IRVING, Texas (July 16, 2021) – Despite the pandemic and social distancing mandates, the National Football Foundation (NFF) Chapter Network exhibited creativity and ingenuity this year to fulfill its mission of celebrating the academic excellence and leadership skills of the nation's top high school and college football players. Virtual events, hand delivery of awards, drive-thru presentations and in-person banquets (when allowed by local protocols) were among the techniques employed by chapters across the country. Other chapters broadcasted video tributes; produced programs; posted on social media; and created other special moments to honor the best in their respective communities.
 
"The passion of the NFF Chapter Network is boundless," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "These virtual celebrations demonstrate the valuable role our members play in encouraging leadership and applauding the academic performance of high school football players across the nation. Their efforts to promote their scholar-athletes, especially during a pandemic, are inspirational."
 
"We couldn't deny worthy candidates of this prestigious honor just because they didn't play football this past fall," said Bill O'Brien, who heads the Casey-O'Brien/New Haven Chapter in Connecticut."
 
"While the pandemic prevented us from gathering in person this year, we were thrilled to honor this outstanding group of high school football student-athletes in a virtual manner," said Mac Lawless, president of the Columbus Chapter in Ohio.
 
"In tough times people step up and go the extra mile," said Eric Hamilton, who heads the Delaware Valley Chapter in New Jersey.
 
With 120 chapters and more than 12,000 members, the NFF Chapter Network impacts more than 500,000 student-athletes at 5,000 high schools and 47 states each year. Together, the NFF chapters host more than 300 annual events, including coaching clinics, leadership conferences, media days and local awards banquets that recognize more than 3,500 scholar-athletes and distribute more than $1 million in annual scholarships.
 
The chapters also play the primary role in selection of the NFF Team of Distinction, which highlights top scholar-athletes from each region. This year, many chapters went the extra mile, using technology to promote their players and the game of football. The efforts of the chapter leaders resulted in many great memories and a 2021 NFF Team of Distinction with 64 outstanding members that will be announced later this month.
 
Arizona
 
The Valley of the Sun Chapter honored 33 student-athletes on May 11 during a virtual presentation, hosted by Brad Cesmat. The presentation included an interview with 2021 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Bob Stoops from Oklahoma as well as interviews with all the scholar-athletes. Click here to watch the virtual event and/or click here to visit the chapter's website.
 
California
 
The Los Angeles Chapter honored several scholar-athletes during June and July, visiting each honoree to present a plaque. The annual fundraiser and banquet canceled due to Covid-19 protocols, but will return next year.
 
The Northern California Chapter will honor 23 scholar-athletes in a virtual presentation on July 30. Several graduating seniors will receive $1,000 scholarships adding to the $958,000 the chapter has awarded in scholarships since 1960. The event will be livestreamed at 7 p.m. PDT on July 30 and can be watched by clicking here.
 
The Pasadena/San Gabriel Chapter honored its 2020/2021 scholar-athletes at a special drive-through event May 1, marking the outpost's 51st Annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet. The annual fundraiser, the Coach Jim Brownfield Memorial Golf Tournament, was placed on hold due to Covid-19 protocols, but will return next year. Click here to visit the chapter's website.
 
The Sacramento Valley Chapter honored local scholar-athletes during an in-person banquet May 8. With a full house of 140 donors, members and local attendees, Sacramento State Head Coach Troy Taylor delivered the keynote speech. Jay Erhart was presented the Amateur Football Award, and the chapter presented Mike Pereira its inaugural Officiating Award while naming it in his honor.
 
The Walter J. Zable/San Diego Chapter honored 26 scholar-athletes, visiting each honoree at their respective school to present a plaque and a scholarship. The chapter awarded $41,500 to the high school scholar-athletes and one college scholar-athlete. The Willie Jones Most Inspirational Player Award was given to Nicholas Gardinera and Coach of the Year awarded to Ervin Hernandez. Click here to visit the chapter's website.
 
Connecticut
 
The Casey-O'Brien/New Haven Chapter honored 26 scholar-athletes April 28 during an in-person reception, awarding $7,000 in scholarships. The chapter has honored 1,283 scholar-athletes from its 33 member schools every year since 1962.
 
Florida
 
The Collier County Chapter honored 12 individual student-athletes at an in-person banquet April 10, distributing a record $27,000 in scholarships to high school seniors. The chapter also began a new tradition of honoring a Special Olympics athlete at the event. Former NFL coach John Fox received the chapter's Distinguished American Award. Click here for coverage of the event.
 
The Tampa Chapter honored 20 individual student-athletes April 21 at an in-person banquet. The Tampa Chapter also hosted its inaugural Elite Junior Combine May 22. Co-sponsored with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, the event allowed the surrounding colleges to recruit more than 75 student-athletes to showcase their skills for the college coaches in attendance. 
 
