Sacramento, Calif. – Today, the Sacramento Kings and the Sacramento Kings Foundation announced the three recipients of the inaugural Pete Saco Awards. The awards recognize outstanding local teams, coaches and student-athletes whose dedication to the community and sportsmanship embodies the spirit of recently retired California Interscholastic Federation Sac-Joaquin Section Commissioner Pete Saco.
“The Kings are proud to honor Pete Saco’s legacy because he embodies the best of our community,” said Kings President Chris Granger. “This year’s honored coaches and student-athletes are incredible examples of how sports can go beyond the court and serve as a force for positive change in the community.”
The recipients of the 2014-15 Pete Saco Awards are:
Scholarship Award – Mikaela Nocetti
Mikaela Nocetti will receive the Scholarship award and will receive a $2,500 scholarship for achieving the main tenets of Pete Saco’s efforts: athletic performance, community service and academic success. Last fall, Nocetti served as captain of the El Camino High School girls varsity volleyball team, earning her Sacramento Bee Player of the Year honors. She is a campus peer counselor and volunteers in her community, including serving as a youth swimming coach at Arden Hills. She will attend the University of Portland in the fall.
Community Impact Award –Rodriguez High School Boys Basketball Team and Coach Nate Rankin
Rodriguez High School boys basketball team will receive the Community Impact Award for sportsmanship, accountability and passion, on and off the field. Under Coach Nate Rankin, the team extended its winning ways off the court by organizing basketball camps for children in Haiti, as well as serving meals to hungry families and residents in need in Fairfield.
Lifetime Achievement Award – Harvey Tahara
Harvey Tahara will receive the Pete Saco Lifetime Achievement Award for serving as a coach who left a positive, inspiring and impactful mark on high school sports. Tahara is one of four coaches in regional history to win section championships with boys and girls teams. He is admired across the region for his class, character and for the way he calmly stressed fundamentals and team play as he built powerhouse basketball programs at McClatchy High School from the 1970s through the 2000s. He won 292 games with the boys and 223 with the girls and is a two-time Sacramento Bee Coach of the Year.
The Kings will honor the winners and nominees during the Philadelphia 76ers game March 24, 2015. The community can purchase discounted tickets without surcharge fees using the special rate code SACO online here or by calling (916) 928-6954.