Click
HERE
for a printable version of the national press
release.
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
Sally S. Johnson, Executive Director
National Council of Youth Sports
772-781-1452
youthsports@ncys.org
HOMETOWN
HEROES SHINE IN NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Passion
and commitment determine America's best youth
sports leaders
STUART,
Florida. (September 21, 2006) - Millions
of men and women active in youth sports are
finally getting the recognition they deserve.
The National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS)
has named four individuals from hometown communities
throughout the United States as recipients of
its Hershey's STRIVE Award. NCYS membership
represents more than 52 million boys and girls
involved in youth sports nationwide.
STRIVE
stands for Sports Teach Respect, Initiative,
Values and Excellence. The award honors adult
leaders for their "heartfelt passion, enthusiastic
commitment and contagious spirit to help kids
succeed in youth sports activities." This
year, NCYS will present Hershey's STRIVE Awards
to one national administrator, one local administrator,
one volunteer and one coach. Honorees were nominated
by team members, parents or colleagues and judged
by a panel of NCYS officials.
Among
the honorees is Cindi Hart of Indianapolis,
Indiana who is the recipient of the Hershey's
STRIVE Coach of the Year Award. Against all
odds, and through breast cancer treatment, Hart
continued to coach and compete as an athlete
for the IndySpeed Sports Club and coach the
Special Olympics Indiana. She teaches her speed
skaters and cyclists that "all obstacles
can be overcome" with a positive attitude,
attainable goal setting, courage and resilience
through adversity.
Jon
Butler, Executive Director of Pop Warner Little
Scholars based in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, is
the Hershey's STRIVE National Administrator
of the Year. Butler has led this national youth
football, cheer and dance organization in setting
high standards for academic and athletic achievement.
He is a strong proponent that young athletes
can excel both on the playing field and in the
classroom. Pop Warner Little Scholars is the
largest youth football, cheerleading & dance
program in the United States. More than 360,000
young people (ages 5-16), 37,000 coaches and
one million parents and volunteers are involved
in the program in 41 states and several countries.
Pop Warner is the only national youth sports
organization that requires minimum scholastic
achievement to participate.
Sally
S. Johnson, NCYS Executive Director, noted that
the lack of recognition given to outstanding
adult leaders involved in youth sports prompted
NCYS to create the STRIVE awards.
"We
felt it was time to honor America's hometown
heroes on a larger stage and to give them the
praise they deserve," Johnson said. "Many
of these individuals devote countless hours
each week, all while juggling full-time careers,
families, and other commitments."
Other
STRIVE Award winners include:
Neil
Parmenter of Des Moines, Iowa, will be honored
as the Hershey's STRIVE Local Youth Sports Administrator
of the Year. For more than three decades, Parmenter
has given countless volunteer hours to youth
athletics. He has served as coach, board member,
officer, player agent, tournament director,
commissioner, volunteer, and administrator for
multiple sports including the Beaverdale Little
League, the Parochial Football League, and the
Iowa and national Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).
The father of eight children, Parmenter has
fulfilled about every volunteer position in
connection with ice hockey, swimming, soccer,
softball, water polo, golf, baseball, football,
and basketball programs. His supporters say,
"For Neil youth sports are a labor of love."
Barbara
Tobias of West Seneca, New York was chosen as
the Hershey's STRIVE Volunteer of the Year.
Tobias was recognized for her untiring volunteerism,
valued organizational skills, humble work ethic,
and ability to motivate others within the West
Seneca Youth Hockey Association and her community.
She is the mom of three hockey players and the
adopted mother to a whole team of boys and their
siblings. She is the association registrar,
travel team manager, Booster Club president,
hockey association board member, as well as
the voice of the hockey moms.
Winners
will receive a check for $2,500, payable to
the youth sports organization of his or her
choice. Ceremonies for each will be held in
their communities or at their organization's
national event.
ABOUT
THE NCYS:
The
National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS) comprises
the who's who in the youth sports industry.
Its membership represents more than 180 organizations/corporations
serving 52 million boys and girls participating
in organized youth sports throughout the United
States. NCYS members include organizations such
as: Little League Baseball, Pop Warner Football,
American Youth Soccer Association, United States
Olympic Committee, and Boys & Girls Clubs
of America. To learn more about the NCYS visit
www.ncys.org.
ABOUT The Hershey Company
The
Hershey Company has long offered successful
fundraising programs for youth in America. Its
sponsorship of the STRIVE Awards stems from
The Hershey Company's devotion to helping children
of all ages to "Dream, Reach and Succeed"
in everything that they do. For more information
about The Hershey Company and its fundraising
programs, visit www.hersheysfundraising.com.