Georgia
 
The University of Georgia Chapter honored seven scholar-athletes May 24 at an in-person banquet. "This may have been our most successful banquet," President John Tebeau said. Guest speakers included co-host of ESPN's "College GameDay" David Pollack, a three-time All-American at Georgia and a 2020 College Football Hall of Fame electee. Click here for coverage of the event.
 
Indiana
 
The Central Indiana Chapter honored 15 scholar-athletes June 13 at an in-person event. The gathering attracted more than 200 members, donors and locals to the Primo Banquet Hall in Indianapolis.
 
The Joe Tiller/Northwest Indiana Chapter recognized 19 scholar-athletes while honoring a total of 65 student-athletes June 27 during an in-person event at the Purdue Memorial Union Ballroom in West Lafayette. The chapter's 17th annual event was co-sponsored by the Lafayette Journal & Courier and the Indiana Football Coaches Association. The banquet included a brunch entitled "Celebrating Our Legends XVII" and a Legends Award presentation to College Football Hall of Fame inductee Leroy Keyes, who passed away April 15. The chapter will stage an Honors Reception Sept. 2, followed by the Tyler Trent Golf Outing the next day. Click here for coverage and photos of the event.
 
The Moose Krause Chapter, despite being prohibited from holding an in-person banquet, still honored its normal slate of local scholar-athletes, presenting them all with plaques while awarding four scholarships totaling $17,000.
 
The Southern Indiana Chapter will honor eight scholar-athletes at an in-person event July 31 at the Gibson County Fairgrounds Toyota Events Center in Princeton, Indiana. Due to the success of their 2020 Benefit Auction, the chapter has doubled the scholarships it will present to $1,000 per recipient.  Click here for more information.
 
Kansas
 
The Coach Bill Snyder/ Sunflower Chapter honored 13 scholar-athletes July 6 during a virtual presentation. The chapter awarded five scholarships, totaling $3,500, and Dillons Foods of Kansas served as the presenting sponsor of the event.  "We commend these young men for their accomplishments on and off the field," Chapter President Gerry McGuire said. "This was no doubt a challenging year for them as they also dealt with the pandemic. We wish them continued success as they write the next chapter of their lives." Click here to watch the presentation.
 
Louisiana
 
The Allstate Sugar Bowl Chapter honored 31 scholar-athletes May 26 during an in-person banquet at the Audubon Tea Room in New Orleans. The chapter awarded $60,000 in scholarships with four individuals receiving $10,000 each and one scholar-athlete taking home the top prize of $20,000. NFF Chairman Archie Manning, a 1989 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Ole Miss, attended, participating in the recognition of each of the honorees. Jay Roth, who served as the head coach at Archbishop Rummel for 24 years, received the Contribution to Amateur Football Award. Click here for coverage of the event.
 
The Miss/Lou Chapter honored six scholar-athletes awarding $10,000 in scholarships, visiting the honorees at their respective schools for the presentations. The Chapter hosted the Annual Joe Fortunato-Allen Brown Golf Classic at Beau Pre Country Club May 1 to raise the funds for the scholarships.
 
The S.M. McNaughton (Shreveport) Chapter honored eight scholar-athletes and several coaches from North Louisiana July 13. The chapter also presented its Distinguished American Award to former LSU standout and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Johnny Robinson. Click here to read coverage of the event in the Shreveport Times.
 
Maine
 
The Howard Vandersea State of Maine Chapter honored 17 scholar-athletes May 26 during a virtual Zoom presentation. The chapter hosted its annual golf tournament July 12 at the Dungrass Golf Club to raise funds for the scholarships. Click here to watch the presentation.
 
Maryland
 
The Greater Baltimore Chapter staged its 58^th Annual Awards Banquet as a virtual presentation. The chapter honored 72 scholar-athletes and awarded $10,000 to five individuals who each claimed a $2,000 scholarship. Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and Towson head coach Rob Ambrose delivered special messages to the honorees. Click here to watch the presentation and click here to read the coverage in the Baltimore Sun.
 
Minnesota
 
The Minnesota Chapter honored eight scholar-athletes and another 18 honorable mentions May 12 at an in-person event. The Minnesota Football Honors show, presented by the Minnesota Vikings, aired on Bally Sports North (formerly Fox Sports North), showcasing the chapter high school, college and professional honorees in conjunction with the Minnesota Vikings. Click here for more information and a full list of honorees.
 
Missouri
 
The Tom Lombardo/St. Louis Chapter honored 11 scholar-athletes May 2 at an in-person event, presenting each with a $1,500 scholarship. The chapter also recognized two high school athletes for their perseverance on and off the field with a Most Inspirational/Courageous Award. The chapter holds a robust luncheon speakers series, including a recent appearance by Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz.

