The National Football Foundation honors high school players for more than football.
The NFF, a national organization that created its Collier County chapter in 2018, will award 12 finalists with scholarships at the foundation’s banquet on Saturday, Feb. 26.
In 2021, the NFF handed out a record $27,000 and added a Special Olympics scholarship, making it 12 high school seniors who received scholarships. Since its inception, the local chapter of the 77-year-old national organization has given out $88,000 in college scholarships to 38 high school seniors. The winners are chosen based on a 40-40-20 percent mix of academics, athletics and citizenship.
Previously:National Football Foundation scholarship banquet returns with former NFL coach John Fox
Related:NFF hands out record $27,000 in scholarships as Lely’s Chambers takes top prize
This year’s ceremony will take place at the Windermere Country Club and begin with beverages and hors d’oeuvres at 3:30 p.m. Dinner and festivities will begin at 5 p.m.
NFF Collier also presents awards to adults who support the game of football. Those winners give a brief speech.
Former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner will receive the NFF’s Distinguished American Award. Former Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio will receive the Contributions to the Game Award. Retired Naples High coach Bill Kramer will get the Collier County Legends Award.
Here are this year’s 12 student nominees, all of whom will receive at least $1,000:
Isack Barahona
School: Golden Gate
Highlights: Barahona, a Naples Daily News All-Area First Team selection on the defensive side, led the Titans with 106 tackles while adding a sack and an interception. He has a 3.12 unweighted GPA and volunteers at the Grace Place Academic Center to help tutor area students.
Caleb Cousins
School: Palmetto Ridge
Highlights: Cousins was a Naples Daily News All-Area First Team selection on offense in 2021 after leading the team with 405 yards and five touchdowns on just 20 receptions. He volunteered to coach Pop Warner this past year.
Coby Georges
School: Lely
Highlights: Georges finished with 44 tackles on the defensive side, with 136 receiving yards at tight end. He is involved with Project Unify, which involves special needs students at Lely. In Immokalee, he collaborated with Arnie Coons by delivering food, taking kids shopping for clothes, and grocery shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Doug Glennon
School: CSN
Highlights: Glennon served on the offensive line as well as the linebacking corps for Paul Selvidio’s team, finishing with 50 tackles on the defensive side. He is the Vice President of the Harvard Model Congress at CSN and the Executive Chair of Athletics for student government. Glennon possesses a 4.0 GPA.
John Paul Janik
School: Gulf Coast
Highlights: Janik was member of the linebacking corps for the Sharks. He owns a perfect 4.0 GPA and is a member of both the Politics and Economics clubs’ at Gulf Coast. He’s volunteered for Collier Parks and Recreation, as well as at Collier Museums. He was also a part of the student government.
Dawson Jones
School: St. John Neumann
Highlights: Jones was a quarterback, safety, kicker, punter, and punt returner for the Celtics. He was a Naples Daily News All-Area First Team selection after finishing with seven interceptions. He volunteers for Estates Little League and the Shelter for Abused Women, among others. He has a 3.6 GPA.
Dylan McNamara
School: Barron Collier
Highlights: McNamara, a finalist for the Southwest Florida Football Player of the Year as a junior, threw for 3,184 yards in his two varsity seasons at Barron Collier. He has also participated in local food drives, he’s coached youth flag football, and has done Teen Angel work in Immokalee all while having a 3.8 GPA.
Jimmy Ridinger
School: First Baptist
Highlights: Ridinger was a Naples Daily News All-Area First Team selection after totaling 90 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and four sacks. Ridinger never missed a morning workout for Billy Sparacio, and was a part of the First Baptist Sports Outreach Beacon.
Andrew Saint Fleur
School: Naples
Highlights: Saint Fleur was a Naples Daily News All-Area First Team selection on defense in 2021, finishing with 61 tackles (12 for loss) and six sacks. He has a 3.89 GPA and has put in 100 hours with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and was selected as a member of a six-member leadership council on the football team.
Nathan Saint Louis
School: Palmetto Ridge
Highlights: Saint Louis is a member of the Palmetto Ridge Unified Sports flag football team, and committed extra time to try and learn the quarterback position. He is very involved in statistics and numbers and has a large interest in collegiate and professional sports. He owns a 3.90 GPA in the classroom.
Robert Turrubiartez
School: Immokalee
Highlights: Turrubiartez was a dependable leader on the team, showing up first and leaving last after practice was over. He has a 3.08 GPA and helps feed the homeless in Immokalee by volunteering with Key Club. He also volunteered with the Immokalee Fountain.
Nicholas Vergo
School: Marco Island Academy
Highlights: Vergo did it all for the Rays, playing linebacker, running back, punter, and kicker. He owns a 3.65 GPA and has volunteered for over 380 hours during his time in high school. Vergo is a captain on the football and soccer teams.
IF YOU GO
NFF Collier Scholarship Banquet
When: Saturday, Feb. 26, reception at 3:30 p.m., dinner at 5 p.m.
Where: Windermere Country Club, Naples
Tickets: $80, on sale until Friday, Feb. 18
To buy: NFFCollier.com
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Travis Burnett
A pioneer in the flag football community, Travis helped co-found the Flag Football World Championship Tour, FlagSpin and USA Flag. Featuring 15+ years of content creation for the sport of flag football, creating and managing the largest flag football tournaments on the planet, coaching experience at the youth and adult level as well as an active player with National and World Championship level experience.
