| LANGHORNE,
Pennsylvania. (October 2, 2006)
- Jon Butler towers over his youth
sports colleagues. At 6'-6",
it's not just his sheer size that
stands out, but his larger-than-life
philosophy that young athletes can
excel both on the playing field and
in the classroom. As the executive
director of a national youth football,
cheer and dance organization - Pop
Warner Little Scholars - Butler has
set high standards for academic and
athletic achievement.
It
is for this reason that Butler was
selected by the National Council
of Youth Sports (NCYS) as the recipient
of the 2006 Hershey's STRIVE National
Administrator of the Year Award.
Butler
has been a guiding force in establishing
a successful youth model in the
sports business industry. Butler
has worked with Pop Warner to enable
children to participate in team
sports and activities in a safe
and structured environment with
programs that teach fundamental
values, skills and knowledge that
will benefit them throughout their
lives.
"By
his example, Butler sets high standards
for children to strive to do their
best in athletics and academics
while building enduring relationships,"
say nominator Lisa Moroski. "We
will all continue to benefit from
his knowledge, his background and
grace in leadership as we grow our
youth sports programs."
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. Founded in 1929,
Pop Warner is the only national
youth sports organization that requires
minimum scholastic achievement to
participate.
Under
Butler's leadership, Pop Warner
established a National Championship
Week for Football and Cheer &
Dance with 64 football teams and
400 cheer/dance squads competing.
He developed a Coaches Education
Training Program for volunteers
to learn the basic rules of sportsmanship,
coaching techniques and respect
for youth. Butler also supports
a nationwide Simultaneous Kickoff
and Play Football Month on a scale
unmatched by any other youth football
organization.
STRIVE
stands for Sports Teach Respect,
Initiative, Values and Excellence
and 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.
Sally
S. Johnson, NCYS Executive Director,
noted that the lack of recognition
for outstanding adult leaders involved
in youth sports prompted the NCYS
to create the 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."
Butler
will be honored the first week in
December during the Pop Warner National
Championships at Disney's Wide World
of Sports Complex while commemorating
the 50th Anniversary of the Pop
Warner Super Bowl. During the celebration,
Butler will receive a check for
$2,500, which he has announced will
be donated to the Pop Warner Little
Scholars Scholarship Fund.
Other STRIVE winners
In
addition to National Administrator,
the three other STRIVE Award winners
for Local Administrator, Volunteer
and Coach include:
Neil
Parmenter of Des Moines, Iowa was
selected as the 2006 Hershey's STRIVE
Local Youth Sports Administrator
of the Year. For more than three
decades, Neil 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.
Cindi Hart of Indianapolis, Indiana
was selected the Hershey's STRIVE
Coach of the Year for her commitment
to the IndySpeed Sports Club and
the Special Olympics Indiana. Against
all odds, and through breast cancer
treatment, Hart continued to coach
and compete as an athlete while
teaching her speed skaters and cyclists
that "all obstacles can be
overcome" with a positive attitude,
attainable goal setting, courage
and resilience through adversity.
Hart's expertise and ability to
bring out the best in her student
athletes has taught athletes of
all levels the life skills of compassion,
perseverance and discipline.
#
# #
EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information
about Jon Butler, the Hershey's
STRIVE Award or NCYS, please contact
Sally S. Johnson, NCYS Executive
Director at 772-781-1452 or youthsports@ncys.org.
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.
|
Pete
Waldron, Marketing Manager for Hershey’s
FundRaising pays tribute to Jon
Butler, Executive Director of Pop
Warner Little Scholar as NCYS’
2006 Hershey’s STRIVE Award’s
National Administrator of the Year!
An independent panel of judges selected
Mr. Butler for this award as having
accomplished the essentials of STRIVE:
Sports Teach Respect, Initiative,
Values and Excellence.
Football,
Cheer & Dance, and Education
are the key activities that create
the Pop Warner tradition of pride,
honor and sportsmanship.
The
award ceremony was held during the
Pop Warner National Championships
at Disney’s Wide World of Sports
Complex while commemorating the
50th Anniversary of the Pop Warner
Super Bowl.
The
Milk House was the venue where NCYS
rocked the house with 6,000 athletes
and spectators shouting loud and
proud through STRIVE megaphones
honoring their leader Jon Butler
as National Administrator of the
Year.
For
ten straight years, Pop Warner Cheer
& Dance athletes from all across
the country gather in Walt Disney
World.
The
crowd anxiously awaits the final
competitions and the exciting awards
presentation.
The judges have a difficult
job with this cream of the crop
national competition. The trophies
await the lucky and talented winners.
National Council of Youth
Sports Executive Director Sally
Johnson praises Jon Butler for his
untiring commitment to all children
for them to strive to do their best
in athletics and academics. This
award distinguishes Mr. Butler as
an outstanding, influential individual
who has made a significant contribution
to the pursuit of sports excellence.
Mrs. Johnson also respectfully thanked
The Hershey Company for their steadfast
sponsorship of the STRIVE program.
Pete Waldron tells the crowd
that Hershey’s sponsorship
of STRIVE stems from the company's
devotion to helping children of
all ages DREAM, REACH and SUCCEED
in everything they do. Milton Hershey
was a motivator and a positive role
model committed to the highest standards
of quality and integrity.
Standing proud are NCYS dignitaries
(L-R): Mike Millay-Director of Sports
Events for Disney Sports Attractions,
Pam Marshall-Director of Volunteer
Services for the Amateur Athletic
Union; Pete Waldron-Marketing Manager
for Hershey’s FundRaising;
Jon Butler-Executive Director for
Pop Warner Little Scholars and NCYS’
2006 Hershey’s STRIVE Award’s
National Administrator of the Year;
Sally Johnson-Executive Director
NCYS; and Cedric Jones-Senior Director
for the NFL Youth Football Fund.
Cedric Jones and Pete Waldron share
a moment to acknowledge Mr. Butler’s
extraordinary service and the vital
role he has played touching the
lives of hundreds of thousands of
young people, coaches and administrators,
and millions of parents and volunteers
in a very positive way.
The crowd learned that along with
the National Council of Youth Sports
and Hershey’s Fundraising,
others of prominence are acknowledging
Mr. Butler’s STRIVE award with
special honors such as: Proclamations
and congratulatory letters from
many U.S. & State Senators &
Congressmen and political dignitaries;
a Joint Resolution from the State
Senate and General Assembly; the
American Flag will be flown over
the U.S. Capitol; and Jon Butler’s
honor is being declared into the
U.S. Congressional Record.
Pop Warner is the only national
youth sports organization that requires
minimum scholastic achievement to
participate.
The winners of the Pop Warner Challenge
Division proudly display their special
honor.
The trophy is almost as big as they
are! What a thrill of a lifetime
for these dedicated, hard-working
and disciplined Cheer & Dance
winners.
Founded in 1929, Pop Warner has
more than 360,000 young people (ages
5-16), 37,000 coaches and one million
parents and volunteers involved
in the program in 41 states and
several countries. This marked the
tenth year Pop Warner held its national
championships on the Disney Wide
World of Sports fields and facilities.
Mr. Butler was recognized at this
awesome venue for advocating sports
as the conduit through which children
learn important life lessons, values,
compassion and good ethics. It is
that relationship between sports
skills and life skills AND academic
skills that provide our young athletes
with the fundamentals they need
to succeed both on and off the playing
field.
|
