Chapter Network - The National Football Foundation

The National Football Foundation’s
The National Football Foundation’s Chapter Network
Presented by
Chapter Network
Presented by
March 27, 2008 - Vol. 4, Issue 6
Posting a near perfect 3.94 GPA average, ten high
school scholar-athletes took home a total of $20,000 in
scholarships at the 11th Annual Southern Arizona Chapter
Scholar-Athlete Banquet March 2 behind the leadership of
chapter president Ted Schmidt.
At the event, the chapter announced the naming of
its coaching academy in memory of the late Larry Smith,
who passed away in January. Smith, a former head coach
at Arizona, Tulane, Southern California and Missouri, was
a chapter board member and played an instrumental role in
the chapter’s annual coaching academy. His wife Cheryl
attended, providing $1,000 for each of the 10 scholarship
winners as the chapter established the NFF Larry Smith
Endowment.
The scholarship winners included: Christopher
Carlson, Ironwood Ridge HS; Zoar Morales, Catalina
Magnet HS; Jason Nottingham, Sabino HS; Dominick
San Angelo, Sahuaro HS; Paul Perez, Santa Rita HS;
Jordon Landwerlen, Valley Union HS; Joseph Bass,
Tucson Magnet HS; Ray Nettling, Canyon del Oro HS;
David Nicholas, Thatcher HS and Michael Knitowski,
Flowing Wells HS.
Spencer Larsen, a three-year starting linebacker
at Arizona, claimed the chapter’s collegiate scholar-athlete
award while Joshua Hurley earned recognition as a youth
player.
Jack Lengyel, a member of the National NFF
Board, delivered the keynote speech. A veteran athletics
director, Lengyel’s story recently became the subject
of the Hollywood film We Are Marshall, which tells his
story about rebuilding the football program after the tragic
1970 plane crash that killed most of the team. Local radio
and TV personality Dana Cooper emceed the event.■
Building Leaders Through Football
Arizona Chapter Establishes Larry Smith Endowment
Jordon Landwerlen
Coach Larry Smith
Dana Cooper and Joseph Bass
Ray Nettling and Jack Lengyel
Jack Lengyel (center) joins the Southern Arizona Scholar-Athletes on the dais of the University of Arizona Student Union Ballroom.
Page 1
www.footballfoundation.org March 27, 2008

The National Football Foundation’s Chapter Network
Presented by
Carmazzi Returns to Inspire the Next Generation
Sacramento chapter honors 24 scholar-athletes and distributes $12,000.
Distributing $12,000, the Sacramento Chapter honored
24 scholar-athletes at a March 5 banquet.
Giovanni Carmazzi, a 1999 NFF National
Scholar-Athlete from Hofstra University, delivered the
keynote address. A native of the area, Carmazzi played
at Jesuit HS, earning scholar-athlete honors from the
chapter in 1996 and nationally as the winner of the
NFF West Region Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Only
three other people have claimed all three NFF honors:
Bobby Hoying (Ohio State); Eion Hu (Harvard) and
Jon Sinchcomb (Georgia). A 2000 draft pick of the San
Francisco 49ers, Carmazzi earned a spot on the roster for
two seasons as a backup QB before heading to the Rhein
Fire of NFL Europa and then to the CFL for stints with
the BC Lions and Calgary Stampeders.
The chapter also recognized four area high
school coaches. For the outstanding performance of
their teams on the field and running first class programs
off the field, Tony Franks, the head coach of St Mary’s
HS Stockton, and Casey Taylor, the head coach at Del
Oro HS, each claimed a Red Smith Outstanding Coach
Award. Max Miller, who is retiring after 48 years as the
head coach at Rancho Cordova HS, received the Life
Time Devotion Award, and Dick Sperbeck, a former
high school coach, claimed with the chapter’s Outstanding
Contribution to Amateur Football Award.
Nearly 400 people attended the event, which
was led by Chapter President Rowland “Red” Smith.
