Gymnast of the Year Award

In August of 2015, it was decided by the NYSPHSAA to cancel Men’s Gymnastics. Mark loved participating in Section VI and it allowed him to proudly represent his high school. In 1998 when the coaches renamed the “Outstanding Gymnast” award to the “Mark Monaco Gymnast of the Year” award, it meant more to our family than they could have realized. Through the years our family has attended the Men’s Gymnastics Sectionals and presented the senior gymnast selected by the coaches with a plaque and scholarship.

To continue Mark’s love of gymnastics, we decided to continue presenting the “Mark Monaco Gymnast of the Year” award and scholarship to a female senior gymnast selected by the coaches. The award is presented at the Section VI Championships held in November each year. The Section VI Women’s Gymnastics consists of 12 teams.

Recipients

Year	Recipients	School	Photos
2015	Rachel Kieffer	Williamsville East	2015 Recipient
2014	Stephen Frost	Williamsville East	2014 Recipient
2013	Noah Roberson	Williamsville South	2013 Recipient
2012	John Bard	Williamsville East	2012 Recipient
2011	Jonathan Zigna Nathaniel Roberson	Williamsville East	2011 Recipient
2010	Spencer Kieffer	Williamsville East	2010 Recipient
2009	Brandon OBrien	Williamsville North	2009 Recipient
2008	Eric Neidermayer	Clarence	2008 Recipient
2007	Michael Morse	Clarence	2007 Recipient
2006	Michael Maizel Jarred Forman	Williamsville North	2006 Recipients
2005	Krishna Upadhyaya Keith Stumpf	Williamsville East Williamsville South	2005 Recipients
2004	Harrison Reisweber Evan Bylewski Jon Shelton	Amherst Amherst Hamburg	2004 Recipients
2003	Dan Joyce	Williamsville East	2003 Recipients
2002	Brandon Costello	Hamburg	2002 Recipient
2001	Jason Scott Kaczmarski	Hamburg	2001 Recipient
2000	Chris Centrich Marc Sardo	Hamburg Williamsville East	2000 Recipients
1999	Steve Joyce	Williamsville East	1999 Recipient
1998	Peter VomScheidt Jr.	Sweet Home	1998 Recipient

History of The Mark Monaco Memorial Gymnast of the Year Award

At the age of 5, Mark began learning gymnastics under the guidance of Coach Torey Hirsch at Stumpf's Gymnasium in Williamsville, NY. Torey, who is the current President of the Niagara Frontier Gymnastics Officials Association, was often credited by Mark and his family as one of the most influential people in Mark's life. Throughout his gymnastics career, Mark focused on helping other people achieve their goals by way of coaching and mentoring. Although many personal honors were bestowed upon him, Mark was most proud of his roles that fostered the development of other people and programs. In addition to his 11 year membership in the USGF, (United States Gymnastics Federation), and participation in all New York State USGF Championships during that time, Mark impacted his peers and the sport itself, in many ways:

• 1989: Worked with Colleen Tonsoline to form a Boys' Gymnastics Team at Maryvale High School. The team had been defunct since 1984.
• 1989-1990: Voted 'Most Valuable Team Member' for the Maryvale Boys Gymnastics Team
• 1989-1991: Captain of the Maryvale Boys Gymnastics Team and varsity letter recipient
• 1989-1991: Served as a gymnastics instructor for The Cheektowaga Recreation Center
• 1990-1991: Assistant Coach, Maryvale Boys Gymnastics Team
• 1990-1991: Ranked 7th and 5th, respectively, in the 'All Around' category during New York State Sectional competition
• 1990-1991: Participated as a member of the Western Region Men's Gymnastics Team during the Empire State Games
• 1991: Served as a gymnastics instructor for the Maryvale Continuing Education Program
• 1991: Served as a gymnastics instructor for Gleason's School of Gymnastics
• 1991: Recipient of the Western New York Coaches "Gymnast of the Year Award"
• Member of New York State Class 2, 3, and 4 Championship Teams

In memory of Mark and his contributions to Gymnastics, Torey Hirsch, (pictured at left with Mark) established The Mark Monaco Memorial Gymnast of the Year Award in 1998. This accolade was formerly presented as the 'Western New York Coaches Gymnast of the Year Award' which Mark received in 1991.