Congrats to our Burghardt Sporting Goods Athletes of the Month for February 2026, Valentino Vargas (Boys Wrestling) and Bryson Dorris (Boys Basketball). These two wonderful student athletes set a good example for others and exhibit the greatest all around attributes of our Core Values: Relationships, Communication, Growth, Love & Biblical Truth and our #PillarsofAthletics: Faith, Excellence, Commitment and Character. #AOTM
Head Boys Wrestling Coach, Tony Romano had this to say of Valentino, “Val’s commitment to the offseason, both in the weight room and in the wrestling room, has been evident all season long. While he may not be the most vocal leader, he leads by example and consistently pushes everyone around him to be better. He has spent nearly the entire season ranked and recognized across the state, and he entered the state tournament with an impressive 41–1 record, ranked 5th in a field of 14 wrestlers.
As a young man who also enjoys playing football, it has been incredible to watch his love and passion for wrestling grow the way it has. Even more meaningful has been watching his faith mature over the years. He’s grown from a kid who was nervous to speak the wrestler’s prayer to a young man whose voice is clearly heard and confidently spoken as we pray together. My prayer is that he continues to use the gifts God has blessed him with — not only athletically, but in every area of his life.”
Head Boys Basketball coach, DeMonte Bynum had this to say about Bryson, “Bryson has demonstrated tremendous growth, effort, and leadership over the past month. His energy and effort have been outstanding. Over his last five games, he has been playing with a completely different bounce and rhythm that has elevated his performance and our team as a whole. His production during this stretch has been impressive.
While his statistics speak for themselves, what stands out even more is the consistency of his work ethic and commitment to growth. Bryson has been the engine behind our team’s hard work. He is constantly looking for opportunities to get in the gym, put in extra time, and improve his game. His focus and discipline in practice have been exceptional, and he approaches each day with purpose.
Bryson demonstrates strong teamwork and communication. He encourages his teammates, competes with a positive attitude, and holds himself accountable. He has shown perseverance through challenges and continues to grow because of his willingness to be coached and learn.
Most importantly, Bryson represents Martin Luther’s core values both on and off the court. He competes with integrity and sportsmanship, respects coaches and opponents, and carries himself in a way that reflects positively on our program. Bryson is not just performing at a high level, he is setting the standard through his energy, commitment, and dedication to continuous improvement. For these reasons, I am proud to nominate Bryson Dorris for Athlete of the Month.”
Martin Luther High School recognizes an Athlete of the Month each month of the school year. Using the selection criteria below, the coaching staff of each varsity sport being played during any given month will nominate one individual in a sport being played that month. The ML Admin team will select a winner from the pool of nominees based on the selection criteria below in addition to performance statistics from competitions during that month.
Athlete of the Month selection will be based on the following criteria based of our core values:
Relationships
Commitment (toward practices, games and continued improvement)
Teamwork
Communication
Focus and Discipline
Accountability for oneself and others
Growth
Positive attitude and enthusiasm for their sport both on and off the field/court
Work Ethic
Willingness to learn (coachability)
Perseverance (overcoming challenges)
Love
Sportsmanship (respect coaches, officials, opponents, teammates)
Honesty (playing by rules, character)
Biblical Truth
Community service and involvement
Demonstrates their faith on a consistent basis.
It should be noted that the Athlete of the Month may not merely be the “star” player, but rather a team member who sets a good example for others and exhibits the greatest all around attributes of our core values.