NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Middle Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame hosted its 48th annual awards banquet Wednesday night at the Nashville Music City Sheraton.
Titans Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt, GM Ruston Webster and executive board member Kenneth Adams were on hand Wednesday night to help recognize scholar-athletes from 60 Middle Tennessee high schools and seven area universities for their combined accomplishments on the gridiron, academic excellence and community involvement.
Among the evening's highlights were the presentation of the "Roy Kramer Contribution to Football Award" to the family of the late Glenn McCadams, long-time head football coach at Lipscomb Academy. The award is presented to a "local individual who has been instrumental in promoting the game of football with the highest level of leadership, integrity and participation" and is named in honor of the former SEC Commissioner and Vanderbilt Athletic Director.
Scholar-athletes from every Nashville public and private high school with a football team were represented. In addition to all Davidson County schools, scholar-athletes from high schools in Cheatham, Rutherford, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson and Wilson counties were honored at one of the largest high school awards dinner held in Tennessee.
Seven area college football players were also recognized for their on-and-off-the field efforts as well. Scholar-athletes from Austin Peay State University, Cumberland University, Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological University, The University of the South and Vanderbilt University were also honored.
"The scholar-athlete banquet season highlights the best of the NFF's mission in promoting this great game of football," said NFF - Middle Tennessee Chapter President Robert M. Sullins. "These scholar-athletes are examples to their peers, having applied the same traits from the football field - discipline, teamwork, accountability - to all aspects of their life."
The NFF has 120 chapters across 47 states with 12,000 members nationwide and annually recognizes over 3,000 high school and college football student-athletes while collectively awarding almost $1 million in scholarships at the local banquets. More than 33,000 people have attended an NFF banquet this year, and they witnessed the best of the gridiron being honored for their outstanding achievement on the field, in the classroom and as leaders in their communities. Many chapter banquets also paid tribute to notable individuals from their local communities, bestowing Distinguished American Awards, Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Awards and Outstanding Football Official Awards. The all-time amount of scholarships disbursed by NFF chapters nationwide will approach $20 million this year.
Scholarships were awarded to each high school student at Wednesday's dinner thanks to the generosity of the family of the chapter's late President, Charles W. Hawkins, III.
Also among those honored tonight were David Meador, who received the chapter's "Bonnie Sloan Courage Award" which is presented to a college or professional athlete, coach or staff member who overcame obstacles and fought back to succeed. Meador is a four-time champion of the United States Blind Golf Association and also the immediate past president of that association.
NFF's Mission Statement: "Our mission is to promote and develop the power of amateur football in developing the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal and the drive for academic excellence in America's young people."
2013 NFF Charles W. Hawkins III High School Scholar-Athlete Winners
High School
First – middle name
Last name
Antioch High School
David Raymond
Young
Battle Ground Academy
Noah Walker
Mayberry
Beech High School
Andrew Lewellyn
Alexander
Blackman High School
William Brandon
Armstrong
Brentwood Academy
Tyler
Swafford
Brentwood High School
Robert Andrew
Schumpert
Cane Ridge High School
Micah Joseph
Kennedy
Centennial High School
Bailey
Wisniowski
Cheatham County Central High
Bryce
Beamer
Christ Presbyterian Academy
William Andrew Alvin
Manuel
Davidson Academy
Andrew Ray
Swann
Donelson Christian Academy
James Van Curen
Douglas
Eagleville High School
Daryl Ernest
Smith III
East Nashville Magnet School
Brandon
Van Leer
Ensworth School (The)
Parker Wyatt
Wade
Fairview High School
Brice Hunter
Myatt
Father Ryan High School
Stephen Sims
Stejskal
Franklin High School
Colton Kenneth
Black
Franklin Road Academy
Andrew Harkins
Looney
Friendship Christian School
Justin Mark
Truszkowski
Gallatin High School
Zachary Alexander
Kincaid
Glencliff High School
Nikolas Jake
Osborne
Goodpasture Christian School
James Carter
Wiseman
Harpeth High School
Richard Daulton Wayne
Rose
Hendersonville High School
Caleb Gentry
Long
Hillsboro High School
Porter Evan
Streator III
Hillwood High School
Demarcus Alexander
Watts
Hunters Lane High School
Tyler William
Bennett
Independence High School
Deion Thomas
Sims
La Vergne High School
Christopher Joseph
Fore
Lebanon High School
Bryce Wampoole
Suber
Lipscomb Academy
Cooper Douglas
Elkins
Maplewood High School
William Earl
Porter
McGavock High School
Ronald
Elliott
Middle Tenn Christian School
Charles Franklin
Roberts
Montgomery Bell Academy
Thomas Grey
Reames
Mt. Juliet Christian Academy
Noah Andrew
Wilson
Mt. Juliet High School
Michael Hanna
Khoury
Nashville Christian School
Ryan Hughes
Young
Oakland High School
David Lewis
Newman
Overton High School
Kevin Duane
Scott
Page High School
Zak Izak
Mizell
Pearl-Cohn High School
Hayden Ross
Gregory
Pope John Paul II High School
Lucas Ashton
Pulliza
Portland High School
Emilio
Almeridarez
Ravenwood High School
Justin Mark
Hammond
Riverdale High School
Kyle Phillip
Blevens
Siegel High School
James Weston
Hayes
Smyrna High School
Matthew Grant
Rodell
Station Camp High School
Bryson Daniel
Nash
Stewarts Creek High School
Nelson Robert
Masyan
Stratford High School
Terrance
Valentine Jr.
Summit High School
Philip Thomas
Shearry
Sycamore High School
Adam Wayne
Clanton
Trousdale County High School
James Patrick
Kelley
Watertown High School
Matthew B.
Putnam
Westmoreland High School
James Kaleb
Anderson
White House High School
John Wyatt
Bailey
Whites Creek High School
Leon Tyrell
Monget
Wilson Central High School
Jordan Bradford
McCullough
College /University Scholar-Athletes
* *
Austin Peay State University
Benjamin Byron
Stansfield
Cumberland University
Theodore Francis Beau
Baker III
Middle Tennessee State
Kenneth D'Antignac
Gilstrap II
Tennessee State University
Nicholas Deonte'
Thrasher
Tennessee Tech University
James McKenzie
Normand
University of the South - Sewanee
Atticus Lee
Frank
Vanderbilt University
John Fitz
Lassing