Currently in his 61st year of coaching football, Smith
helped found the chapter 23 years ago. In 1993, the NFF
honored him with the first Chapter Leadership Award for
the West Region. ■
Giovanni Carmazzi spoke to the 2008 class of Sacramento
Scholar-Athletes (left). In 1999, he won an NFF National Scholar-Athlete
Award for his accomplishments at Hofstra (right).
Outstanding Coach of the Award winner Tony Franks of St. Mary’s
HS (left) visits with Chapter President Red Smith (right).
Coach Max Miller leads his team in prayer before his last game.
The 2008 Sacramento Chapter Scholar-Athletes
Bear River HS Scholar-Athlete Tom
Jones in pursuit of another QB.
Page 2
www.footballfoundation.org March 27, 2008

The National Football Foundation’s Chapter Network
Presented by
Orange County Boasts One of the Largest Classes Nationwide
The Orange County Chapter, led by President Dick Whitney, honored 77 scholarathletes
with an average 3.7 GPA at their 38th annual awards banquet March 3.
Sixty-eight of the student-athletes came from the high school ranks while the
other nine currently attend area colleges. Nearly 600 people attended the event at the
Anaheim Convention Center as the chapter presented a total of $26,000 in scholarships.
One of the largest classes of scholar-athletes in the country, the group contained
16 scholar-athletes who had signed letters of intent at top colleges, including UCLA,
Michigan, UNLV, Washington State, and the U.S. Naval Academy. The class included
All-State selections Warren Reuland, who will graduate from Mission Viejo HS to play
at Stanford, and Khaled Holmes, who heads to USC after his career at Mater Dei HS.
The top scholarship awards, the Paul Schwegler Award and the Paul Cleary Scholarship
Award, went to Christian Daniel of Canyon HS and to Phillip Rodriguez of Ocean
View HS, respectively.
Kyle Olson, a chapter scholar-athlete two years ago from Kennedy HS, returned
with a 3.92 GPA at Fullerton Community College to accept honors. He now heads to the
University of Pennsylvania to play quarterback.
Arena Football League Commissioner David Baker delivered the event’s keynote
remarks while former NFF President Bob Casciola and California Interscholastic
Federation Assistant Commissioner Bob Wigod also spoke. Award-winning sportscaster
Ed Arnold from KOCE-TV emceed, and Orange County Register Steve Fryer
reporter read the scholar-athlete biographies.
Four area coaches accepted honors as 2007 champions in their respective divisions:
Ray Fenton, Cypress HS; Harry Welch, St. Margaret’s HS; Jeff Bailey, El Dorado
HS; and Frank Mazzotta, La Habra HS. Bill Boswell claimed the chapter’s Contribution
to Amateur Football Award, and Stan Guzy, Greg Willard and Joe Kozak
took home Outstanding Football Official Awards. ■
Dick Whitney & Bill Boswell
Steve Fryer
Stan Guzy & Greg Willard
Dick Whitney, David Baker & Ed Arnold
Ray Fenton, Harry Welch, Jeff Bailey & Frank Mazzotta
Chris Daniel & Bob Casciola
The 2008 Orange County Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Recipients
Philip Rodriquez
Page 3
www.footballfoundation.org March 27, 2008

The National Football Foundation’s Chapter Network
Presented by
NFF Tennessee Tri-Cities Pioneer Memorialized
17 Outstanding Citizens claim the first Hunter Jackson Scholar-Athlete Awards.
In a moving tribute to its late founder, The Tri-Cities
Chapter announced that their scholar-athlete awards
will be named for Hunter Jackson in perpetuity.
Jackson, a longtime college and professional
football official, was active with the NFF for many
years, launching the Tri-Cities Chapter in 1992. He
died this past October at the age of 82.
The announcement came during an emotional
presentation at the chapter’s March 11 banquet in
Johnson City, Tenn., with Hunter’s son, Center Jackson,
accepting a plaque proclaiming the newly named
Hunter Jackson Scholar-Athlete Awards.
