches here have an impact on future athletes’ lives and can help them to achieve their goals and dreams.
