The Clarkston High School football program has a time-honored tradition before they begin each season – they go into the community and give back.
The program was recognized and received the Steve Spicer Memorial Leadership Award.
Kurt Richardson, Wolves Varsity Head Football Coach, accepted the award on behalf of the program on Friday in Battle Creek.
‘It’s a nice honor because the community gives so much to our athletic teams and it is nice for our kids to give back,? said Richardson. ‘It’s a nice award.?
Clarkston was recognized for Rush for Food, a program going on for 13 years, and Football for a Cure, started last summer.
‘The kids get so much given to them, we want them to give something back,? said Richardson.
The boys collected 4,431 pounds of food to donate to Lighthouse Emergency Services in August 2009.
The combined effort from all the teams had the JV and varsity teams traveling through local neighborhoods collecting nonperishable food items, cans and bottles, and monetary donations.
The freshman team stayed at Lighthouse organizing the food and putting them into boxes.
The program raised over $5,000 for Karmanos Cancer Institute during their Football for a Cure.
The boys traded their usual blue and gold jerseys for their annual scrimmage for blue and pink jerseys and represented community members and families touched by cancer.
‘I got the idea from other coaches,? said Richardson, referring to Brian Kaminskas, boys varsity lacrosse coach and Noel Dean, the head football coach at Lowell High School. Kaminskas holds an annual Game for a Cure event every year with all donations going to Karmanos.
Richardson talked to Dean about some of the ideas Lowell High School was using and what helped them to raise $125,000 in 2008.
Richardson plans to raise more money from this year’s Blue/Pink Scrimmage and wants every year to be bigger than the previous year.
Also, the players work the concession stands on Sundays for the athletic boosters.
The award is given every year by the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association in recognition of outstanding community leadership.