Nebraska

The Nebraska Chapter will honor six standout players and a long-time assistant coach as part its 2020 Nebraska Football Hall of Fame Class. The inductees were announced in December, and because of the COVID-19 pandemic, their induction was delayed. They will be officially inducted in the fall at a banquet and a Nebraska home football game. A 2021 class will be announced in the near future and honored this fall too. Click here for the list of inductees.
 
New Hampshire
 
The Joe Yukica/New Hampshire Chapter honored 40 scholar-athletes at an in-person event. Former Brown University head coach Phil Estes joined former New Hampshire Governor John H. Sununu and former Manchester West and Trinity football coach Dick Powers amongst the adults receiving recognition for their contributions to the game and the community.
 
New Jersey
 
The Delaware Valley Chapter honored 23 scholar-athletes April 25 during a virtual presentation, which was streamed as a pre-recorded event on YouTube. The chapter awarded $28,000 in scholarships this year, bringing its all-time total to more than $1 million. Click here to watch the chapter's 59^th Annual George Wah Awards Event. Click here for the dinner program.
 
The Essex County Chapter honored 37 scholar-athletes, hand delivering the awards to each honoree. The Chapter distributed $18,000 in scholarships. The chapter also incorporated the 10 football playing schools from Hudson County as part of the effort.
 
The Greater Morris County Chapter honored 38 high school scholar-athletes and a player from Fairleigh Dickinson University May 16 during a virtual awards ceremony. The chapter also presented its Distinguished American Award to former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley and several other awards to local coaches and contributors. Click here to watch the event.
 
New York
 
The Capital District Chapter honored 50 high school scholar-athletes, hand delivering the awards to the schools for distribution directly to the honorees. Ten scholar-athletes claimed recognition as the top winners receiving a separate plaque for their schools.
 
The Westchester Chapter held an in-person event July 14 at the Westchester Country Club, honoring its Golden Dozen Scholar-Athletes along with another 18 honorable mentions. The chapter awarded $27,000. The event marked the 49th Annual Golden Dozen Banquet. The chapter has honored more than 600 scholar-athletes, awarding more than $625,000 in scholarships since its first banquet in 1974. Click here for coverage of the event.
 
North Carolina
 
The Corrigan-Faircloth Chapter, celebrating its 30th anniversary, honored 29 Triad-area football high school scholar-athletes April 26 in a virtual presentation. Each scholar-athlete received a $1,000 scholarship. Click here to watch a video and read about the event.
 
The NFFCHOF Bill Dooley Chapter will honor five college scholar-athletes July 23 during its Annual Pigskin Preview, which will take place in-person this year at the Embassy Suites in Cary, North Carolina. The chapter will bestow the 2020 and 2021 Bill Dooley Chapter Award of Excellence with each recipient claiming a $10,000 scholarship. The four runners-up for both 2020 and 2021 will each be presented a $2,000 scholarship. In total, $36,000 will be awarded during the event. The chapter will also recognize Dick Havens (Distinguished American Award) and John Roth (Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award). The event will feature remarks from head coaches Mack Brown (North Carolina), David Cutcliffe (Duke), Dave Doeren (NC State), Trei Oliver (NC Central) and Mike Houston (East Carolina). Click here to learn more about the event.
 
North Dakota
 
The Roughrider State Chapter honored five scholar-athletes June 19 during an in-person event. The honorees were recognized at the North Dakota Shrine Bowl Banquet with approximately 700 people in attendance. Click here to learn more about the event and the scholar-athletes.
 
Ohio
 
The Columbus Chapter honored 14 high school scholar-athletes during a virtual presentation April 19, which was streamed on Zoom. The scholar-athletes received a combined $15,000 in scholarships. The top coaches in the region were also recognized for their achievements this past season. Click here to watch a replay of the event.
 
The Greater Cincinnati Chapter honored 15 scholar-athletes April 22 at an in-person banquet. The chapter awarded $15,000 in scholarships to the scholar-athletes, two who will be attending a service academy this fall.
 
The Toledo/Wistert Chapter partnered with BCSN to create a show to honor 40 high school scholar-athletes, which aired March 15. The chapter awarded eight scholarships, totaling $21,000. The show included congratulatory messages from head coaches Brian Kelly (Notre Dame), Luke Fickell (Cincinnati), Matt Campbell (Iowa State), Jason Candle (Toledo), Scott Loefler (Bowling Green State), former Northwestern LB Nate Hall and former Michigan State Punter Brandon Fields.
 
