Talk with the Editor: Our celebration of prep sports athletes

We always have valued high school sports.

As Bob Frisk, our legendary sports editor, used to remind us, there is a purity about high school athletics that you can't really find on the pro or even college level. Prep sports is about honest competition, the love of the game, the lifelong memories that are born on the athletic fields, and the life lessons that are taught there.

We're proud of the job High School Sports Editor Aaron Gabriel and our prep sports staff does covering it all. Suburban prep sports has been a hallmark of the Daily Herald for years, and we aim to keep it that way. Recently, we signed an agreement with HighSchoolCube to add more video to our coverage on dailyherald.com and our companion websites for prep football and basketball.

Next month, we're going to try to tie it all together with a celebration of prep sports that we hope becomes an annual tradition in the suburbs.

We're inviting the suburbs' best athletes from all sports to the Daily Herald Prep Sports Excellence festival at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates on April 28.

Working with athletic directors at area schools, we will select and recognize the top boys and girls athletes in their programs, and we expect to spend a fun afternoon toasting their achievements. There'll be a special highlight video showing off some of the best sports moments of the current school year. Jarrett Payton, onetime soccer and football star from St. Viator, has agreed to deliver the keynote speech. Joe Aguilar, one of our prep sports editors, will emcee the event.

We don't just cover the suburbs. We're part of the suburbs. And we hope a good time will be had by all.

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