Mansch: Trib Sports Awards Banquet

• ESPN SportsCenter anchor Jaymee Sire returning home next June for Tribune Sports Awards Banquet
• Hundreds of high school athletes will be honored at event
• All those nominated for Tribune Athlete of Week will be spotlighted
• Banquet will feature many special awards, including those for courage, sportsmanship, spirit

Young athletes in Great Falls and across the country dream of providing highlights worthy of SportsCenter.

Jaymee Sire has been there, done that.

The Great Falls native who is a veteran ESPN SportsCenter anchor will give hundreds of central Montana athletes a taste of the big-time next summer via an appearance in her hometown at the first annual Montana Sports Awards Banquet.

The Great Falls Tribune event, slated for Saturday, June 18, in the Electric City, will be the launch of an effort to recognize and celebrate the many Treasure State high school athletes who provide so many thrills for so many. All of the athletes nominated and selected Tribune Athletes of the Week, a contest that runs each week from September through May, will be spotlighted at the banquet, which includes a brunch and many major awards.

Benefis Health System is the signature sponsor of the event.

Sire, who graduated from Great Falls High and Washington State and has been at ESPN since March of 2013, will be the featured speaker.

“Sports are obviously a big part of my life and I couldn’t be more excited to come back home to celebrate the amazing athletes of northcentral Montana,” Sire said. “I’m thrilled that Scott Mansch and the Great Falls Tribune asked me to be a part of this event.”

No, Jaymee. We’re the ones honored to have such a special guest for our first Montana Sports Awards Banquet.

The Tribune has a long and storied commitment to high school sports coverage. For many years we’ve honored athletes in many ways: by publishing Super-State teams in various sports, Meet The Athlete features and an Athlete of the Week contest designed to produce as much reader-interaction as possible.

Now we’re taking our commitment to a new level.

We plan to honor 300 or more athletes at the banquet, including those who have been nominated for Athlete of the Week in the last month and all who will be so designated the rest of the school year. The Tribune will be presenting several major awards at the event, including those for Male and Female Athlete of the Year, and Coach of the Year.

We also plan to honor unsung heroes with awards designed to recognize the special courage, sportsmanship and spirit of various athletes.

Please circle the date on your calendar.

Jaymee Sire already has.

Sire, who appears on SportsCenter from Bristol, Conn., Tuesdays through Fridays from 7-9 a.m., Mountain Time, is bringing her noteworthy credentials back home to meet and greet many of the Treasure State’s best athletes.

We figure it’s going to be a highlight worthy of SportsCenter.

Scott Mansch is Tribune Sports Columnist and can be reached at 791-1481 or smansch@greatfallstribune.com. Mansch, who has covered high school, college and professional sports for the Tribune for 30 years, is on Twitter @GFTrib_Smansch