A 2000 recipient of an NFF Chapter Leadership
Award for the South Region, Jackson earned
induction into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame for
his athletic accomplishments, primarily as an AFL &
NFL official for more than 25 years.
The first class of Hunter Jackson Scholar-
Athlete Award recipients included 17 young men with
a combined 3.7 GPA. From this impressive group, the
chapter selected the following five seniors to receive a
total of $5,400 in scholarships: Evan Ellis, Elizabethton
HS; Tyler Blevins, Happy Valley HS; Lane Dukart,
Dobyns Bennett HS; Jordan Shively, Cherokee
HS; and Ryan McQueen from Johnson County HS.
Larry Seivers, a two-time All-America WR at
Tennessee and the 1976 SEC Male Athlete of the Year,
delivered a stirring keynote speech to the scholar-athletes.
The chapter’s current success continues behind
the hard work of an active board and the dynamic
leadership of Chapter President Ron Shrum. ■
Hunter Jackson
Scholar-Athlete Lane Dukart
Larry Seivers
Scholar-Athlete Evan Ellis
The five Tri-Cities Chapter Scholarship Winners: Evan Ellis,
Tyler Blevins, Lane Dukart, Jordan Shively & Ryan McQueen.
President Ron Shrum is at the podium.
The inaugural class of Hunter Jackson Scholar-Athlete Award
recipients included 17 young men who tallied a combined 3.7 GPA.
They accepted their awards at the Tri-Cities March 11 banquet.
Page 4
www.footballfoundation.org March 27, 2008

The National Football Foundation’s Chapter Network
Presented by
2008 NFF Chapter Award Banquets
Over the next few months the NFF Chapter Network will distribute nearly $1 million
to the best and the brigthest from the amateur gridiron at awards banquets nationwide. Covering more
than 4,800 high schools and 400,000 student-athletes, the NFF stands as one of the leading voices in the
promotion of leadership, sportsmanship, competitve zeal and the drive for academic excellence.
Chapter and (Baquet Location) Date Chapter and (Banquet Location) Date
Auburn (Auburn, AL) Mar. 27, 2008 Bergen County (East Rutherford, NJ) May TBA, 2008
Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR) Apr. 12, 2008 South Jersey (Galloway, NJ) Mar. 2, 2008
Valley of the Sun (Phoenix, AZ) Feb. 23, 2008 Passaic County (North Hale, NJ) Mar. 6, 2008
Southern Arizona (Tuscon, AZ) Mar. 2, 2008 Essex County (West Orange, NJ) Mar. 11, 2008
Northern California (San Francisco, CA) Feb. 21, 2008 Delaware Valley (Princeton, NJ) Mar. 16, 2008
Pasadena (Pasadena, CA) Mar. 3, 2008 Bill Denney (East Brunswick, NJ) Apr. 6, 2008
Orange County (Anaheim, CA) Mar. 3, 2008 Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV) May 23, 2008
Sacramento Valley (Sacramento, CA) Mar. 5, 2008 Nassau County (Woodbury, NY) Dec. 2, 2007
San Fernando (Studio City, CA) Mar. 11, 2008 Suffok County (Woodbury, NY) Dec. 9, 2007
Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA) Mar. 14, 2008 Central New York (Verona, NY) Jan. 27, 2008
Riverside County (Corona, CA) Mar. 16, 2008 Westchester County (Rye, NY) Jan. 31, 2008
