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 2023-24, the WPIAL recognized winners of its annual Sportsmanship Award for the 28th 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" 4x6 banner, a PIAA Board of Directors resolution acknowledging their selection, and a distinctive paperweight with the miniature banner embedded inside. As of 2023, winning schools will share a $5,000 prize, courtesy of The Wilson Group. Recipients are also recognized at the annual WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit.
A total of 30 different WPIAL schools have won multiple Sportsmanship Awards, with South Fayette owning a league-best eight. The other schools who have won two or more are: Hampton (7), North Hills (7), West Allegheny (6), Derry (5), Peters Township (5), South Park (4), Bethel Park (3), Indiana (3), Moon (3), Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (3), Seneca Valley (3), Southmoreland (3), Summit Academy (3), Uniontown (3), Ambridge (2), Avonworth (2), Chartiers Valley (2), Connellsville (2), East Allegheny (2), Elizabeth Forward (2), Greensburg Salem (2), Laurel (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.
| Year |
School(s) |
| 2023-24 |
Cornell, Moon |
| 2022-23 |
Armstrong, Elizabeth Forward, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, South Fayette |
| 2021-22 |
Beaver, Hampton, Ligonier Valley, Penn-Trafford, Saint Joseph |
| 2020-21 |
Derry, Hampton, Laurel, Moon, Upper St. Clair |
| 2019-20 |
Hampton, Seneca Valley |
| 2018-19 |
Peters Township, Seneca Valley, West Greene, Winchester Thurston |
| 2017-18 |
Hampton, West Allegheny, Yough |
| 2016-17 |
Avonworth, Beaver Falls, Greensburg Salem |
| 2015-16 |
New Brighton, Peters Township, Trinity, Waynesburg Central, West Greene |
| 2014-15 |
Peters Township, Seneca Valley, South Fayette, South Park, West Allegheny |
| 2013-14 |
Bethel Park, Moon, Saint Joseph, South Fayette, South Park |
| 2012-13 |
Avonworth, Quaker Valley, South Fayette, South Park |
| 2011-12 |
Central Valley, Hampton, South Fayette, Summit Academy |
| 2010-11 |
Chartiers Valley, Montour, South Fayette |
| 2009-10 |
Hampton, Indiana, Yough |
| 2008-09 |
Bethel Park, Fox Chapel, Hampton, North Hills, West Allegheny |
| 2007-08 |
Bethel Park, Chartiers Valley, Freeport, North Hills, Serra Catholic |
| 2006-07 |
Burgettstown, Indiana, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Riverview |
| 2005-06 |
North Hills, West Allegheny |
| 2004-05 |
Keystone Oaks, North Hills |
| 2003-04 |
Hempfield Area, North Hills, South Allegheny, West Allegheny, Western Beaver |
| 2002-03 |
Ambridge, Carmichaels, Connellsville, North Hills, Shady Side Academy |
| 2001-02 |
Ambridge, Derry, Indiana, Mt. Lebanon, North Hills, West Allegheny |
| 2000-01 |
Albert Gallatin, Blackhawk, Derry, Kiski Area, Laurel, South Fayette, Southmoreland, Uniontown |
| 1999-00 |
Connellsville, Derry, Ford City, Norwin, Peters Township, South Fayette, Summit Academy, Woodland Hills |
| 1998-99 |
Butler, Deer Lakes, East Allegheny, Greensburg Salem, Mt. Pleasant, Neshannock, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland, Summit Academy |
| 1997-98 |
Apollo-Ridge, Elizabeth Forward, Franklin Regional, Greater Latrobe, Quaker Valley, Riverview, Southmoreland, South Park, Uniontown, West Mifflin |
| 1996-97 |
Baldwin, Bentworth, Derry, East Allegheny, Knoch, Peters Township, Shenango, South Side, Uniontown, Woodland Hills |