Oregon
 
The Oregon Chapter honored 78 high school scholar-athletes during the month of June with tributes in social media. The chapter has awarded more than $375,000 in scholarships since its inception in 1988. Click here for a sample tribute by the Oregon Chapter.
 
Pennsylvania
 
The Central Pennsylvania Chapter honored 71 high school scholar-athletes throughout April and May. Volunteers and coaches hand delivered many of the individual awards with the remainder sent via mail. Nine college scholar-athletes were also honored by the chapter. The chapter presented 16 of the high school scholar-athletes with $1,000 scholarships each. Click here to visit the chapter's Facebook page to see several of the presentations.
 
The Lehigh Valley Chapter honored 33 scholar-athletes during a virtual presentation produced by Service Electric Cable and broadcasted on both the SECTV and Blue Ridge Cable platforms. Nazareth quarterback Matt Bugbee claimed the Albert M. Beneck Memorial Lehigh Valley Scholar-Athlete Award, and Salisbury record-breaking receiver Chad Parton received the Edward J. Watto Memorial Community Service Award. Click here for coverage of the event in The Morning Call.
 
The Schuylkill/Pottsville Chapter, celebrating its 60th anniversary, honored 13 scholar-athletes May 30 during a virtual presentation. Click here to watch the presentation, including interviews with each of the honorees.
 
Rhode Island
 
The Emo DiNitto/Rhode Island Chapter honored 19 scholar-athletes and their parents at an in-person brunch June 16. Three players each claimed $1,000 scholarships. The chapter hosted its annual golf tournament at the Cranston Country Club July 14. Click here to learn more about the chapter.
 
Tennessee
 
The Memphis Chapter honored 12 scholar-athletes. The chapter was able to present six of the honorees with their awards as surprises at school assemblies or football banquets. The chapter also honored one scholar-athlete from both the University of Memphis and Rhodes College.
 
The Mountain Empire Chapter honored 10 scholar-athletes May 8 during an in-person banquet at the DoubleTree in Johnson City. The chapter also honored several coaches for their accomplishments and contributions to the game. East Tennessee State University Head Coach Randy Sanders and Carson-Newman Offensive Coordinator Brock Pursley were the featured speakers at the event. Click here to read coverage in the Times News. The Mountain Empire Chapter also held the Grand Opening and Inaugural Induction of the National Football Foundation Mountain Empire Hall of Fame at the Meadow View Conference Resort and Convention Center in Kingsport. The chapter inducted 31 individuals in the inaugural class, including game officials, coaches, players and community leaders. Click here to read coverage of the event in the Times News.
                       
Texas
 
The Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter honored 61 student-athletes during a virtual presentation March 21. The chapter also recognized four collegiate scholar-athletes, the top-local high school coaches and several local leaders during the presentation. Award-winning sportscaster Scott Murray received the chapter's Distinguished Texan Award while also emceeing the event for the 12th consecutive year.  Click here to watch the awards show and click here for a full list of the honorees.
 
The Golden Triangle Chapter (Beaumont/Port Arthur TX) presented Nederland High School coach Monte Barrow with the Second Annual NFF Bum Phillips Golden Triangle Coach of the Year Award at the Museum of The Gulf Coast on April 19. Click here to read about the presentation of the award. The chapter also presented high school preseason awards in the fall, soliciting input from more than 400 voters.
 
The TD Club of Houston Chapter honored 25 scholar-athletes Feb. 10 during an in-person presentation, marking their 22nd Annual High School Scholar-Athlete Luncheon. Each of the 25 finalists received a $500 scholarship while Brandon Fornero of Caney Creek High School was named the top scholar-athlete. The chapter has awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships during the past 22 years.
 
Utah
 
The Utah Chapter honored 11 scholar-athletes March 11 during an in-person banquet at the Little America Hotel Ballroom in Salt Lake City, presenting each honoree with a scholarship. Former University of Utah standout and current Denver Bronco Garrett Bolles received the chapter's Distinguished American Award, and the chapter also honored longtime BYU coach Tom Ramage. Click here for the press release.
 
Wisconsin
 
The Wisconsin Chapter, prohibited by state and local regulations from having an in-person event because of the pandemic, honored 94 student-athletes, sending them a personalized plaque and a nameplate for their school's institutional plaque. The chapter selected 11 of the honorees for $500 scholarships, awarding a total of $5,500.
 
Wyoming
 
The Wyoming Chapter received 96 nominations for Wyoming's Scholar-Athlete of the Year, selecting 11 scholar-athletes as finalists in a Jan. 19 press release. Each finalist, the most outstanding back and lineman from each classification, was presented with a $1,200 scholarship. The winner of Wyoming's Scholar-Athlete of the Year received an additional $1,200 scholarship. Click here for the press release.