In 1997, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) and Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) launched the program entitled “SPORTSMANSHIP: The Only Piece Missing is You”. The purpose of the program is to promote sportsmanship in the schools and to reward those schools that best demonstrate the elements of good sportsmanship. In 2021-22, the WPIAL recognized winners of its annual Sportsmanship Award for the 26th year.

The selection process is based on the fall, winter, and spring seasons of the academic year. Schools are eligible to be nominated through either a self-assessment, by another school, or by an officials’ chapter. The WPIAL Sportsmanship Award Committee then meet to discuss the nominees, with a maximum of five schools eligible to be honored for their good sportsmanship. Winning schools are bestowed with a “SPORTSMANSHIP: The Only Missing Piece is You” 4×6 banner, a PIAA Board of Directors resolution acknowledging their selection, and a distinctive paperweight with the miniature banner embedded inside. Recipients are also recognized at the annual WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit.

A total of 29 different WPIAL schools have won multiple Sportsmanship Awards, with Hampton, North Hills, and South Fayette each owning a league-best seven. The other schools who have won two or more are: West Allegheny (6), Derry (5), Peters Township (5), South Park (4), Bethel Park (3), Indiana (3), Seneca Valley (3), Southmoreland (3), Summit Academy (3), Uniontown (3), Ambridge (2), Avonworth (2), Chartiers Valley (2), Connellsville (2), East Allegheny (2), Greensburg Salem (2), Laurel (2), Moon (2), Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (2), Penn-Trafford (2), Quaker Valley (2), Riverview (2), Saint Joseph (2), West Greene (2), Woodland Hills (2), and Yough (2).

A full list of champions by year can be found below.