Nard Cazzell
Cazzell was one of the founding fathers of competitive gymnastics and watched happily as the sport experienced a boom in popularity in recent years. Starting just after World War II, Cazzell founded Nard's Gymnastics School in Amarillo and trained hundreds of future collegiate, national, and youth champions. He was one of the first to train girls in the sport. In 1994, the United States Gymnastics Federation honored him with the organization's lifetime achievement award. Cazzell was just the fifth person so honored by the national federation. Cazzell graduated from Amarillo High in 1933. Cazzell had an interest in swimming and diving as a child. When he joined the Navy, he discovered a trampoline the Navy used in training and fell in love with tumbling and acrobatics. After the war, Cazzell discovered children could get scholarships for tumbling and gymnastics and decided to coach. He soon developed a thriving school and coached many national trampoline and all-around gymnastics champions.
thank you to our 2023 big play award sponsor
nard and Leslie cazzell memorial "big play" award winners
The Nard and Leslie Cazzell "Big Play" Memorial Award goes to an athlete who made an outstanding or crucial play during the year.
1980
Lisa Wright
Panhandle Basketball
1981
Ronald Baston
Clovis Football
1982
Phil King
Dimmitt Basketball
1983
Paula Dotson
Clarendon College
1984
Dwight McDonald
Dimmitt Basketball
1985
Scott Brown and Hayden Flowers
Amarillo High Football
1986
Mark Artho
Hereford Football
1987
Sam Zepeda
Wheeler Football
Darin Booth
Guymon Football
1988
Jamie Jesko
Clayton Basketball
T.W. Lowe and Teammates
White Deer Football
1989
Jason Lynch and Marty Melton
Amarillo High Football
1990
Cody Walker
Vega Basketball
1991
Doug Cavanaugh
Clovis Football
1992
Sandi Stevens
Canyon Basketball
1993
Ryan Loveless
Randall Football
1994
Rob Bass
Plainview Basketball
1995
Michael Bohensky
Angelo State and Caprock Decathlete
1996
Rayford Young
Pampa Basketball
1997
Denise Lee
Canadian Track and Field
1998
Michael Montgomery
Wheeler Football
1999
Rafael Compos
Hereford Football
2000
Tyler Dongen
West Texas A&M Soccer
2002
Austin Sherman
Dimmitt Basketball
2003
Chase Schulte
Nazareth Basketball
2004
Brendan Baker
Perryton Baseball
2005
Jacob Felton, Dale Davis, T.A. Quinonez
West Texas A&M Football
2006
Dustin Schulte
Nazareth Basketball
2007
Parker Petty
White Deer
2008
Ashlee Jefferies
Tascosa Soccer
2009
Nicky Rowland
Nazareth
2010
Braden Hudson and Jacob Ramirez
Canadian High
2011
Dreagon Patterson
Bushland Baseball
2012
Ethan Westbrooks
West Texas A&M Football
2013
Alex Watson and DonTa Bright
Amarillo Venom
2014
Brittany Gehle
West Texas A&M Softball
2015
Caitlyn Cunyis
Canyon Basketball
2016
Matthew Lynch
Canadian Basketball
2017
Zach Garza
Dumas Wrestler
2018
Madison Stokes
Amarillo High Girls Basketball
2019
Taylor Trammell
Amarillo Sod Poodles
2021
Josh Culwell & Reagan Cochran
Canadian High Football
2022
LaMarcus Penigar
Clarendon High School
2023
Ella Hester
Randall High School
