The National Football Foundation's CHAPTER NETWORK

APRIL 18, 2018 • Volume 14 Issue 1 Presented by

Mike Cleary/Northeast Ohio Chapter Celebrates 30th Annual Banquet

The 2018 Chapter Scholar-Athlete Award winners were recognized for their outstanding accomplishments on the field, in the classroom and community.

Joe Thomas, a 2006 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award winner from Wisconsin, The NEO Chapter presented its second annual “I’m a Football Mom” Award to attended the event as a VIP speaker. He joined Justin Sands from St. Ignatius Allison Kure and the mothers of Kenston High School. Nearly 30 people High School for a photo. Sands will play at Penn in the fall, and Thomas recently attended as supporters, from youth and high school families announced his retirement after 11 years with the Cleveland Browns. to the superintendent of the district.

Mount Union coach Vince Kehres accepted the Lee Tressel Ohio College Coach of the Year Award. He is the only person honored by the NEO chapter as a high school student-athlete, a college student-athlete and a coach. Kehres has played a role in 12 of Mount Union’s 13 national titles, Each collegiate scholar-athletes received a $2,000 postgraduate scholarship. The either as a player, assistant coach or head coach. chapter has awarded more than $394,000 in postgraduate scholarships to date. PresentedPresented byby

Chicago Metro Chapter Distributes $21,000 in Scholarships at Halas Hall

The six high school scholar-athletes each received a $3,500 scholarship from the Chicago Metro Chapter and the Chicago Bears charitable arm, Bears Care. The event is held annually at Halas Hall, the training facility and headquarters of the Chicago Bears.

Assumption College kicker Cole Tracy accepted the Fred Mitchell Outstanding Placekicker Award. Former Assumption head coach Bob Chesney (left), now at Numerous college and pro football hall of fame inductees annually attend the Holy Cross, and award namesake Fred Mitchell attended to congratulate Tracy. event. L-R: Dan Hampton (Pro); Richard Dent (Pro); Steve McMichael (Texas); A long-time Chicago Tribune sports columnist, Mitchell excelled as a record- Ted Hendricks (Miami, Fla.); and Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern). setting placekicker at Wittenberg University.

Recipients of the NFF Mental Toughness Awards, L-R: Erik Mikkelson, Illinois State; Chad Beebe, Northern Illinois; Nick Allegretti, Illinois; Cole The chapter’s outstanding leadership includes a dedicated group of sponsors Tracey, Assumption College, Fred Mitchell Award Recipient; Tyler Lancaster, and supporters, L-R: Greg Loberg, chapter president Chris Kearney, John Northwestern; Jaelon Acklin, Western Illinois. Winegardner, Todd Wilkins and Rob Perry. PresentedPresented byby

Northern California Chapter Reaches New Heights at 58th Annual Awards Dinner Chapter has honored 1,296 scholar-athletes and awarded $888,000 in scholarships.

One of the oldest chapters in the entire NFF Chapter Network, the Northern California Chapter honored 24 standouts from the 12 Bay Area Counties.

Long-time chapter president Bob Keropian continues to lead the stellar group. Keropian, a four-sport letterman at San Francisco State, went on to a career in education, including 29 years as principal at El Camino A dedicated board of directors has kept this chapter going strong for nearly six High School. Joined by chapter board member Adam Henderson, decades, L-R: Lawrence Fan, Eric Bjornson, John Wiegmann, Mike Terrizzi, Keropian has served as chapter president for 22 years. Edward Madigan and Edward Madigan II.

Additional board members and guests included, seated L-R: Maureen Horan; Mark Fabbri, Assistant Coach Sacred Heart Cathedral; Phil Abrams; Janice Lee; 2003 Chapter Leadership Award Chapter board member Jon Salinger presents a scholar-athlete winner Barbara Corrigan. Standing L-R: Erin Grieb; Mark Grieb, head coach at Sacred Heart plaque to Pranav Amuthasenthil from Dublin High School. Cathedral; banquet emcee Bob Lee; Abhaya Krishnan; Harini Krishnan; and Vikas Krishnan.