The Alan Blattner Spirit Award Exemplifying Crusader Spirit Through Athletics

The Alan Blattner Spirit Award recognizes student-athletes who go beyond their performance on the field or court to embody the full meaning of Crusader spirit - through their dedication to athletics, their sportsmanship, their faith, and their commitment to the CTK community. Recipients must compete in more than one sport and inspire those around them through their work ethic, attitude, and support of their teammates and school.

This year, the award is presented to two deserving recipients.

Claire Buchsbaum

Claire leads quietly, but her impact is impossible to miss. Always smiling, always encouraging, always the first to celebrate a teammate's success or lift up one who is struggling - she is the kind of athlete every program hopes to build around. Her coaches describe her as "the embodiment of CTK through her effort, dedication, leadership, and work ethic, setting a standard for everyone who will come after her." Setbacks don't slow her down. Adversity doesn't dim her positivity. She simply shows up, gives everything she has, and makes everyone around her better for it.

Kevin Bonilla

Kevin brings a different kind of energy - infectious, enthusiastic, and impossible to ignore. His coaches call him "the most coachable player I've ever coached and the heart of our team." He elevates the players around him simply by showing up with everything he has, every single time. And his Crusader spirit doesn't stay on the field or court - Kevin is a familiar face in the stands, cheering on his fellow classmates across every sport and every season.

Together, Claire and Kevin represent the very best of what CTK athletics stands for - not just winning, but competing with character, humility, and a genuine love for their school and one another.