Walter J. Zable (San Diego, CA) Mar. 28, 2008 Rochester, (Rochester, NY) Apr. 27, 2008
San Bernardino (San Bernardino, CA) May 17, 2008 Southern Tier (Binghamton, NY) May 4, 2008
Colorado (Denver, CO) Feb. 18, 2008 Capital District (Albany, NY) May 12, 2008
Gene J. Casey (New Haven, CT) Mar. 30, 2008 Columbus (Columbus, OH) Feb. 11, 2008
Southeastern Conn. (Uncasville, CT) Apr. 6, 2008 Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH) Feb, 21, 2008
Ralph DeSantis (Norwalk, CT) Apr. 10, 2008 Sprinfield (Springfield, OH) Mar. 5, 2008
Tampa (Tampa, FL) Apr. 23, 2008 Toledo (Toledo, OH) Mar. 10, 2008
Brian Piccolo (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) Apr. 20, 2008 Northeast Ohio (Cleveland, OH) Apr. 28, 2008
University of Georgia (Athens, GA) Apr. 21, 2008 Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, OK) Apr. 15, 2008
Hawaii (Honolulu, HI) Apr. 27, 2008 Portland (Portland, OR) Dec. 12, 2007
Iowa (Des Moines, IA) Mar. 29, 2008 Lehigh Valley (Northampton, PA) Feb. 10, 2008
Southern Idaho (Boise, ID) Apr. 26, 2008 Schuykill/Pottsville (Pottsville, PA) Mar. 30, 2008
Chicago Metro (Chicago, IL) Feb. 13, 2008 Central Pennslvania (State College, PA) Mar. 30, 2008
Central Indiana (Indianapolis, IN) Feb. 24, 2008 Philadelphia (Villanova, PA) May 7, 2008
Joe Tiller/Northwest Indiana (West Lafayette, IN) June 13, 2008 Rhode Island (W. Warwick, RI) May 6, 2008
S.M. McNaughton (Shreveport, LA) Feb. 21, 2008 Midlands (Columbia, S.C.) Apr. 22, 2008
Allstate Sugar Bowl (New Orleans, LA) Mar. 18, 2008 Middle Tennessee (Nashville, TN) Mar. 4, 2008
Western Mass. (Amherst, MA) Apr. 8, 2008 Tri-Cities (Johnson City, TN) Mar. 10, 2008
Joe Mewhiney (Marlborough, MA) May 4, 2008 East Tennessee (Knoxville, TN) Apr. 19, 2008
Jack Grinold (Boston, MA) May 12, 2008 Memphis (Memphis, TN) May 12, 2008
Baltimore (Baltimore, MD) Mar. 5, 2008 Houston TD Club (Houston, TX) Nov. 7, 2007
State of Maine (Brunswick, ME) May 21, 2008 Texas Tech (Lubbock, TX) Apr. 30, 2008
Michigan (Detroit, MI) Dec. 12, 2007 Greater Austin (Austin, TX) May 12, 2008
Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) Apr. 27, 2008 Utah (Orem, UT) Apr. 23, 2008
Tom Lombardo (St. Louis, MO) May 4, 2008 National Captial (Washington, D.C.) Apr. 6, 2008
Miss/Lou (Natchez, MS) Feb. 21, 2008 Commonwealth (Richmond, VA) Apr. 20, 2008
Montana (Helena, MT) Apr. 26, 2008 Vermont (Middleburry, VT) May 4, 2008
Nebraska (Lincoln, NE) Sept. TBA, 2008 King County (Seattle, WA) Dec. 16, 2007
Triangle (Raleigh, NC) Apr. 21, 2008 Clark County (Vancouver, WA) Jan. 16, 2008
Corrigan/Faircloth (Grennsboro, NC) May 5, 2008 Tacoma (Tacoma, WA) May 4, 2008
Joe Yukica (Mancheter, NH) May 6, 2008 Wisconsin (Madison, WI) Apr. 19, 2008
Morris County (Morristown, NJ) Apr. 21, 2008 Wyoming (Casper, WY) Mar. 15, 2008
Page 6
www.footballfoundation.org March 27, 2008

The National Football Foundation’s Chapter Network
Presented by
26205 10/17/07 1:15 PM Page 1
Page 7
www.footballfoundation.org March 27, 2008