Ex-St. Mary’s girls hockey player Iannetti honored for sportsmanship

BOSTON – Former St. Mary’s girls hockey player Sabrina Iannetti, now playing at St. Anselm, was recognized for her sportsmanship after a tough moment for the Spartans this past season.Earlier this year, Liberty Mutual Insurance and Positive Coaching Alliance embarked on a search for demonstrations of sportsmanship, sacrifice and selflessness at the youth sports and amateur sports levels in an effort to identify the “Top 10 Responsible Sports Moments” of 2011.After receiving almost 100 nominations on Facebook, Liberty Mutual and PCA are honoring these moments and the young people behind them.One such moment occurred after St. Mary’s lost in the MIAA Division 1 girls ice hockey quarterfinals to Hingham, ending a 100-game winning streak that spanned four seasons, as well as the Spartans’ run of three consecutive state titles.Iannetti, a senior captain on that team, boarded her opponents’ bus, congratulated the team that ended her high school career two games short of perfection, and promised that St. Mary’s would cheer on Hingham through the rest of the state tournament.A judging panel including Kirk Herbstreit, Julie Foudy, PCA founder Jim Thompson and PCA regional directors, and executives from Responsible Sports partner organizations (American Softball Association, USA Hockey, US Youth Soccer, American Youth Soccer Organization and USA Wrestling), considered each nominated moment for attributes such as spotlighting the positive impact sports can have on children’s lives, exemplifying sportsmanship and responsibility, showcasing leadership and displaying a teaching/learning moment.Liberty Mutual will award $1,000 to the organizations behind each of these “Top 10 Responsible Sports Moments” of 2011.Several other such moments involved Massachusetts and/or New England schools. One involved Suffield Academy (Conn.), which donated uniforms and equipment to the Springfield (Mass.) Cathedral lacrosse team, which had nearly all of its facilities and equipment demolished by the EF-3 tornado that tore through the state on June 1. Suffield donated its entire stock of uniforms, helmets and gloves to help Cathedral get on the field for a playoff matchup against West Springfield.